Nishiuchi Hiro, who entered the entertainment industry at age 16, reached a major turning point at age 20. Though she thought she'd achieved her childhood dream, she felt a huge wall looming over her future. To rediscover herself, she traveled solo to America, Singapore, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. She encountered kindness from the people she visited, discovered her own hidden strength for the first time, and attempted to become Miss Universe. We asked Nishiuchi about the changes in her awareness of beauty that occurred through her travels.

--Why did you decide to travel solo?

I was originally an introverted and shy person. When I met people, I didn't even know what to talk about. Looking back, I think I had little experience and my inner self wasn't up to the task. I also had a tendency to dwell on small things, wondering, "Why did I say that?" or "I could have done better," and I think my mental state was quite weak. I wanted to reset myself, so I set off on this journey.

--From your perspective as Nishiuchi-san now, it's the complete opposite.

That's right. I went to America, came back, saved up money in Japan, then went to Europe... and so on, traveling to several countries over the course of two years. With each trip, I felt like I was getting stronger. Since I was traveling alone, I had to talk to the locals. I felt like I had no time to be shy (laughs). Also, many of the people I met overseas were positive and told me not to worry about it. Influenced by that mindset, my own personality gradually became more positive as well.

--Did you ever feel lonely traveling alone in a foreign country?

There were all kinds of problems (laughs). I panicked when my plane departed earlier than scheduled and I missed my flight. I didn't have enough money to just pay the additional fare, so I desperately tried to negotiate in English to make them understand my situation. When I managed to communicate in my poor English and returned to Japan safely, I couldn't help but pump my fist in excitement. I was nervous at the time, but looking back on it now, it's a fond memory.

--That must have given me courage!

That's right. You have to face and solve accidents that would be unthinkable in Japan on your own. I also had a bit of an incident in Paris. On my way back to the hotel, I came across a dimly lit street. Looking more closely, I saw a lot of burly men, and the atmosphere seemed somewhat dangerous... I quickly hid my camera so they wouldn't think I was a tourist, and decided to pretend to be a student living in the area. At that moment, I thought, "I'm an actress, so I'll be fine!" and felt like I was on a once-in-a-lifetime stage (laughs). I put on headphones with no music playing, walked along, and let the music take me by. Thinking about it objectively, no one was even looking at me!

--You're bringing up one memorable episode after another.

Yes. There were some scary moments, but there were also many touching moments of kindness. In Turkey, someone I asked for directions said, "Follow me." Thinking back, I was in danger of being taken somewhere, but that person happened to be really nice. He walked me three kilometers and even treated me to Turkish ice cream along the way, saying, "When you come to Turkey, you have to have Turkish ice cream." When I asked him about it, he told me he was worried about me because he thought I was younger than him. In fact, he was three years younger than me (laughs).

--You've made friends all over the world, haven't you?

That's probably the best part of traveling. When someone I met and became friends with while traveling sends me a photo of a sunset saying, "It's evening in New York," even if I'm struggling in Japan, it makes me think, "Oh, maybe it'll be okay if I go there." It really broadened my horizons. Nowadays, traveling is so relaxing that if I have two days off, I immediately pack my bags and head overseas.

--Where would you like to go next?

I'd like to go to Cuba next. I heard that with classic cars all over the city, it has an atmosphere reminiscent of something out of a movie. Traveling is a place that gives me great realizations and growth. I hope to continue traveling the world as my life's work.

--Have you recently started using a camera?

Yes. I feel like traveling alone can be lonely because you can't share your emotions. When I camped out in the middle of the Sahara Desert, the starry sky was covering me from head to toe, and I wanted to say, "It's so beautiful!", but because I was alone, all I could do was take a breath (laughs). I wanted to capture the scenery of places I might never visit again, so I taught myself how to take photos.

--How many cameras do you own?

I have a DSLR, a compact digital camera I use every day, and a Go Pro, a small camera like the ones you see on variety show helmets. It can also take underwater photos, so I use it when diving. I'd like to write a travel book centered around photography someday.

--Has your sense of beauty changed while traveling?

I still remember it clearly. When I went to Rome, a woman in heels passed by me, her hair blowing in the wind. I was wearing a T-shirt, jeans, and a backpack. I thought, "What's with that difference?" (laughs). To be honest, up until then, I wasn't as conscious about beauty as I am now. Traveling abroad, I gradually began to see my goal of becoming someone who could make a name for herself on the world stage, so I decided to hone my beauty even more and try to become a global beauty contestant.


--Hiroshi Nishiuchi's sense of beauty has changed since traveling and trying out for Miss Universe. In part 3, we'll talk about the beauty regimen and workout routines she uses to achieve healthy beauty.