Kurara Chibana (Miss Universe 2006)

Kurara Chibana

Kurara Chibana is a Japanese philosophy student and model.

Chibana is known for her participation in Miss Universe 2006 where she represented Japan. She won the best national costume award for her samurai/ninja outfit designed by the artist Yuichi Miyagawa and later became the first runner-up for Miss Universe 2006.

Her achievement was remarkable in the light of the fact that Japan has never come this close to winning the crown since 1959, when Akiko Kojima won the first, and so far only Miss Universe crown for the Land of the Rising Sun.

She also managed to outdo the two Japanese women who managed to enter the semi finals in most recent years. They were Miyako Miyazaki, fourth runner-up in 2003 and Mizuho Sakaguchi, 3rd runner-up in 1988. Her roommate during Miss Universe 2006 was Miss Switzerland, Lauriane Gilliéron who was chosen as the second runner-up. In late December, Global Beauties named Kurara as the Sexiest Woman Alive 2006. A title formally held also by, her co-patriot/beauty diva, Miyako Miyazaki. She now also models regularly. She is the new spokeswoman for Maybelline New York's Angelfit Make-Up.