As of 2023, Instagram continues to be one of the most popular and widely used social media platforms for Influencer marketing in Japan, with an impressive 46.1 million active users. With Instagram remaining a dominant force in Japan’s social media landscape, staying informed on the current trends and popular Japanese influencers is crucial for the success of any influencer marketing campaign. Knowing the top influencers in Japan will help you reach and engage with your target audience.
With this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 leading Instagram influencers in Japan for 2023. If you’re looking to find top Japanese influencers on other platforms you can also see our articles about YouTube and TikTok here.
Whether you’re a brand seeking to promote your products or a marketer looking to reach new audiences, this guide will provide you with the latest and most up-to-date information on the top influencers in Japan, helping you stay ahead of the curve in your influencer marketing efforts.
Top 10 Japanese influencers on Instagram
- Naomi Watanabe
- Rola
- Kiko Mizuhara
- Sakura Miyawaki
- Kento Yamazaki
- Nicole Fujita
- Tomohisa Yamashita
- Yuko Araki
- Nozomi Sasaki
- Mei Nagano
Naomi Watanabe
9.91M Followers
Naomi started her career as a comedian and was made famous for her impression of the Beyoncé dance. Now she’s the most followed instagrammer in Japan (3 years in a row!) and gaining more fans through her social media platforms including Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and podcast. Her body positivity and creative style has expanded her career into the fashion industry, as well as projects in the US and more.
Rola
8.49M Followers
Rola is a fashion model based in Los Angeles. She first gained recognition in Japan as a model and TV personality, with her unique beauty and personality. Currently, she focuses on advocating environmental issues and balanced life through her sustainable lifestyle brand Studio R330, as well as Instagram and YouTube posts introducing healthy food or workout videos.
Kiko Mizuhara
7.31M Followers
Kiko has been active in modelling for many years and walked several runaways at fashion shows across the globe. You can see her passion for creativity and the fashion industry through her own brand Office Kiko. She’s also appeared in global fashion magazines, films, and recently the Netflix reality TV series Queer Eye: We’re in Japan.
Sakura Miyawaki
6.34M Followers
Sakura is a member of the KPOP girl group LE SSERAFIM and used to be a member of the Japanese idol group HKT48 for 10 years. She already had established popularity in Japan during her HKT48 times, joining the KPOP group has accelerated her recognition and she’s partnered with Louis Vuitton and Lily Brown in recent years.
Kento Yamazaki
5.95M Followers
As one the leading young Japanese actors, Kento appears in countless TV dramas, films, and ads. He has won several awards for his acting including one in China. He’s known for being close to other popular actors such as Masaki Suda and Ryo Yoshizawa and is a top male influencer in Japan.
Nicole Fujita
5.23M Followers
Nicole debuted in a Japanese fashion magazine called Nicola and became popular among young girls with her gyaru style (a Japanese fashion style usually with a lot of makeup and vibrant colours). Now she is an exclusive model for Vivi and recently started her YouTube channel, cosmetic brand Cimer, and apparel band CALNAMUR.
Tomohisa Yamashita
5.14M Followers
Part of the biggest Japanese talent agency ‘Johnny & Associates’, Tomohisa – known as Yamapi – has a successful career in singing, TV dramas, and film. Since 2011, he’s been focusing on his solo projects and has often joined foreign projects in recent years. He gained 1 million followers after 7 and a half hours when he opened his Instagram account.
Yuko Araki
4.74M Followers
Soon after her model debut in the fashion magazine non-no, Yuko became its leading model and embarked on an acting career. Her appearances include in the Japanese TV dramas Code Blue which casts Tomohisa Yamashita as a leading actor. She has been a Dior ambassador since 2020 and started her YouTube channel last year.
Nozomi Sasaki
4.72M Followers
Nozomi starred in many Japanese TV dramas, films, and magazines and has been a popular actor among people of all ages for a decade. Being a mother doesn’t stop her career ambition, she founded her own brand iNtimite in which all items are made in Japan. Yet we can also see her warming personal life from the home cooking posts on her Instagram.
Mei Nagano
4.63M Followers
Mei started acting at the age of 10. She’s still just 23 years old, yet she has already been featured in dozens of Japanese TV dramas and commercials, as well as films. She’s appeared on a variety of adverts, from beauty brands, food and beverage, to recruiting companies. Now she has millions of followers on both Instagram and Twitter demonstrating her popularity in Japan among wider demographics.
So that was the top 10 Japanese Instagram Influencers in Japan!
As you can see from the list, many of the top Japanese Instagram influencers have their own brands or other social media platforms, which would be a great opportunity for partnerships.
Stay tuned for more on top Japanese influencers and insights into the marketing trends in Japan.
If you’re looking to run an influencer campaign in Japan or need help getting started, please feel free to reach out and contact us.
