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Kurara
on Herself
24-year old
Kurara
Chibana
was born March 27th, 1982. A native of Naha
City (the capital of the island of Okinawa), she is a Psychology graduate
from Sophia University.
Kurara
now works as a feature reporter, flying around the
world to interview unique people for a leading fashion magazine in Japan.
She writes and takes photos of their lifestyles.
Impressive resume,
right? But it doesn't end there.
Kurara is an avid
sportswoman who loves tennis and swimming; but get this: She is a certified
kickboxing instructor. She has also been running in marathons for six years.
But her real passion she says, "It's dancing Flamenco". "Between my 2nd and
3rd years at the University, I moved to Paris for a year to study French, so
that I could see French movies without any subtitles. I also lived in Spain
for three months to learn Flamenco and Spanish".
With such an
interesting life, we ask
Kurara to share a
special moment in her life with our readers. "There is an old Okinawan
proverb: 'Choo kukuru ru dee ichi'. – 'The heart is the most essential human
quality'. When I was small, my elders would always tell us this proverb so
that we would grow up believing it".
"When I was traveling
around Spain, I got lost in a small village and asked an old lady for
directions with my poor Spanish skills. She found out that I was traveling
on my own and invited me for lunch with her whole family. I was very touched
by her gesture because Japanese people are very shy and it is unusual for
them to invite a stranger into their home". "Even though she was raising 5
children under a small roof, she made an effort to welcome me and made me
feel at home. During this lunch, I realized that I had started to have a
materialistic view on living. For example, what you possess, defines who you
are. Instead, her lifestyle and her spontaneous hospitality made me realize
that the HEART is the most essential human quality". Now that is a lesson
everyone should learn.
So what about her
favorite things in life?
Kurara tells us
that her favorite food is ‘goya’, which is a type of bittermelon. "Goya is a
dark-green and bumpy vegetable which has been commonly eaten in Okinawa. In
recent years, goya became really a popular food all over Japan. Because of
the bitterness, it's said that eating goya helps to beat the heat in summer!
Also, Goya dishes are often eaten during the summer".
"My favorite song
would be 'Le Tourbillon' by Jean Moreaux; and my favorite movie is 'Une
Femme' by Claude Lelouch. This is my favorite movie because my favorite
actors are Jean-Louis Trintignant and Anouk Aimee. There is a scene in the
film that is very romantic but sad at the same time, when the two lovers are
together. The scene is in black and white, and the only sound that you can
hear is the sound of the bed sheets rustling, something considered very
daring in the sixties".
Kurara
on the Miss Universe Pageant
GB: How did you end up competing in a
beauty pageant?
When I was living in
France, I saw Miss France on television and she was so beautiful. I was
never interested in beauty pageants until this day, but when I heard Miss
France talking about charity and helping those in need, I realized that
beauty pageants were not all about the outside beauty. Miss France was
radiating from the inside.
Therefore, when I came
back to Japan, I searched for Miss Universe Japan on the internet and found
out that the national director was French, which was a coincidence; as I had
just come back from France! I have always been interested in helping those
in need and so I sent in my application. This is the main reason why I
applied.
GB: What do you expect of this year's
Miss Universe contest?
From all the beautiful
pictures that I have looked at of all the delegates of this year’s pageant,
I expect a very strong competition! Also, I have been talking to past Miss
Universe Japans and they have been telling me that everyone is mentally and
physically very strong.
GB: How have you been preparing for
this competition?
I am now preparing
with Miyako Miyazaki, and with a personal
trainer at the gym. The organization has arranged a professional coach to
come to Japan from the United States to train me for the interviews. I am
meeting at press houses to choose my evening gown for the competition, as
well as choosing my wardrobe for the 3 weeks that I will be away. All of
this is really exciting!
However, I am looking
forward to meeting all the other delegates. It is an incredible opportunity.
I am very pleased that the event will take place in Los Angeles because I
will be able to communicate in English and in Spanish with most of the
international press and also with most of the delegates.
GB: What musical guest would you like
to see performing at the Miss Universe Pageant?
I would like to see
the Takarazuka Revue perform on stage at Miss Universe. Takarazuka is an
extremely popular type of Japanese theatre (so not exactly musical!)
comprised of all-female performers who play both the male and female roles
in musicals and revues. The revues are a series of back-to-back energetic
numbers of dance and song which I think would be perfect for Miss Universe,
with each show incorporating the Revue’s trademark giant staircase!
GB: How are you planning to sell
Japan during the contest?
Japan is a country of
seasons, which means that there are many different aspects of the country
that a tourist can enjoy. Every season there is a part of Japan that is
beautiful. For example, in the spring one can enjoy the cherry blossoms all
around the country. In the summer one can enjoy the sea in Okinawa. In the
autumn one can enjoy the leaves changing colours in Kyoto while visiting the
temples. And finally in the winter one can enjoy skiing in Hokkaido.
Most people that have not visited Japan before, have
two very stereotypical views of the country:
- One is the ‘ancient Japan’ image [Geishas, kimonos,
ninjas, samurais].
- One is the ‘modern Japan’ [crowded trains, neon lights, high technology,
futuristic trends].
However most of the
people that I know who have visited Japan, leave the country with a
different impression than they had anticipated. And, if someone enjoys food
and drink, then they should definitely come to Japan to try the exquisite
Japanese cuisine and sake!
THE DIRECTOR
Global Beauties
approached Ines Ligron, organizer of Miss Universe Japan
and asked her some impressions about
Kurara and the
magnificent event she put together this year.
"The theme of this
year competition was Treasure, and indeed
Kurara is our
true treasure. The event in April featured the colors of India, the music of
the Middle-East and the magic of China. For the first time this year, the
final event was live on our website at www.missuniversejapan.com and
broadcasted on national television".
The Miss Universe
Japan pageant last month was the finale to the seven months of preliminary
events with the sponsors. For 2006, the contest received a record of 4,200
applications; some of the candidates even flew in from overseas (Brazil &
New York) for the first official audition in front of the press.
GB: How did you spot Kurara between
many beautiful women?
The first time I saw
Kurara
was in September at that first audition when 300 candidates were waiting to
be introduced to the press. I remember seeing immediately her baby-like face
among everyone else in the room. There was something different from the
beginning about her.
Even while being
watched, she managed to sustain a nonchalant distance from the whole
process. Then when the audition started she really locked into gear, she
showed a determination that could not be ignored. At that time she looked
like a real person, and now she comes across as someone with looks, smarts
and a big heart.
Ines adds that Japan
is a country where it is not as easy to “find” someone who can win Miss
Universe.
"In countries like
Venezuela, India, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Mexico, or Trinidad &
Tobago, pretty girls at an early age dream of becoming a “beauty queen”.
Their culture teaches them from an early start to speak out, to be
glamorous, and to turn heads. In Japan instead, young women grow up being
told to blind in, to look like others, to remain humble and conservative".
"Some decide to go the
other way and they are “different” which is not the easy way to fit in a
society where everything is about following social rules".
GB: How did the pageant turned out
for you this year?
It has been almost 8
years since I started directing the Japanese competition for Miss Universe
and along the way I admit to making big mistakes . But I have learnt from
these mistakes. This year, we finally got more support from the Japanese
media and we signed great new sponsors. We had many events with our
sponsors, some of them included to perform along with international
celebrities such as Victoria Beckam, Penelope Cruz, Maria Sharapova, Paris &
Niikki Hilton!
Of course the 15
finalists got the incredible opportunity to learn so much by working with
them, by being on a stage together, and spending time backstage between
shows. Obviously, women with that caliber of professionalism and glamour are
the ultimate example to teach young women to behave as a star.
Kurara
had a huge advantage from the start, because she was able to communicate
with all of them in their native languages (except for Maria). The
interesting thing about
Kurara, is that when she
switches from Japanese to other languages that she speaks, she manages to
express herself with the adequate body language!
Since 2003 when Miyako
Miyazaki placed 4rth runner-up, “Miss Japan” has always been a favorite at
Miss Universe. But since then, Japan has not placed even in the top 15, and
I know why. Ninety percents of the scores are based on the communication
skills during the preliminary interview. The two previous delegates did not
have enough confidence and energy for the big wow. From the start, they
never had envisioned competing for the title, instead they were scouted.
Both won because they are gorgeous. Eri (MUJ2004) has now her own CD and is
filming her second movie. Yukari (MUJ 2005) has appeared in the Valentino
and Givenchy Haute Couture at the fashion week in Europe this year.
Kurara applied on
her own. It was her decision to compete from the beginning. Most of the pat
winners had been scouted except for Miyako.
Kurara once said to me:
“For so long people told me what to do, this time I decided it was time to
do what I wanted to do. And what I want to do is charity work; I wish to
make a difference in someone’s life.” I don’t blame her, if you ask me why I
do what I do, I would reply in a semi-second that it is because it helps me
to be involved on a bigger scale, in charity. Realistically, who would
donate funds to me if I did not have 15 gorgeous girls to ask for it?!
Three months into the
competition, Kurara
turned down an offer from one of the top publishers in Japan to be an
associate editor. People thought she was crazy because only 6 candidates are
chosen each year, among thousands of applicants. She told me in French at
the time : -” J’ai pris ma décision parce que j’aime aller jusqu’au bout de
ce que j’entreprends.” (I took this decision, because I like to go up to the
end of my initiatives).
Kurara is a
grounded person but her passion and energy are contagious. She won and got
the offer from another top publisher to be a feature reporter. Her work is
glamorous she fly around the world to interview people in the entertainment
world. She loves to write, and the magazine gave her 2 pages of her own each
month. Also Kurara
loves to snap photos and she takes her own
photography for her articles.
Kurara is now in
Thailand for her work, in between trainings. She understands well how her
life can change if she becomes Miss Universe, which is not surprising
because she already has the lifestyle of a Miss Universe.
“How life can be more
beautiful?” Kurara
asked Ines – “I have an amazing job; I am able to meet extraordinary people,
to tell stories and to be paid for it! I feel very-very lucky. I don’t and
will never forget that.” . GB
CREDITS : GlobalBeauties.com
Photo: Ines
Ligron, Sir David Blum, President of Jaguar and Range Rover Japan., and
Kurara
Interview by
Ed Dominguez
Photography by Joshua Liberman, JIL Studio and Ines
Ligron
Special thanks to Ines Ligron, Asami Saito
and Meiko Yoshioka
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