Miss Czech Republic on her Japanese and Moravian identity, beauty and Miss Universe
The 22-year-old Miss Czech Republic, Sophia Osako, will represent the country at Miss Universe in Puerto Rico this November. Born to a Czech-Moravian mother and a Japanese father, and raised speaking mostly English, she spoke to me about how the competition has deepened her connection to Czech culture, why beauty pageants still matter, and how she hopes to showcase Czechia on the world stage.
First of all congratulations on winning miss Czech Republic, why did you join the competition in the first place?
Honestly it's a question that is harder to answer than you'd think and the answer really changes every single time. But, it would be of course to explore Latin America because the competition is taking place in November in Puerto Ricco; also to really highlight the Czech beauty that we have here in our country.
You're a bit of an unusual Czech beauty some might say because of your background. You're Czech-Japanese and you grew up speaking mostly English, how has this changed what it means to represent Czechia on the world stage?
I think more than anything this experience taught me how to be more Czech. I think that sounds quite ironic because I am representing the Czech Republic, I am Czech, and I did grow up here my whole life. But speaking English, even with my parents speaking English and my siblings, this was the first time that I had the opportunity to enter a world where I would have to be speaking Czech to an extent where it isn't just casual but also in a professional way. It really let me indulge into Czech culture and to really appreciate everything that the Czech Republic has to offer
Your mother's side is from Moravia, how has that side of your family shaped who you are?
It's very interesting because I have two families: one in Japan and one in the Czech Republic. One is in the countryside of Moravia and they are absolute polar opposites of one another, and I would say that I’ve seen both sides equally. To have a family in Moravia who is just so grounded and their values are just so strong in love, family, and enjoyment of life. And just to simply be happy in what life has given to you. Whenever we do go there the activities that we do with each other are táborák, which is a camp fire, and we opékat špekáčky, you grill sausages on the fire and you play hide and seek with your grandma and even your great-grandma, your cousins too. I think it's just really beautiful to touch grass every now and then, and it's a memory that really brings me back and, you know, allows me to touch ground whenever I'm in a place where I feel that my nose is sticking a bit too high.
Has your mother consciously tried to preserve any specific Moravian traditions within your life?
Well my mom does run the brand ‘Tradice’ which is folklore fashion design. But more than the physical culture or specific traditions, I think it's the way of life. My mom did grow up also in Japan from the age of 17, however the Moravian roots are very deep within her, and it is more than just one thing that you could point out. It is, I think, a value system that one carries within their own minds and their hearts - what they find important to them. So my mom always made sure I stayed kind to people who were working around me or just anybody who needed help around me. She always made sure that I felt that it is my duty, not that I would want to, but that it is my duty as a person; help them out for the sake of helping. I think that is very strongly ‘Morava’, it's very different to Prague. But yes, Moravian culture is very strong within me I would like to say.
How would you describe your childhood between the Czech Republic and Japan and how would you compare traditions, for example Christmas in those two countries?
Well I celebrated Christmas only once in Japan or maybe twice. I had my aunt there and she was trying to convince us to get KFC because it's a really big thing there. It sounds like a myth but it is genuinely a really big thing to stand in line for KFC for four hours, they think the KFC guy is Santa Claus, like properly convinced. But in the Czech Republic we celebrate it usually with my mom.
Beauty pageants have faced a lot of criticism for judging women primarily based on appearance, why do you think they still have a place in society today?
Women's beauty is more important and more valuable than people would like to admit. In a way that is not arrogant, neither is it in a literal way I think female beauty is really what drives the world – in a soft power way or in a subconscious way. And beauty pageants today, it is actually a misconception, it is not judged primarily on beauty when you get to the competition or even in the national one. You are judged on far more than your appearance, you're judged on your determination, your kindness, your capabilities, and your potential for really succeeding and making an impact on the world. It does not matter if you're the most beautiful, you have to be the most lovable… I guess you could say in some way.
So what would your definition of beauty be?
My definition of beauty has always been someone who is very content with themselves. I think beauty is contentment within – when someone is looking at the ground no matter how beautiful they may be you will never see the full beauty within. The female gaze is becoming much more important in today's standard of beauty, it's not just young women that are considered to be beautiful. For me when I look at my mom for example who's in her 40s or other women who are in their later ages, which is not late but like 40 to 50, who are really beautiful and just shining from within, with their cool outfits and their smiles and their great careers. I think that more than anything moves me when I think of beauty, rather than when I see a 20 year old model. Because that is something that truly has contentment within itself, that is something that has a reason to feel proud and accomplished.
How do you feel then as a 22 year old going into the competition going up against someone from New Zealand for example, their representative is 40 years old, she is a mother – how do you feel being put in a competition that has so many different types of women?
I think that is really the base of the idea of why the competition happens to begin with. I think to have an age restriction to begin with was… well I wouldn't say it was very right. I think all women of all ages are capable of being just as beautiful as one another. I think having somebody to compete with in a literal term, compete with, this is interesting and I think it will teach me a lot about myself. Last time I competed I was 18 years old and I can say that for certain the women who were 28 were able to teach me things without even acknowledging the fact that they were trying to teach me anything.
How do you think these international pageants are important as an instrument of soft power for the Czech Republic?
I think the Czech Republic being such a small country, we have flourished in other competitions actually in the few recent years, but it really does put us on the map. That means we have attention from the globe, the entire international community, which gives us opportunities for economic growth and international connections.
Do you think that Japanese culture has changed your perception of beauty?
I think it has influenced my perception of beauty for sure, I think in Japan the beauty standard there is to be more cute, to be very just very petite and very ‘cutesy tootsie’ and in Czechia it's more elegant, more diva, more fierce, so they are kind of contrasting in a sense. I think having this contrast and having a mother who fits into both categories also having gone to an international school where again every person comes from a different background of what it means to be beautiful – I think rather than just Japan my entire life has influenced me into saying what is true beauty and I am able to scope beauty in just about anybody and anything if you truly look at it in the right angle.
You are currently also a university student outside of being a model and being Miss Czech Republic what are your aspirations for the future?
I'm currently studying art history at a university here in Prague and my aspirations for the future would be just to simply have more knowledge.
What do you hope to achieve from the competition in November and how do you hope to represent the Czech Republic on the world stage?
Samozřejmě, of course, I am hoping that I achieve a placement – a high placement at least in the top five. I will be giving it my all with my team and I think the Czech Republic is a country that at least in this world (of beauty pageants) we haven't been so overly prepared like the other competitions. We'd like to show that we too are a powerhouse of the beauty pageant world and this is very niche, but those who do follow pageants do understand that it is a lot of preparation. It is not simply you are beautiful, you walk, and you do a good catwalk – no it is months and months of preparation, it is knowledge that you have to acquire. The way I’d like to represent, is to stay true to myself. I think it is something that is actually rare within the pageant world, because it is expected to try to get you to fit into a mould that has already existed for years and years and years, almost a century. For the Czech Republic I’d like to show that we are unique in the way that we accept people for who they are and do something great for the Czech Republic in the Miss Universe competition.
