Japanese actress and model Ayaka Miyoshi (三吉彩花), known to Netflix viewers from Alice in Borderland, revealed a large back tattoo on Instagram on April 20, 2026. A blue hollyhock, her birth flower, sits between her shoulder blades, a thin line runs down her spine, and the number 1351 is inked on her lower back. In a magazine interview she explained that the number is the time she was born.
Key points
- A blue hollyhock, her birth flower, is tattooed between her shoulder blades
- A thin line runs from the flower down her spine to the number 1351 on her lower back
- She said in an interview that the number is the time she was born
- The artist is Chen Jie, a Beijing-based tattooer known for a Chinese ink-painting style
- She describes the tattoo as a mark of her resolve to live true to herself, ahead of turning 30
Thinking about something similar? Browse flower tattoo designs and back tattoo designs on Tattoo Japan.
Who Is Ayaka Miyoshi?
- Name
- Ayaka Miyoshi (三吉彩花). Her agency writes it in Japanese order, Miyoshi Ayaka.
- Born
- June 18, 1996
- From
- Saitama Prefecture, Japan
- Height
- 173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
- Agency
- Amuse
- @miyoshi.aa
(Source: Amuse official profile)
Miyoshi has been working since she was a child model. From 2010 to 2012 she was one of the original members of the idol group Sakura Gakuin.
She played Rizuna Ann in Netflix's Alice in Borderland and starred in the films Dance with Me (2019) and Howling Village (2020). In 2022 she became Tiffany & Co.'s first brand ambassador for Japan. (Source: Wikipedia)
After the tattoo reveal, the jewelry house Boucheron named her a "friend" of the maison in May 2026, and the Korean beauty brand HERA made her its Japan ambassador in October 2026. (Sources: FASHIONSNAP, May 12, 2026; RBB TODAY, October 16, 2026, both in Japanese)
Ayaka Miyoshi's Back Tattoo: Design and Meaning
Miyoshi revealed the tattoo in photos from a shoot by Harper's BAZAAR Japan and Boucheron, which she posted to Instagram on April 20, 2026. She wrote the caption entirely in English. (Source: Modelpress, April 21, 2026, in Japanese) See the post on Instagram (@miyoshi.aa)
Here is what the photos show:
| Placement | Design |
|---|---|
| Shoulder blades | Blue hollyhock |
| Above the flower | Stem with buds |
| Along the spine | Thin line to the waist |
| Lower back | The number 1351 |
The piece is done mainly in black and blue. (Source: Shukan Josei PRIME, April 22, 2026, in Japanese)
The Hollyhock: Her Birth Flower
The flower is a hollyhock (tachiaoi in Japanese). In her Harper's BAZAAR interview, Miyoshi explained that it is her birth flower. (Source: Cinema Today, April 23, 2026, in Japanese)
In Japan, many flowers are assigned to days of the year as "birth flowers," and each flower has a traditional meaning, or hanakotoba. The hollyhock blooms from about June to August, and its hanakotoba include "great ambition," "abundant harvest" and "dignity." (Source: Weathernews, July 12, 2026, in Japanese) Miyoshi herself hasn't said that these meanings were part of her choice.
What she did write is that she put her heart into "making the flower that is myself bloom" on her back. Her given name, Ayaka, is written with the character for "flower" (花).
The Number 1351: The Time She Was Born
The number 1351 sits on her lower back, next to the line that runs down her spine.
In the Harper's BAZAAR interview, Miyoshi revealed that the number on her lower back is the time she was born. (Source: Cinema Today, April 23, 2026, in Japanese) Read as a 24-hour time, 1351 is 1:51 p.m. We found no record of her spelling out the exact time, or explaining why she chose her birth time.
The Line Along Her Spine
Above the flower, a stem with buds climbs toward the base of her neck. Below it, a thin line follows her spine down to her lower back, so the whole piece runs from the nape of her neck to her waist.
In her caption she wrote that she can't see her own back, but believes it is the place that carries all her inner emotions and memories. She also called the tattoo "another version of me, supporting my way of life from behind."
Who Did Ayaka Miyoshi's Tattoo?
The tattoo was done by Chen Jie (陳潔), a tattoo artist based in Beijing, China. Miyoshi's own Instagram post credits her as the tattoo artist (@chenjie.newtattoo).
Chen Jie, the Chinese Ink-Style Tattooer
Chen Jie is known for tattoos that look like Chinese ink-wash paintings. She started in 2005 as a customer at a Beijing tattoo studio, became an apprentice there, and later founded Newtattoo Studio. (Sources: The China Project, July 5, 2023; Chen Jie on Instagram)
She has about 546,000 followers on Instagram (as of October 23, 2026). According to Tokyo Sports, the artist posted the same photos on her own Instagram on April 20 and thanked Miyoshi for the chance to create the piece together. (Source: Tokyo Sports, April 21, 2026, in Japanese)
Booking and Cost
Her Instagram bio reads "2028 bookings open in Dec" (as of October 23, 2026).
The Japanese magazine site NEWS Post Seven, citing an unnamed fashion editor, reported a wait of more than a year and a rate of 4,900 yuan per hour. (Source: NEWS Post Seven, April 22, 2026, in Japanese) That figure isn't published by the studio, and Miyoshi hasn't said what she paid.
If you are thinking about getting tattooed in Japan, see our guide to tattoo prices in Japan.
Why Ayaka Miyoshi Got the Tattoo
Miyoshi explained her reasons in her English Instagram caption and in the Harper's BAZAAR Japan interview.
A New Chapter at 30
She revealed the tattoo about two months before her 30th birthday on June 18, 2026. In the caption she wrote: "When I thought about starting a new chapter of my life at 30, a tattoo came to mind. It is a testament to my resolve to live true to myself."
She added: "This is not an impulse, but a conviction I have taken the time to arrive at." She also wrote: "My new life begins here."
Living Up to Her Name
In the interview, she said the tattoo also reflects her resolve to carry the name "Ayaka Miyoshi" and live as herself. (Source: ENTAME NEXT via Yahoo! News Japan, April 24, 2026, in Japanese)
Her Childhood and Her Parents
In the caption, she looked back on her childhood: from what she felt and saw as a child, she learned to endure more and more to keep her parents happy, even while quietly hurting. She also thanked Harper's BAZAAR, Boucheron and her parents.
Two to Three Years of Talks With Her Agency
She told Harper's BAZAAR that she knew the tattoo would divide opinion, so she spent two to three years talking it over with her agency before getting it. (Source: ENTAME NEXT via Yahoo! News Japan, April 24, 2026, in Japanese)
How People Reacted
The Instagram post has more than 260,000 likes (as of October 23, 2026).
Japanese media reported that opinion online was split: some called the design cool and beautiful, while others called it a waste. An entertainment journalist quoted in the same report raised concerns about how it could affect her acting work. (Source: SmartFLASH, April 21, 2026, in Japanese) Right after the reveal, some people also wondered whether it was real or body paint for the shoot. (Source: Shukan Josei PRIME, April 22, 2026, in Japanese)
On April 22, Miyoshi wrote in her Instagram Stories that she was surprised by how big the response was, and pointed readers to the Harper's BAZAAR interview for her full reasons. She added that, being human, it is hard for her to share everything she has lived through and every wound she has received. (Source: Cinema Today, April 23, 2026, in Japanese)
The debate is a reminder that tattoos are still sensitive in Japan, where many hot springs, pools and gyms have long turned away tattooed guests. For the background, see why tattoos are banned at many Japanese facilities.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ayaka Miyoshi's Tattoo
Is Ayaka Miyoshi's tattoo real?
Yes. Her Instagram post credits the tattoo artist, and she told Harper's BAZAAR that she discussed it with her agency for two to three years before getting it.
The "tattooed" look that got attention in June 2024 was different: that was a sheer Balenciaga "tattoo skin" top, not real tattoos. (Source: Daily Sports, June 26, 2024, in Japanese)
What flower is Ayaka Miyoshi's tattoo?
A hollyhock. She said in her interview that it is her birth flower; she was born on June 18.
What does 1351 mean on Ayaka Miyoshi's back?
It is the time she was born, as she explained in her Harper's BAZAAR interview. Read as a 24-hour time, it is 1:51 p.m., though we found no record of her stating the exact time herself.
When did Ayaka Miyoshi reveal her tattoo?
On April 20, 2026, in an Instagram post with photos from a Harper's BAZAAR Japan and Boucheron shoot. Her Harper's BAZAAR web interview was published the same day. (Source: Josei Jishin via livedoor News, April 20, 2026, in Japanese)
Who tattooed Ayaka Miyoshi?
Chen Jie, a Beijing-based artist known for Chinese ink-style tattoos. Miyoshi credits her in the Instagram post.
Summary: Ayaka Miyoshi's Back Tattoo
Ayaka Miyoshi's back tattoo combines a blue hollyhock, her birth flower, between her shoulder blades, a thin line down her spine, and the number 1351, the time she was born. It was done by the Beijing-based artist Chen Jie.
She got it ahead of turning 30, as a mark of her resolve to live true to herself. If you are drawn to a flower or a meaningful number, compare designs first, then talk it through with a studio.
*Based on publicly available information as of October 2026.
