Rina Kawaei faces tattoo speculation after Instagram post amid personal life changes

Japanese actress and former AKB48 member Rina Kawaei posted photos from a trip to Bangkok on July 25, showing a plant‑motif design near her left clavicle. Fans and netizens debated whether it was a real tattoo, a temporary henna tattoo, or a decorative sticker, sparking a wave of comments online.

Kawaei, who appeared at the NHK Red & White Song Festival and played a lead role in the NHK drama “Kamu Kamu Everybody,” has been in the public eye for both her career and personal life. She married actor Tomoki Hirose in 2019, gave birth to two children, and announced a divorce in April 2026 after earlier media reports of Hirose’s alleged double‑relationship scandal. In early 2026 she also left the agency that had represented her for ten years to become independent.

The tattoo discussion adds to a series of notable moments for Kawaei as she continues her acting work while navigating heightened media scrutiny.