Yuki
はじめまして！和美幸です！ Hello, my name is Yuki Kazumi. In Japanese we always put our first name after our family name, so Kazumi = 和美 and Yuki = 幸. Usually the name Yuki is written like this: 雪, but my parents probably thought I was going to be a little bit different, so they chose a different kanji. How right they were!
Anyhow, I was born on 9 April 2000 (year of the Dragon, just like this year!) in Hakata/Fukuoka. They say the most beautiful girls of Japan come from Hakata. They call Hakata Bijin. I won’t argue with that (of course in Kyoto they say the same, but that’s obviously not true: see for yourself). But I digress (I tend to talk too much…)
I studied English language in Fukuoka and Art History in Tokyo at the Tokyo University of the Arts, also known as Geidai (東京芸術大学, Tōkyō Geijutsu Daigaku). This is where I met Rooney. Because she is much into everything Japanese I started calling her Akane, which means redhead. The name stuck. We quickly became close friends, like very close friends… I am afraid to say that Japan still is a very male-dominated society, so establishing a successful career proved to be a difficult task. So I moved to the Netherlands and am now very (very very very) happily living with Akane.
At the moment I do some teaching and translating together with Akane and I am a consultant to the Japan Museum in Leiden. Right now Akane and me are in the process of setting up a Cultural Exchange Program, called ‘Bridges of Culture’, where we offer various activities, both in the Netherlands and in Japan, where we live about 3 months each year (this is to prevent me from dying from homesickness…). And of course modeling! Our regular photographer is a very nice and gentle guy, who I tease every now and then (I like practical jokes…).
My hobbies are reading manga, music, doing my kata’s, cosplaying and gaming. And of course shopping for lingerie. Other hobbies are Akane and Japan (in that order).
Oh yes: about the hair! It all started as a big joke at the DutchGP last August. Of course we were cheering for our Dutch Formula 1 driver, so I decided to dye my hair Orange, in true Dutch style. I actually like it this way…
たくさんの甘いキス (Takusan no amai kisu = lots of sweet kises). Yuki
Akane
Hello, I am Akane! My real name is Rooney O’Sullivan. I was born on 21 May 1999 in Galway, Ireland. My father is Irish, but my mother is Dutch. We moved to Leiden in the Netherlands when I was still very young. Can’t remember much of that…
I went to school in Leiden and after that I studied Japanese language and culture at Leiden University. During a student exchange I met Yuki in Tokyo. We quickly became close friends (Very Close Friends, that is). She started calling me Akane, which means redhead in Japanese, because she liked that name better. Truth is: she cannot pronounce ‘Rooney’, but she will never admit that… I love that girl! We are very happily living together in Leiden, with a few months each year in Japan.
After my graduation I started worked as translator (earning next to nothing), teaching part-time, assistant librarian etc. And of course modeling! Right now we are in the process of setting up a Cultural Exchange Program, called ‘Bridges of Culture’, where we offer lectures about Japan, various workshops like ikebana and calligraphy, Japanese tea ceremony etc. When in Japan we want to do more or the less about the Netherlands. It’s hard working.
My hobbies are mostly Japan-orientated and reading, but I also love shopping for lingerie with my bestie, cosplaying, gaming, cooking… Oh, really too much!
The hair! Well, I am a natural redhead! However I made a vow that if Yuki would dye her hair red (or orange, whatever), I would dye mt hair blonde… I never thought my half-witted darling would do such a thing. Little did I know…
Sweet kisses, Akane
JP
fashion photographer
