Miss Universe Riyo Mori: modern-day female samurai

Our Japan week wouldn't be complete with Riyo Mori! This Japanese beauty was crowned Miss Universe on May 28th, 2007.

There is more footage of her available now, like 'a year in the life' complete with lots of photos, her blog and some fashion photos. You can even send her an e-mail or directly request her ;-)

Riyo Mori

What started as her grandmother's premonition became a reality for Riyo Mori on May 28th, 2007. At the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City, the Japanese beauty was crowned Miss Universe 2007 at the age of 20.

A self-described "modern-day female samurai," Riyo prides herself on having a great sense of independence and self, "the traditional samurai spirit prizes composure, patience and a sense of justice. It is someone who fearlessly faces challenges with a strong will." Riyo definitely embodies an independent woman. By the age of 16, she left her home in Shizuoka, Japan to study abroad in Canada, eventually reaching New York at 19 years old. Through her travels and studies, Riyo has been able to master adapting to different environments, the importance of learning foreign languages and the need for intercultural understanding. When her host guardian in Canada was suffering from hearing loss, Riyo learned American Sign Language to communicate. This experience eventually led her to volunteer with Deaf children, working on art activities.

A dancer and performer since the age of four, Riyo has spent most of her life focused on her craft. Her mother runs a dance school in their hometown, where Riyo first discovered her passion. She was literally surrounded by dance, where classes were held on the bottom level of their house. It wasn't long before she was traveling the world in pursuit of her career. Riyo studied at the Quinte Ballet School of Canada, the Radio City Rockettes' Summer Intensive and was also accepted to the Broadway Dance Center in New York, but ultimately turned down the offer when she realized she made it to the finals of Miss Japan. "Everything was prepared; I even had an apartment in New York. But having the chance to become Miss Universe was beyond any dream. I had to do it."

With the title of Miss Universe now under her belt, Riyo is as determined as ever. She aspires to become the first Japanese Radio City Rockette and will eventually open an international dance school in Tokyo, Japan. "My mother taught me that women can have it all. You donít have to choose between having a family or career, you can do both." Riyo intends on spreading this message of empowerment and independence to women all over the world, just as her mother has for her.

Riyo is also excited to start championing the official causes of MISS UNIVERSE®, which include increasing HIV/AIDS awareness by focusing on womenís health and reproductive issues and forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education, including the Latino Commission on AIDS, Global Health Council and Godís Love We Deliver.

(Taken from MissUniverse.com)

Riyo Mori on the web:

Riyo Mori @ asian-sirens.com (previous post)
Riyo Mori @ images.google.com
Riyo Mori @ wikipedia.org
Riyo Mori @ MissUniverse.com (her profile)
Riyo Mori @ MissUniverse.com (after she won)
Riyo Mori @ nbc.com
Riyo Mori @ youtube.com
Riyo Mori @ flickr.com

holy cow!! nice one robin. she doesnt have the typical japanese look though but hot all the same. nice rack too :)

Miss Universe is frickin beautiful. But like the dude noted before she really doesn't look incredibly Japanese. Any who, this was a great post. Incredible lady. Imagine how much of a "baller" a man must be to date a woman like this.

Interestingly she is not loved in Japan, while does not look very 'Japanese', the media in Japan says that does not behave like a Japanese women neither:

Headline:
Arrogant and dumb: Local celeb hacks slam Miss Universe Riyo Mori
link

[COMMENT DELETED]

she probably has mixed parentage or an ancestor who's not japanese

LOL, what a freaking nice read about the bash. I do hate Arrogant bitches. How sad. stupidity is a bitch.

i think this girl looks like she was birthed right in a mattel factory. that nose can't be real.

i don't understand why that entertainment beat reporter called her arrogant though when she said she didn't know who her favorite japanese performer was (too many to list/choose from?) or when she said that miss universe was not a beauty contest. i mean, yes, obviously these girls are posing in swimsuits for a reason, but what if she was trying to make the point that there's more to her job than being a pretty face, like the AIDS work she has to do?

furthermore i don't get why using makeup to emphasize her "oriental exoticism" [sic] is a bad thing. what do you want to do, try to look as caucasian as possible? i mean, as an asian girl, there's not that many good makeup techniques at our disposal anyway...we're going to wind up looking asian regardless of how we do our eyes.

i don't really get what the fuss is about, but maybe that's just the way "they do things in america" as the article was saying >:[

furthermore i still think plainfaced riyo isn't very pretty - even our previous a-s post shows she's kinda plain. look at this candid shot of her

holyabdul, your comment was too directly negative; please try to put your citicism in terms of "for me she isn't very attractive" or something like that (as others here have).

As for my opinion of Riyo's looks, I have to agree with Christine - the facial surgery is rather too obvious for me, and can make her face look a little strange sometimes. Yet in spite of that, I still find her oddly cute! Maybe it's her personality - and I do think she is a good model (she knows how to pose).

Just read the article on what the Japanese media says about her. I think it is totally unfair, and shows the contrast between the parochial attitude of the Japanese media and the far more international outlook of Riyo. Quite frankly, I think she is to be applauded for bringing an unashamedly "oriental look" to the Miss Universe pageant. It is ironic that the international audience likes her "oriental exoticism", while the Japanese audience presumably wants her to look more western! And the other stuff they say is just plain silly in an interntional context.

I'm lovin that last shot above, the way her hips look and all. I think she's Grrrreat!

That reporter wants Riyo to look American, but not act American. Go figure.

That's right! Totally absurd.

IDC what anyone says i think shes hot even with her nose job

I agree with christine, the makeup has done wonders for her (Riyo). Quite amazing, what a difference makeup makes...

If you don't think she looks Japanese you actually have to follow Robin's links (I don't even recognize her in pics 3 and 4 above), e.g.
(If you can take your eyes off her boobs!) She's a total cutie.

I think the last pic up there could be described as art. The geisha hairstyle and the bikini, the angle and lighting; that my friends, is my kind of art right there.

I also agree with Dr. Lee about the Japanese media.

I like her last pic too. She's a cutie alright but the makeup adds up a lot for the miss universe title.

just watched the first episode of "pageant place" on mtv and i have to say that Riyo looks better on tv and more asian than she does in these photos... damn shes so fine and has such a cute personality... unless its a front for tv but you never know

oops i meant to say japanese not asian lol