Kurara Chibana

All posts tagged Kurara Chibana

Memories of Miss Universe 2006 courtesy of Zuleyka Rivera and Kurara Chibana

Posted by Norman on April 9, 2020
Posted in: 1 Pageant Pages, 2 Shout-out-Looks. Tagged: , , , , .

LOS ANGELES, CA – JULY 23: Miss Puerto Rico Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza is named Miss universe during the Miss Universe 2006 pageant at the Shrine Auditorium on July 23, 2006 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA – JULY 23: Miss Japan Kurara Chibana (L) and Miss Puerto Rico Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza wait to hear who will be named Miss Universe during the Miss Universe 2006 pageant at the Shrine Auditorium on July 23, 2006 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images)

Mere mention of Miss Universe 2006 and the names of two ladies immediately come to mind – Zuleyka Rivera and Kurara Chibana.

Zuleyka had one of the best reactions upon winning the Miss Universe crown, apart from the killer evening gown she wore. And for which she fainted backstage shortly after due to its sheer weight plus the pressure finally being lifted from her body.

Kurara Chibana, on the other hand, remains to be one of my all-time favorite Miss Universe Japan winners (along with Riyo Mori) that I was cheering for her till the announcement of winners. I knew that Zuleyka had it in the bag. But in my heart, I still wanted this Japanese beauty to win.

Share your memories of the two, dear readers.

Below are some highlight videos of the two from the edition held in Los Angeles, California.

Kurara Chibana, Miss Universe Japan 2006 and Zuleyka Rivera, Miss Universe 2006 (Photo by Jun Sato/WireImage)

Throwback Thursday: Kurara Chibana

Posted by Norman on April 10, 2014
Posted in: 2 Shout-out-Looks. Tagged: , , .

Remember Miss Japan Universe 2006 Kurara Chibana who wowed everyone in Los Angeles and almost stole the Miss Universe crown from eventual winner Zuleyka Rivera? Well, she remains to be one of my all-timr favorite Japanese beauty queens. I still think that she was just as deserving as MU2007 Riyo Mori for the crown and would have been a couple of years ahead of Venezuela in achieving a rare back-to-back win in the pageant.

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Back in the day when she was Miss Japan Universe

Fast forward to 2014. Now at 32, Kurara has maintained her graceful beauty and poise. As the image model and endorser of Japanese brand Uniqlo, she is the picture of a cosmopolitan woman still in her prime of her career.

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Kurara Chibana for Uniqlo 2014

Don’t you just love her new images above? 🙂

Make way for Michiko Tanaka of Japan

Posted by Norman on August 30, 2013
Posted in: 1 Pageant Pages. Tagged: , , , .

What a sensuous-looking lady Michiko Tanaka is.

What a sensuous-looking lady Michiko Tanaka is.

Michiko is more Miss Universe-molded, but Miss World will benefit from her participation.

Michiko is more Miss Universe-molded, but Miss World will benefit from her participation.

michikotanaka61 Michiko Tanaka is giving me a Kurara Chibana vibe. And that should indicate something very positive. This 23 year-old Tokyo-based Japanese who measures 1.71m in height is quite a good dancer as can be seen in the video below. And I reckon this is the talent she will display in the related competition of Miss World 2013. Hip-hop it is. And for as long as she won’t not do any kind of twerking in her routine, everything should be fine.

Check out the video of her dance performance during one of the pre-pageant activities of Miss World 2013 Japan.

courteys of shounenkgt

Michiko definitely represents the modern Japanese young woman. She is cool, hip, smoking hot and very vibrant.

Do you like her? 😉

Japan’s Maiko Itai is shooting for a Riyo Mori

Posted by Norman on July 7, 2010
Posted in: 1 Pageant Pages, Blog Bites: Miss Universe 2010. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

Miss Universe-Japan 2010 Maiko Itai

It was only in 2007 when Japan’s Riyo Mori achieved what other Oriental ladies have failed to do 19 years before her, i.e. to win the Miss Universe crown. In the process, the Land of the Rising Sun has suddenly surged in beauty pageant excellence since her national predecessor, Kurara Chibana, placed 2nd in the 2006 edition of the same. A big chunk of the credits goes to Frenchwoman Ines Ligron who is responsible for spotting and training the right ladies to compete for the tiara of Donald Trump’s beauty organization.

Ines Ligron is responsible for the recent successes of Japan in the Miss Universe Pageant.

Can Maiko Itai do a Riyo Mori?

This year, Maiko Itai is deep into preparations for Miss Universe 2010 and she is not leaving any stones unturned to make sure that she does her country extra proud by clinching a 3rd Miss Universe title after Akiko Kojima (1959) and Riyo Mori (2007). She can only hope for the best given the fierce line-up of ladies vying for the crown. The more intriguing question in my mind right now is: will Donald Trump allow an Asian delegate to crack at least the semi-finals after a shut-out of the region last year?


video courtesy of YouTube/SankeiNews

Will Maiko Itai’s star shine bright in Las Vegas? Or will she be just a thank-you girl or a Top 15 placer at best? We’ll see. 😉

Tonight is the night of Bb. Pilipinas 2010!

Posted by Norman on March 6, 2010
Posted in: 1 Pageant Pages. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

All roads will lead to the historic Araneta Coliseum for the Binibining Pilipinas 2010 Grand Coronation Night. The culmination of the most exciting beauty competition in the Philippines – themed as “Shades of Glam” this year – will be made more engaging with a fabulous production number with the reigning queens and a serenade of the candidates to be rendered by no less than Mr. Arnel Pineda, lead singer of the popular American rock group “Journey.” Meanwhile, GMA-7 heartthrobs Akihiro Sato, Victor Aliwalas and Daniel Matsunaga will serve as escorts to the candidates during the long gown competition.

2009's Creme of the Crop: (L-R) 2nd Runner-Up Regina Hahn, BPI Melody Gersbach, BPU Bianca Manalo, BPW Marie-Ann Umali and 1st Runner-Up Richell Angalot

Who will replace last year's winners? (L-R) Bb. Pilipinas International 2009 Melody Gersbach, Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 2009 Bianca Manalo and Bb. Pilipinas-World 2009 Marie-Ann Umali

Binibining Pilipinas 2010 will be hosted by the dashing Mr. Dingdong Dantes, E! Online’s World’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2008 and host of the top-rating game show “Family Feud.” Fast-rising primetime leading lady Ms. Carla Abellana also joins Mr. Dantes as segment host. For pageant fans, I was told that Miss Japan 2006 and Miss Universe 2006 First Runner-Up Kurara Chibana will serve as one of the judges.

The Grand Coronation Night will be telecast later at 10:00 pm only on the Kapuso Network, GMA-7.