World Class Queens of Japan Magazine would like to welcome amazing Queen Yuhki Matsuda Mrs. Universe Japan Winner 2023.
Full name: Yuhki Matsuda
Title/Year: Mrs. Universe Japan Winner 2023
Pageant System: Mrs. Universe Japan
Age: 36
Education Level: Bachelor of Social Welfare/ First Education
Zodiac sign: Gemini
Hobbies: Travel, Art and Music appreciation, Dance, Sport
Platform: Women’s Empowerment
Years competed: 1 year
Countries visited: USA, Korea,Hong Kong, Philippines, Switzerland
Likes: Learn something new, Going out with friends
Dislikes: Lies, people who harass someone
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: Please tell us about yourself.
My name is Yuhki Matsuda. I would say, I have a unique career. After graduation with bachelors of social welfare and primary education, I started working at the private elementary school as a teacher. After 2 years, I decided to study abroad and chose Hawai‘i, USA. I focused on learning English and Hula for a year and came back to Japan. Then I started my another career at HOLLISTER.co as a member of store management. In the same time, I slowly started building my career of Hula.
Now, I am living for Hula (Hawaiian dance) in Japan, both teaching and performing. Also I am doing a modeling and teaching pageant walk.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: Please tell us about your education.
I graduated from university with bachelors of social welfare and primary education.
With these bachelors, I have a teaching license for kindergarten and elementary school.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: What does women Empowerment means to you?
My grand parents taught us behaviors with old fashioned Japanese style. It is said “Good wife (woman) walks 3 steps behind the husband (man)” in Japan. It means woman empowerment means expressing women’s opinion and speaking as equals without discrimination by gender.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: Tell us about your pageant history.
6 years ago, when I turned 30, I decided to challenge myself for building my career every single year.
At that time, I didn’t think about competing any pageants but my mentor advised me to compete pageants for learning attitude and elegance. That advice made me think about competing pageants.
In 2017, I tried my very first beauty contest in Tahitian Dance competition. Then in 2020, I won “Beauty Japan 2020”, in 2021, I competed “Miss Mandarin 2021”. All contests are just in Japan, not connected to the world.
In the end of 2022, I found the sign up form and signed up for Mrs. Universe Japan 2023.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: What inspired you to do your first pageant?
As I answered, my mentor’s advice inspired me to try pageants. She is the one who used to compete pageants when she was young.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: Why did you choose to compete for your current title?
The first reason is, web advertisement was shown on my SNS several times and at the same time, I was looking for something to challenge in 2023. Besides that, I wanted to try something big that my family can proud of.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: To those unfamiliar with your pageant system please tell us what is it about?
At Mrs. Universe Japan, we had live-streaming examination through TikTok. We did live-streaming individually and competed number of coins that we earned from audiences.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: What are you being judged on during the competition?
Walking with Evening gown, Speech, Talent and Live-streaming.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: Tell us about your experience during the competition.
We had 4 days of beauty training (walking, makeup, speech, manners and etc), 2 days of beauty camp (photo shoot, video shoot, volunteering, rehearsals etc) and pre-judgement (speech and talent).
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: Who would you recommend your system to?
I would recommend this to all women who are interested in because challenge something new would change your life in a good way.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: Tell us about your platform or what cause do you volunteer for.
Everyone has their story that they struggle or succeed. In our platform, we can share our story, cheer up and brush up each other. Women have a lot of life events and experience. How wonderful we share our life time together.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: What are some of your achievements?
The best achievement is self confidence. I was a kind of people who is always anxious and nervous when I face to something I have never done before. Through out the pageant, I faced many things that was new to me. Those experience improve myself and now I am brave enough to face something new.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: What makes you stand out from all those other beautiful girls?
I think I am used to be on stage more than other ladies, that made me calm, less stressed and enjoy every single moment. That would be the part made me stand out from all other ladies.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: Tell us about the moment your name was called out as the winner.
I was just surprised. Some ladies who I guessed they will be ranked Top 3 were not called their name and I was thinking one of them would be called out.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: What does it mean to you to be a Beauty Queen?
A lot of responsibilities to represent Japan and the pageant but also with this title I can try to promote my hometown Kobe to visitors and welcome them.
I would say I got huge responsibility and chance that only Winners of the Pageant can have.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: How did competing in pageants helped your life.
In the pageant, by talking with other contestants or by learning something new in beauty lesson, I had a chance to look back and think about my life. Part of decision that I made was tough but it really helped me to see and kick off my future.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: You are an inspiration to all the girls out there. How does it feel?
It is very responsible. Especially after the pageant, some media asked me to be featured and now sometimes I am called out when I am out, so I feel like I should keep in mind “I am one of the most responsible spouses in Japan”.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: What is your on stage strategy to win the judges over?
On stage, I did not try to show perfect, I just tried to show how I am. I am on stage quite often because my profession is dancing, so I was not that worried about stage presentations.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: How did you prepare for your competition?
I took private pageant walking lessons 1-2 times per week and contest speech lessons 4 times. Besides those, I walked around with high heels and practiced speech at home. About Talent show, I did not practice anything.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: What are your tips for learning better pageant walk?
1. Learn right posture before start walking.
2. Be friend with pageant high heels.
3. Even only few steps, practice everyday.
4. Watch walking videos that famous coaches or contestants posted on instagram and compare with own walking.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: What are your tips for choosing right pageant dress?
1. Know the color that make you look good.
2. Know the style that make you look good.
3. Have specific image of dress that you are looking for.
4. Never give up to find truly right one till you can find.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: What are your tips for winning interview?
You should think about what you want to say when you win. It is better to be done before the final starts.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: What is one mistake that you've done during competing you wish you could redo and fix it?
Winning interview.
I did not think what I want to say when I got mic but I had to start talking.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: What other mistakes are made by girls during the contest?
I did not realize anything. Maybe there were some but it should have happened because most of ladies were nervous.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: Any modeling or acting experience?
I used to walked on catwalk when I was early 20’s but now I am modeling only for photo shoot. I am thinking I will take that job more often and it is better if it happens abroad.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: What are your plans for 2023 as a Queen?
It is already close to the end of 2023 but for 2023-2024, I want to more focus on tourism in my hometown, Kobe. Also I want to open kids club for kids to experience something that is difficult to try at home. In addition, I want to restart my career as a model and be a pageant walking coach.
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine: What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?
I want to be a Queen who associated with tourism of own beloved hometown.
International Director: Sava Tsekov
National Director: Kazue Oshima
Your Local Director: Kazue Oshima
Pageant website:
Name of the Photographer and other credits
Photographer: Yuko Nozaki / Shoji Masaoka
Hair & Makeup: Saki Igarashi / Hirono Horiuchi / Yusuke Okubo
World Class Queens of Japan Magazine woud like to say thank you for this wonderful interview.
Yuhki Matsuda Mrs. Universe Japan Winner 2023, World Class Queens of Japan Magazine, Photographer: Yuko Nozaki / Shoji Masaoka, Hair & Makeup: Saki Igarashi / Hirono Horiuchi / Yusuke Okubo
Interview by Derek Tokarzewski
Owner/Editor in Chief
Mr WorldClass 2023
Mr United Nations 2018
Platform: Women Empowerment
