Despite her petite stature at 145cm, Akiko Tanaka is popular for her well-balanced, sophisticated style, boasting 150,000 followers on Instagram and as an official Ameba blogger. She's not only garnering attention as a fashion leader for small sizes, but also for her tranquil daily life with her family and her ever-growing beauty as a wife and mother of two.


Strawberry Shop, a shop for petite women located on the second floor of the Isetan Shinjuku Main Building, will be collaborating with Akiko Tanaka on an event starting August 22nd. The event will feature Tanaka's favorite items, some of which she regularly wears.

We asked her 10 questions to delve into everything from her daily life to the lineup of items she'll be featuring at the event.

Q1. What is your morning routine?

I start my day by brushing my teeth as soon as I wake up. Ever since I heard that bacteria easily grow in the mouth while we sleep, allowing colds and other viruses to take hold, I've made sure to brush my teeth first thing in the morning. As a mother, I'm concerned about my family's health, but it seems like everyone in my family is resistant to viruses (lol). After that, I drink a glass of water or lukewarm water and always check my skin. It's not something I feel like I have to do, it's just a natural way to start the day.

Q2. What are your favorite cosmetics that you regularly use?

I love RMS Beauty's "Uncover Up" foundation because it conceals blemishes while adding a radiant glow. I want to avoid thick foundation peeling in the evening, so this foundation fades naturally, making it easy to touch up. I also regularly use "lip cheek." Until my mid-30s, I preferred strong reds, but now I often use deeper shades. Today I used "Promise."

The products Tanaka used on this day were Uncover Up (00), Luminizer, and Lip Cheek (Promise).


The Strawberry Shop event will feature Tanaka's favorite cosmetics from rms beauty, including Uncover Up and Luminizer. Illustrator Nozomi Yuasa has created makeup illustrations of Tanaka's favorite colors, so be sure to check them out.

Clockwise from left) Lip and Cheek, ¥4,800 each
DEMURE, PARADISE, SMILE, BE-LOVED, PROMISSION, MODEST (center)
Top right) Uncover Up (00) ¥4,800, bottom right) Luminizer ¥4,900 / All rms beauty

Tanaka's favorite rms beauty color
Illustration: Nozomi Yuasa



Q3. Do you have a favorite place?

I often go to Minami-Ikebukuro Park. It's not so much with my family, but with a large group of my kids' friends and their mothers. It's more like I bring my kids because I want to hang out with my mom friends (laughs). It's fun when we all get together, and time flies by. I really feel blessed to have such great people around me.

Q4. What do you value when spending time with your children?

My eldest son is 8 and my second is 5, and they both love to chat. They both talk a lot at once, so it can be hard to keep up, but I listen carefully and respond with a smile. It's a precious time to hear my children's stories about how they spend their time when I'm not around and what happened, and to see their growth. Although I'm busy making lunch boxes every day, I believe that now is the time for me to work hard as a mother. Boys will soon grow old, and I'll have some free time soon.

Playing with my kids at the park
In July, I made a cake and fruit punch for my eldest son's birthday.

Q5. How do you spend your free time?

Spending time with plants is what refreshes me. I'm not a fanatic, but displaying them in my space and watering them is a daily source of relaxation. Overwatering plants is not good for them, and they become more lively when you talk to them, so I think it's similar to raising children. Now that I'm raising a boy, I've grown to not mind bugs emerging from the soil. I was initially hesitant about rhinoceros beetles, but once I named them and raised them, they become adorable. Plants and children are similar in that they take you to places you've never known before.

Q6. What's your favorite piece of jewelry right now?

I first learned about CASUCA when I saw it at Isetan. I like larger, more trendy jewelry these days, but I buy those things cheaply. If I can find something with a delicate design like CASUCA that I can wear for a long time, I'll choose something high-quality. It looks beautiful on the skin, and because it's not too bold, I feel like it really defines me.


CASUCA's jewelry, from the classic triangular "Tobira" necklace to the delicate "Unite" necklace and earrings made with white and yellow gold chains, is often seen at events.

From left) Bangle ¥52,000, Necklace ¥49,000, ¥27,500, Earrings ¥20,000
Top) Ring ¥58,500 / All CASUCA

Q7. Is there anything you value as you get older?

As I get older, I no longer care about being liked by others. So I try to cherish the time I spend with people who understand me for who I am. I don't compare myself to others, nor to my past self. I try to spend comfortable time with the people I love, so that I can feel the best about who I am now. As a couple, I want to maintain a relationship where I can maintain a moderate level of tension with my husband. I feel this suits me.

Q8. What's the secret to enhancing your figure as a size S?

I have small feet, so few shoes fit me, so I regularly wear insoles to adjust the fit. When I wear pants or a long skirt, I want to match them with sneakers or heels, and I don't want to shorten the length of the outfit by focusing on one side, so insoles are useful in those situations too. Being short can make you look childish, so rather than focusing on making your legs look longer, I try to pay attention to the proportions of my head and body. Also, if I'm wearing sneakers, changing to thinner shoelaces is actually a good way to improve overall balance.


The event will feature insoles for both sneakers and heels such as pumps. Narrow shoelaces will also be available in special packaging.

Clockwise from left)
Insole V30 1,400 yen, V32 1,600 yen, V06 & V07 600 yen each, Shoelaces (Beige & White) 500 yen each / Kihara Sangyo

Q9. Do you have any preferences when choosing innerwear?

I don't like anything that feels itchy, so I choose HANRO innerwear, which has a smooth texture and is comfortable to wear. It dries quickly after washing, so it's perfect for busy moms. When you're petite, the position of your bust is very important, and HANRO's cupped camisoles are perfect because they don't stand out too much, yet hold firmly and keep your bust high.

Just like with shoe insoles, it's important to think about and devise a silhouette balance that suits you when it comes to fashion. I too have tried and failed many times, and it feels like ideas have been born one after another. I've recently come to believe that if your clothes are fashionable, you will definitely look fashionable, but that's an ultimate theory, and for me, it's still not quite there. Considering my age, I think now is the time to keep trying new things.

Cupped Camisole 18,000 yen (White, Beige, Black) / HANRO

HANRO's innerwear will also be available at the event. The cupped camisole comes in three colors, while the soft knit camisole comes in a wide range of six colors so you can choose the one that best suits your outfit of the day.

100% Cotton Camisole ¥7,500 each (Black, Beige, Melon, Pink, Navy, White) / HANRO

Q10. Do you have any rules for the end of the day before going to sleep?

No matter how tired I am, I always take a long bath, warm my body, and relieve the fatigue of the day. Skin care is also important. Since skin is the most visible part of the body, I take the time to thoroughly remove any makeup I've worn. However, recently, I've come to believe that the quickest way to improve beauty and health is to go to bed early and get up early. My husband's mother is one of them, and all the beautiful women around me are early risers. I'm busy right now and haven't been able to put it into practice, but I hope to be able to do so thoroughly in the future.



10 things that will make you feel like you know Tanaka a little better. What did you think? At Isetan Shinjuku, we've put together a collection of Tanaka's favorite daily items under the title "#akiicoMyself" and are selling them for a limited time at the Strawberry Shop on the 2nd floor of the main building. The event will start on August 22nd.