Li Fangyu becomes a beautiful kimono-clad woman in Tokyo; locals mistake her for 'Sasaki Nozomi' and ask for photos

▲ It takes Li Fangyu as little as two hours to complete her full kimono outfit, and walking in a kimono requires taking small steps with feet turned inward. (Photo /Provided by Li Fangyu, the same below)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

“Nozomi Sasaki!! Can I take a photo with you?” On the 30th, actress Li Fangyu, who rose to fame as a budget beauty, fulfilled her dream of a lifetime at Asakusa’s iconic Kaminarimon in Tokyo, Japan. Unexpectedly, after donning a vibrantly colored Edo-period kimono, she looked so stunning that locals mistook her for a famous Japanese supermodel and eagerly clamored for photos with her. It took her two hours just to get away from the crowd.

▲ Dressed in a kimono, Li Fangyu drew attention from locals due to her striking resemblance to supermodel Nozomi Sasaki, prompting many to ask for photos.

Like Nozomi Sasaki, Li Fangyu has big eyes and a delicate, small face. She was hailed on the TV show “Women’s Talk” as a representative of petite, cute Japanese-style beauties. Normally a fan of Japanese girly fashion, this was her first time wearing a traditional kimono, and she couldn’t help but exclaim, “The kimono is truly gorgeous, and for just 3,800 yen, there were three people dedicated to dressing me, doing my hair and makeup, and even teaching me how to pose.”

Enjoying the royal treatment, Li Fangyu said she felt like a pampered young lady, radiating elegance. Compared to her previous trips to Japan where she wore the yukata provided at hot springs and played with sparklers, this time felt like “a ten-level jump in status—from a little sister to a socialite.” She also shared that aside from the VIP service, the Japanese people spoke to her in Japanese and complimented her on how beautiful she looked in the kimono, which made her feel incredibly proud.

▲ Li Fangyu once mistakenly wore her yukata collar right-over-left—the way a deceased person’s kimono is worn in Japan—and called it an embarrassing moment.

Despite the pride, Li Fangyu also confessed to an embarrassing incident where she wore her yukata like a funeral kimono. She said, “Once when I wore a yukata, I had the collar right over left. When I posted it on Facebook, someone immediately commented that it was how the deceased are dressed in Japan. I was so embarrassed.” She added that this time, with expert kimono dressers attending to her, they used layers of cloth and cotton ropes to wrap her chest—so tightly she could barely breathe—but “it was all worth it for the beauty.”

Additionally, since getting fully dressed in a kimono takes at least two hours, and to avoid needing to pee and dealing with the hassle of changing, Li Fangyu remembered a tip from a kimono photoshoot expert: “suck on a piece of candy to keep your mouth moist.” She managed to hold it in for half a day without going to the bathroom. However, when she finally took off the kimono, she found her underwear completely soaked with sweat, making her exclaim, “To play the part of a Japanese lady, you really need strong self-control.” She praised how Japanese people can maintain such graceful posture while wearing kimonos—it’s truly amazing.

Li Fangyu’s Fan Page