Thoughts about blog updating from Sakurazaka46's Tamura Hono, who used to be an idol otaku during her school days (FLASH special 22 December 2021)
Becoming the center of a title song for the first time, then the release of her 1st photobook. And moreover, her first drama appearance… The Sakurazaka46’s ace looks back on 2021, a year that was filled with various kinds of new challenges.
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Please tell us what was the most memorable event in 2021?
First of all, the photobook’s photoshoot was a chance for me to get a feelof laying myself bare. During the photoshoot, I felt like I was able to show my true side, which I had never really been able to show in public. Looking at the pictures, I was surprised to see that I could smile so much. I could feel my expression getting softer with each photoshoot, and I came to think that it was okay to show my true self.
Another one was when filming the MV of 3rd single “Nagaredama”, where I was appointed as the center for the first time. I used to think that no matter what position you were in, each of us would just do what we had to do, but when you stand in the center, you attract attention the most and you appear a lot in the MV. Because of that, I was able to see more things than usual that I wanted to fix, so I felt confused.
What point was particularly difficult?
There were plenty, but if I have to choose one, then the last chorus. The choreography was already hard to dance one time, we also had to shoot it over and over again from different angles. As I continued to dance as hard as I could, I lost track of where the front was... and I even collapsed on the spot when the cut was ordered.
I was very nervous during the entire two days of filming, and I remember the moment it was over, my concentration suddenly snapped and I felt my heart breaking away, thinking "It's finally over...". It’s a song where an outburst of emotions is important, and in order to make an atmosphere of “It’s so much fun!” instead of a dark one, everyone pushed their limits and became very excited. I believe we were all able to do our best at that point.
You like books and movies, and you write a lot about the books you read and the dramas and movies you watch on your blog. Do you sometimes use it as reference for your expressions?
Before filming the MV, the director told me that my role is that of a “mad demon”, but I couldn't get a sense of it because it was the complete opposite of myself, so I watched several movies with crazy characters in them. For example, even a single laugh can be expressed in completely different ways, such as a quiet grin or a loud laugh, isn’t it? I didn't try to imitate them exactly in the same way, but I learned that there are also such ways of expression.
You said before in the past that you’d like to do jobs related to acting, and then in 2021, you appeared in a drama inside the variety show “Azatokute Nani ga Warui no? (What’s wrong with being sly?)” (TV Asahi). Is there any particular genre or role you would like to play in the future?
My favorite tastes change from time to time. Not long ago, I liked quiet stories like "Umimachi Diary (Our Little Sister)," but recently I've been reading a lot of mysteries and suspense, so I'd like to try my hand at something that can only be experienced in fiction, such as playing a detective who falls into an epic situation.
Because you are very athletic and have a special volleyball skill that even helped you enter university through a recommendation, I think that you are suited for action as well.
I’d love to try it! But since my confidence is not very high, what if I am not able to move at all in the location? I’d be so down (laughs).
The reading list that you post on your blog covers a wide range of genres and volumes that would make even the most avid reader take their hat off, from popular manga to authentic mysteries such as "Medium: Reibai Tantei Jouzuka Hisui (Medium: Psychic Detective Jouzuka Hisui)" (Kodansha), and foreign non-fiction books such as "Switched On: A Memoir of Brain Change and Emotional Awakening" (Hayakawa Publishing). How do you choose them?
I like to go to bookstores that are a little different, where the books are selected by the shopkeepers with their own unique taste. Whenever I have time off, I tend to think only about work, so the busier I am, the more I try to escape into the world of books and movies. However, when I heard that the members of Sakurazaka46 were going to appear in the drama "Borderless" (HikariTV), I had read the original novel shortly before the announcement, so I realized, “I see, so there are possibilities that we could appear in such works”.
I never imagined it before, but from now on, when I come across a novel I like, I might think, "If it's getting adapted, I'd like to give it a try!”. But then, even after I escape into the world of books, I still end up thinking about work (laughs).
You also take time out of your busy schedule to update your blog frequently.
I have always loved idols and used to read their blogs very often. During my student life, which was filled with club activities, what I enjoyed the most were the idols’ blogs. I used to spend my days checking their blogs as soon as I got home. In the past, Maeda Atsuko-san used to update her blog several times a day, and it was a motivation for me to work hard at my volleyball practice. I feel that she really helped me a lot, so I am updating my blog hoping that the people who support me now will also be able to enjoy it at least a little bit.
Then finally, please tell us about your aspirations in 2022.
I'm an "ambitious person", so I have too many things I want to do. I want more people to know about Sakurazaka46, I want to deliver good performances, and I want us to be a vital part of music festivals and music TV shows. I also want to try my hand at more variety shows like "Lion's Guu Touch" (FujiTV), more radio work, more magazine shoots and acting too…
I feel there are parts of me that have grown and changed over the past three years, but the love and excitement I felt for idols when I joined the group has never changed and it is still part of my foundation. I enjoy all the work I do, and the more opportunities I get, the happier I am, so I'll do my best to get lots of offers!
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Translation: tmi
QC: deedlitmurata
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