Nami Asada

Nami Asada
Born	1953 or 1954 (age 72–73) Edogawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Occupation	Gravure model
Years active	1973-78

Nami Asada (麻田 奈美, Asada Nami; born 1953–54) is a gravure model who was active in Japan in the 1970s. She became a star after a photograph known as the Apple Nude (りんごヌード, ringo nūdo), and was elevated to the status of an idol among young people of the time.

Life and career

Born in Edogawa ward, Tokyo, she studied classical ballet in elementary school and joined the basketball club in junior high school. By the time she graduated from Tokyo Metropolitan Musashigaoka High School, she got a voluptuous figure and an ample bust. Despite her body shape, she was petite, standing in the 150 cm (4.9 ft) range, and had a youthful, innocent face. Her mother commissioned photographer Yoichi Aoyagi to take nude photographs of her daughter in the fall of 1972, when she was 18. This led to her debut in magazine gravure, and she became an instant sensation when her first gravure photos were published in the January 29, 1973 issue of Heibon Punch.

Asada's claim to fame was a single double-page spread by Aoyagi, published in the March 12, 1973 issue of Heibon Punch. This photograph, in which she modestly covered her crotch with a red apple, was called the "Apple Nude," and posters of it that were later sold were said to be a staple in the rooms of young people at the time. Due to the overwhelming response, Asada's gravure photos were exclusively published in Heibon Punch, and the issues featuring her nudes saw a massive increase in circulation, with some sources saying they exceeded one million copies at their peak.

In 1973, she also gained attention for activities outside of gravure modeling, such as appearing in TV commercials for Honda and Yashica, and making her record debut with Nippon Columbia ("Osoi Natsu /Cattleya no Hana"). At one point, she received a leading role offer from director Kei Kumai, but Asada's mother objected, citing that Nikkatsu, the production company that was scheduled to produce the film, mainly produced pornographic films, and that she had an obligation to "get married safely" (not to let her appear in a Roman Porno film with scenes of sexual interaction with the opposite sex), thus canceling the film role. Kumai restarted the project and produced "Asayake no Uta" (1973) with Keiko Sekine in the lead role, which was released by Toho.

Since her debut, Aoyagi has handled almost all of her gravure photography. There have been few shoots by other photographers, especially nudes. At the height of her popularity in 1974, she suddenly distanced herself from gravure and took a break. She lived a carefree life, using the money she saved from her modeling fees to travel abroad several times a year, but when her savings ran out, she returned to gravure in 1976.

In 1977, after collaborating with Aoyagi again to pose for semi-nude photos, she finally shot a full nude photoshoot. Her work with Aoyagi ended with the photobook "Nami Asada: A Record of Youth," which was the culmination of five years of work published in "Heibon Punch." However, immediately afterward, from 1977 to 1978, she was featured a total of three times in the "Gekisha" series of gravure photos in the competing magazine "GORO." The photographer was Kishin Shinoyama. After the "GORO" feature, she completely withdrew from gravure modeling.

On April 1, 2024, the fifth installment of the photobook series "Memories of Apples," titled "NAMI ASADA 5: Nami Asada Photobook 'Memories of Apples' 5 Final Cut (NAMI ASADA 5 麻田奈美写真集「林檎の記憶」5 ファイナルカット)," was released by Shogakukan. The photobook also includes recent photographs of Asada, who turned 65 in April 2019. At the same time, Aspect re-released volumes 1–4 of "Ringo no Kioku" ( 林檎の記憶; Memories of Apples), which were previously released, as digital photobooks.

Photo works

• Heibon Punch Special Issue: Nami Asada's Records of Youth (June 10, 1977, Heibon Publishing, Photography: Yoichi Aoyagi)
• APPLE 1972–1977 Nami Asada Photobook (March 2000, Aspect, Photography: Yoichi Aoyagi) ISBN 978-4757207202
• APPLE 2 Nami Asada Photobook (March 2001, Aspect, Photography: Yoichi Aoyagi) ISBN 978-4757208278
• Ringo ANOTHER APPLE: Nami Asada Photobook (October 2004, Kodansha, Photography: Yoichi Aoyagi) ISBN 978-4061723481
• The final Nami Asada photobook (September 28, 2011, Magazine House, Photography: Yoichi Aoyagi) ISBN 9784838723195
• Nami Asada Photobook "Memories of Apples" Vol. 1 "Studio Test" (September 25, 2014, Aspect, Photography: Yoichi Aoyagi) ISBN 978-4757223769
• Nami Asada Photobook "Memories of Apples" 2 "Apples and Lemons" (December 24, 2014, Aspect, Photography: Yoichi Aoyagi) ISBN 978-4757223776
• Nami Asada Photobook "Memories of Apples" 3 "Hot Spring Trip" (April 24, 2015, Aspect, Photography: Yoichi Aoyagi) ISBN 978-4757223783
• Nami Asada Photobook "Memories of Apples" 4 "Overseas Travel" (January 12, 2016, Aspect, Photography: Yoichi Aoyagi) ISBN 978-4757224261
• Nami Asada Photobook "Memories of Apples" 5 "Final Cut" (April 1, 2024, Shogakukan, Photography: Yoichi Aoyagi) ISBN 978-4096824504

Musical career

Single

Release date	Format	Standard part number	Side	Title	Lyrics	Composern	Arranger
Nippon Columbia
November 1973	EP	P-320	A	Osoi haru (おそい夏)	Haruo Hayashi	Makoto Kawaguchi
			B	Cattleya no hana (カトレアの花)

Album

Omnibus album

• Dankai Punch ~Wind Blowing in Tokyo~ Showa 40s Pops (March 19, 2008, Victor Entertainment, VICL-62653) - Includes "Osoi Natsu" as a bonus track. Compilation CD. All three other compilation CDs, "Folk Edition," "Kayokyoku," and "Pops Edition," feature nude photographs of Nami Asada on their covers.