Exclusive: Interview with Former JAV Star Yuu Sakura

I am happy to announce another exclusive interview! Yuu Sakura, a busty J-Cup actress, was active in AV from 2012 to 2017, and was most known for her breasts. While in my opinion vastly underrated, exploring the different experiences of actresses and directors alike, we felt it was an opportunity we couldn't refuse. Sakura comes in at a 5'1 with a whopping 110 cm bust, and she currently runs an OnlyFans for fans all over the world to enjoy!

Further comments will be italicized. All other responses are that of Yuu Sakura.

 How did you get into JAV? Were you doing other ‘water trade’ jobs first?
A:  I was scouted and also had experience working in the water trade.

 How many JAV movies have you done?
A:  I don’t know the exact number, but perhaps 300 or 400 titles?

What names have you gone by and why did you change your name?

A:  There’s just something about the name Yuu Sakura that I really, really like.  It’s the name I’ve had the longest in my career.

Note: Yuu Sakura (さくら悠 ) has also gone by the names of Mai Uchiyama (内山まい), Rina Kawase (河瀬リナ), and Ayumu Hoshihara (星原歩)

 Do you have any memorable experiences during this time?
A:  There was my debut that was filmed at the beach.  This wasn’t a set so there were tourists not too far away making for very risky filming.

 What movie did you enjoy the most? What about the least?
A:  There are many movies I enjoyed!  Most of my movies were a blast to shoot.  What I didn’t enjoy that much were titles with bullying themes.  Sometimes you’d be punched the wrong way and it’d hurt some.

 Do you enjoy your time now as a free agent more so than when you belonged to an agency?
A:  I only have gratitude for the agency as they referred me to so many different and unique shoots.  Being a free agent, however, feels very good and fun.  Now I have the power to call all my own shots.

 What are you doing when not working on your career? Any hobbies?

A:  I’m very big on going to the gym and keeping fit.  Aside from that I have other meetings and whatnot that fill my day.  And then I also take on the role of a housewife.

Are there any actresses you look up to?
A:  Ai Iijima.  She went from starring in JAV to having a successful mainstream career.

Ai Iijima, a former AV actress who transitioned to TV Hosting. Iijima became an activist and writer in her later years. 

A lot of people have polarized feelings about the AV industry. Did this have an effect on you while you were filming mainstream, and how has it changed you?
A:  I had fears about the industry before entering it.  However, they were all unfounded.  The agencies, studios, and sets are all very professional.  It’s a very clean and fun environment.  The agencies take very good care of their clients

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 Can you name 1 thing you miss, and one thing you don't miss about being in mainstream content?
A:  This one makes me nostalgic.  I’m actually pretty shy and not very good about having sex with strangers, but thanks to those on set and actresses I starred with, I was able to perform above and beyond my capabilities.

 With surprise comebacks like Asahi Mizuno, do you ever see yourself returning to JAV filming?

A:  200% chance of me not returning.

 You speak pretty good English. How did you learn?
A:  Oh, I have a very poor grasp of it.  I went to a cram school for half a year, but it didn’t help much and left me frustrated.

 How has the foreign reaction been to your career?
A:  I think I have more foreign fans after I retired than before.  Perhaps what I do now is more up their alley?  Japanese fans seem to prefer actresses who appear more innocent whereas foreigners prefer a stronger woman.  Either way, people do seem to like me a lot both before and after.

There seems to be a small number of actresses like yourself who are promoting themselves through OnlyFans. May you tell us why you chose this platform?
A:  My husband is the one who found out about it and he remains my top fan to this day.

 Do you also have a way fans in Japan can still support you? OnlyFans appears to only be in English.
A:  Actually I have many Japanese fans on OnlyFans.  I wrote a guide on my blog how to sign up and also regularly promote it on my SNS.

 The western adult industry has seen a large shift towards independent production via personal websites or options such as OF. Do you see this happening in Japan as well?
A:  The industry is slowly, but surely changing in similar ways.  I think we will see more free agents like myself as time goes by.

 Have you ever been spotted by fans? If so, any unique stories?
A:  Often when I’m out and about.  Sometimes they get kind of stalker-ish, which I don’t like too much.

If you did not decide on doing JAV, what would you be doing now?
A:  I don’t think I’d ever of not done what I did.  I turned my back on doing it a few times initially, but then finally made the jump.

Are your family and real life friends aware of your career? If yes, how did they react?
A:  They all know.  My friends have always been supportive of my career.  My parents at first surprised and then sad, but over time they also became supportive.

 If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you want to go, who would you want to go with, and what would you do?

A:  Somewhere by the sea that has nice, warm weather!  That would feel so liberating!