Hayato Sano and Fellow Honorees Command the Spotlight — VOGUE THE ONES TO WATCH 2025

VOGUE THE ONES TO WATCH 2025 is an annual honor presented by VOGUE JAPAN, one of the world’s most influential fashion magazines published by Condé Nast Japan. The award celebrates iconic individuals across diverse fields — visionary talents who defined the year, remarkable newcomers who made striking breakthroughs, and artists whose careers reached pivotal moments of evolution.

This year’s recipients include Snow Man (Artist), Keiko Kitagawa (Actor), Hayato Sano (Actor), Ryusei Yokohama (Actor), HANA (Artist), Ai Mikami (Actor), VERDY (Designer), and Soshi Otsuki (Designer). This feature highlights the November 25 ceremony appearances of Hayato Sano, Ai Mikami, HANA, VERDY, and Soshi Otsuki.

Full report on Ren Meguro and Raul’s appearance is available here: [SNOW MAN UNCUT REPORT — VOGUE THE ONES TO WATCH 2025]

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Contents

Snow Man (Ren Meguro, Raul)
HANA
VERDY
Soshi Otsuki
Ai Mikami
Hayato Sano

Snow Man

Click here for the full uncut report:  SNOW MAN UNCUT REPORT — VOGUE THE ONES TO WATCH 2025

HANA — Changing the Lives of Those They Lock Eyes With

Looking ahead to next year, NAOKO spoke about the group’s upcoming hall tour beginning in March, saying, “We always talk about wanting to change the life of the person we make eye contact with at our shows,” and added, “We want to become a group that can truly save someone’s life, so we’ll keep working hard toward the tour.”

Reflecting on the past year, MAHINA said, “We learned so much and experienced so many things. I think it was a year in which HANA as a whole grew significantly.” She continued, “There were many challenges because it was our first time facing so many things, but HANA is HANA — and because HANA is HANA, we were able to overcome those walls.”

VERDY

Soshi Otsuki

Ai Mikami — A Year Connected by ‘Love’

Asked to express the year in a single kanji, she chose “愛 (love).”

“I was able to treat many people with love, just like the meaning behind my name,” Ai said. “And I received so much love from others, which helped me keep going.”

Regarding the award, she added, “It really pushed me forward,” expressing what the recognition meant to her.

Hayato Sano — Turning a ‘Year of Endurance’ Into Strength

Hayato described the past year as “a year I endured,” choosing the words with quiet honesty. 

When asked, in reference to the popular phrase from his group’s song “Biju ii jan” (‘Looking good, right?’), what he considered a moment to think “I’m good” or pat himself on the back, he answered with a relaxed grin, “Even if I fall asleep unintentionally — that’s fine, right? It’s okay to have days where I skip my nightly routine.”

Marking his 10th anniversary as an actor, he also received the honor alongside Ryusei Yokohama from the same agency. Speaking about Ryusei, Hayato said, “He’s unbelievably disciplined. He’s extremely strict with himself,” expressing admiration for his colleague’s dedication.

As for personal goals for the coming year, he said, “I’m aiming for two million followers on Instagram,” presenting a concrete target. He continued with his group ambitions: “We were fortunate to appear on the NHK’s Kohaku Uta Gassen this year, so we want to aim for two consecutive years. And we’re all planning to climb Mt. Fuji together.”

*NHK’s Kohaku Uta Gassen: Japan’s prestigious annual New Year’s Eve music show.

Photo Credit :[Ayaka Ozaki]