An Interview with Riyo Mori, Miss Universe 2008
A selection of Ryo Mori, the Japanese Miss Universe Videos
Miss Universe
Bikini
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqoCz-Fh598]
Answering the Judges Questions
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUwNuycNlpU]
Arriving Back in Japan after winning Miss Universe
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeN_pAkXg6g]
CNN: What made you decide to enter the Miss Universe competition?
Riyo Mori: My Grandmother. Japan, 50 or 60 years ago, was very
conservative. Women had to stand behind men and never talk, never give
an opinion -- and my grandma was different. I love her so much. She
found out that there was Miss Universe Japan and that's how everything
started. She said, "Riyo, you're young, you can dance, you can teach
dancing, you love it, it's good -- but maybe you should see a different
world. Just go for it." And I said, 'OK' and now I'm here.
CNN: What's it like for you to be back in Shizuoka?
Riyo Mori: It's so nice to be back home. I can relax, I can sleep. This
is my first vacation, I think -- just having fun with my family, my
friends, and talking to my friend in a café. That was my normal life
before and since I became Miss Universe it suddenly stopped. I always
have to be in the mood, and I have to be Miss Universe, so this is just
perfect for me to be in my hometown of Shizuoka.
CNN: How would you describe your relationship with Tokyo?
Riyo Mori: I love Tokyo, like I love New York; I love big cities. The
first time I came to Tokyo was even before becoming a finalist for Miss
Universe Japan. I was so excited. Also I was scared too, because people
look so fashionable and people look so confident here and I was just a
tourist from the countryside. I was very nervous.
People from all over the world come to see Tokyo, and so that's why you
can see very unique people here. People speak Spanish, French, German,
English, and Japanese; there's a very mixed culture here
CNN: How would you define Tokyoites?
Riyo Mori: I feel like people are so energetic here, so different from
Shizuoka. People keep moving -- they never stop. Tokyo never sleeps.
Tokyo people are so busy all the time. I wouldn't say they are cold,
they're just busy; they don't have time to talk to others.
I need a balance, I have to be in Shizuoka for maybe 50 percent of the
year and I have to be in Tokyo too, because I need this energy.
CNN: How did you become a dancer?
Riyo Mori: I started to learn dance in mother's dance school. My mom is
my best friend, of course, my mother and teacher. So we have very unique
relationship. We are not just mom and daughter, we're also teacher and
student.
My mom teaches jazz dance, tap dance, modern dance, but she doesn't
teach ballet. I thought I should learn how to teach ballet, so I can
have different class than she has. So I went to Canada when I was 16. I
went to high school and professional ballet school in Canada. It was
very, very tough, but it was worth it now that I can teach ballet. Now I
want to teach young people, through dancing, how to be positive,
patient and happy. These three things are very important to me.
Dancing means a lot to me, because dancing is my life, part of my life. I
have been dancing for a long time -- maybe 17 years. Dancing is great
because this is how I express myself; this is where I learned how to be
confident.
CNN: What was your mum's reaction to you winning Miss Universe?
Riyo Mori: She was very happy when I won Miss Universe --'my daughter
can travel the world and see people' -- see the culture that she
couldn't. So she was very happy.
CNN: Outside dancing, what else do you enjoy?
Riyo Mori: I'm a huge fan of baseball. Baseball fans here in Japan are
very supportive and crazy. They can go crazy too, but that's a good part
of Japanese people -- if you like something, you're very into it and
support it.
CNN: What else do you love about the city?
Riyo Mori: I think Tokyo is the best place to shop. Ginza is a great
place and I like the atmosphere too. When I became finalist for Miss
Universe Japan, almost every week I went to Harajuko to shop. Also, this
is very close to Miss Universe Japan's office, so I was back and
forwards to the office almost all the time.
Maybe you have heard about Harajuku girl; there is a very famous street
in Harajuku -- Takeshita-Dori -- and here you can find very crazy
people, who dress up like dolls. There's a very crazy, unique fashion
code -- that's why people like it.
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg1Imnov9lM]
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhA_tUtJaDs]
A selection of Ryo Mori, the Japanese Miss Universe Videos
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqXCHqFqevU]
Miss Universe
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0J2j46_w00]
Bikini
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqoCz-Fh598]
Answering the Judges Questions
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUwNuycNlpU]
Arriving Back in Japan after winning Miss Universe
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeN_pAkXg6g]
