Sakurazaka46's 1st Generation Interview on EXTaishu (July 2023)

Q Have the five of you ever had a photoshoot together before?

Saito: I don’t think we’ve ever had one with just the five of us.

Q Have the five of you ever gone out somewhere together?

Habu: About half a year ago, the five of us went to dreamland [=Disney] (laughs). Even though we have been working together for close to eight years, we’ve never gotten sick of each other, even during our time off. We were just excitedly talking about this and that.

Saito: Whenever we went to ride an attraction that has two-person seats, since that means someone would be left on their own, we resolved it with rock-paper-scissors each time. (laughs)

Q You girls are really close with one another, huh? Does the 1st generation have their own dressing room?

Kobayashi: Basically we’re all put in the same room. Since we can all fit at one desk, the five of us are often seated close together.

Habu: It just happens naturally. When we go to take pictures together, the five of us gather together immediately. Since there’s 5 of us, we can all fit into the frame. (laughs)

Koike: There are times when each of us may be doing our own thing in the dressing room, and there are also times when we chat over the same topic together, it’s truly free.

Q You have been close since Keyakizaka46 times, and back then the dressing room was more lively having 21 members, wasn’t it?

Uemura: Yes. The depth of our friendship hasn’t changed, but I think back then we used to be more clingy with each other than we are now. Like sitting on each other’s laps, or leaning in close to one another. And we used to like to play games. But now even if the five of us play a game, it’s not fun because it would end fast, so we started to chat more.

Q In August, Keyakizaka46 will be celebrating the 8th anniversary since its formation. Do you feel that the past eight years have been long? Or perhaps, has it felt short to you?

Koike: It just flew by. I can vividly remember each and everything that happened, but saying that it’s been eight years, it’s surprising to realize that much time has passed.

Uemura: Eh~ I feel like it can go both ways, the good times passed by so fast, but it’s also long in the sense that we’ve overcome so many things.

Habu: I think it felt short. I was just frantic about everything in front of me. But recently, I have been able to think about things more deeply, and changed my ways of making my time more useful.

Kobayashi: It feels long~ I mean that in the sense that it feels like we’ve been together a little longer than that, so when I hear “8 years” I can’t help but think “damn it really has only been 8 years.”

Saito: I think maybe it felt short for me. If you break things down into individual moments, sure there were some hard times, but I’m the kind of person whose good memories leave a stronger impression, so if I look back I pretty much only remember the fun times.

Q It’s interesting to see all your differences. Did you ever imagine that it’d be you five that would remain together in the group?

Uemura: I had always thought that graduation starts from the oldest members, so I never expected the younger members to be the ones to graduate first.

Habu: Farewells are just something that come so suddenly (said conspicuously).

Uemura: Habu-chan is also funny during interviews, huh? (laughs)

Saito: If you told me 3~4 years ago that the five of us would remain in the group, I wouldn’t have believed you. But each of us are strong willed, so I think there’s a reason that the five of us have remained.

Kobayashi: There are times I feel that the five of us are pretty similar to each other in some aspects.

Koike: Whenever something feels uneasy, we can just talk openly about it.

Q Over the past eight years, have there been any changes in your relationships with each other?

Kobayashi: With how few we have become, the walls between us have thinned out, and I have been able to talk about things that would have been embarrassing for me in the past, so I think the bonds between us have deepened.

Habu: I have the profiles of the four of them engraved in my body, so I can quickly sense things like, “Oh, it’s better for me not to talk to them right now”.

Saito: In our free time during online meet & greet, we naturally gather and separate, just like in the living room of a family home. When I’m with the four of them, there is a feeling of comfort similar to a family.

Koike: Throughout my life, I’ve had a lot of people who I consider not friends, but just acquiantances, so it took some time until I was able to cross the wall into seeing them as more than just “fellow members,” but now we are so close that I can call them my friends.

Uemura: They are my friends, but they can also be my sisters… and they also feel like my classmates. I really don’t feel our age difference.

Q Has there been any changes in your stance toward the group following its name change to Sakurazaka46?

Saito: It’s completely different. Back in Keyakizaka46, while there were times when the group was stable, there were also times it wasn’t, and often in those times I would mostly prioritize the group over myself as I thought that I had to do something about the situation. Sakurazaka46 has many members who want to expand the group by facing and improving themselves, so I feel like I’ve had more time to work on myself as well.

Habu: I think my opinion is similar to Fuu-chan’s. As I grew older and became an adult, I started taking more time to face myself as I look at my surroundings, and began thinking of what I can do for the group . I have been able to give more thought to things in general, and I think I have gotten better with how I make use of my time. 

Kobayashi: In the latter half of Keyakizaka46, I often stood as the substitute center, but after becoming Sakurazaka46, it’s more often that I’m positioned next to a 2nd generation member serving as the center. This easy-to-understand change has allowed me to be more relaxed in my work.

Koike: Before the renaming, I was very particular about thinking things had to be done in a specific way. However, since becoming Sakurazaka46, I have been able to let myself get spoiled not just by my genmates but also by my juniors, and I believe that I have stopped thinking about unnecessary things.

Uemura: Hmmm. I think there are things that change as we get older and with how much experience we have, but I think that at my core, things haven’t changed since we were Keyakizaka46.

Q After becoming Sakurazaka46, I’d often heard the members say “I still don’t know the color of the group” during interviews.

Kobayashi: There was still some confusion when we had just become Sakurazaka46. All we knew was the Keyakizaka46 way of doing things, and as we did our activities as Sakurazaka46 there were times when we thought, “this isn’t right”. When we talked about it among the 1st generation members, each of us thought about our path as Sakurazaka46 while also cherishing our identity and pride as Keyakizaka46, so everyone’s presence became a source of support for me.

Saito: When the group was renamed, we were in a situation where no one could tell what was going to happen, the only thing we could do was to throw ourselves at what was in front of us. I think it must have been difficult for the Sakura Eight members too, and we also had our first challenge with “BACKS LIVE!!”, so there was no other choice but to just blindly go all out. But I was able to talk with the 2nd generation members more during “BACKS LIVE!!”, so I think it was an opportunity for us to grow closer.

Q “BACKS LIVE!!” gave each member the opportunity to perform as center, presenting a new challenge for you while allowing you to perform in a simple stage. 

Habu: Holding a concert is not something that should be taken for granted, so I felt grateful to have been given the chance to stand on stage. I had a hard time with the unusual rehearsal, where we had to watch videos and memorize the choreography before starting, but I hoped that members could see this as an opportunity. And in reality, everyone changed and we were able to show the fans a new side of ourselves, so it became a wonderful moment.

Uemura: When I first heard about it, the feeling I got was that after doing this for 4-5 years, now a “lower class” of the group has started. But when it was all over, I realized that being able to perform songs I had never participated in before was a huge experience. I was able to handle things right away whenever I was put into the position of a member who had graduated, so I’m glad we did it.

Koike: I participated in the second “BACKS LIVE!!”. I heard that it was difficult, so I wondered how things would turn out, but the members who participated in the first one got me through it. 

Having experienced and felt what “BACKS LIVE!!” was about, I want fans to watch it as a “Sakurazaka46 concert” rather than a “BACKS members” concert. I don’t want them to differentiate between Eight and BACKS members, and I want them not just to think how amazing this girl is centering this song, but to also continue to chase after that girl no matter what position she’s in after “BACKS LIVE!!”. I hoped that “BACKS LIVE!!” became a good opportunity for people to look at the group as a whole.

Q Kobayashi-san took a hiatus from September 2021 to November 2021. Did you try not to think about the group during that time?

Kobayashi: That’s right. I wanted to make time to sort out my feelings.

Q Is there anything that changed from before and after the hiatus?

Kobayashi: Hmmm. I guess the way in which I wind down… I’ve learned how to give it my best without pushing myself too stoically. I think that I’m able to be here now because I can do that now. If things had stayed the way they were, I might have graduated already.

Q Personally, I feel that Sakurazaka46’s color has been established from the release of 1st Album “As you know?” in September to “2nd TOUR 2022 “As you know?” from last year.

Saito: I think Sakurazaka46 having more songs plays a big part. When we first started, we didn’t have that many songs, so there have been times when a song that doesn’t fit the flow is included. But the flow of the setlist has been nice since the release of the album, and it’s fun to dance to as well.

Kobayashi: With the increased number of songs, it’s become possible to think of various different images for our concerts. I think we’re now a group that doesn’t fit in any one specific category.

Habu: I think it’s all related to experience and achievement. It’s a rare occasion for a song to make it as a hit, so I think it’s something that’s finally understood once you connect everything we’ve done over the years, just like a resume. Doesn’t it take time to build a relationship of trust between two people? I think that’s the stage that Sakurazaka46 is in right now. I want us to be a group that you can’t take your eyes off of.

Koike: At the beginning, we continued to look around and challenge a lot of different kinds of songs, and even now we still don’t have a song that we can definitively say, “This is what Sakurazaka46 is.” But I think that might be Sakurazaka46’s charm.

Uemura: I think so too. Not having a fixed center is a good point that is different from Keyakizaka46, but there’s also a feeling of wonder as to what song represents Sakurazaka46. In the 3rd generation’s documentary, “BAN” was referred to as the representative song, so it made me think “So that’s it, huh!” (laughs). As for me, I still don’t know which song I’d pick to represent us.

Q Kobayashi-san, as the narrator of the 3rd generation documentary, what do you think about it?

Kobayashi: Eh~ (laughs). I thought that we needed to have confidence as Sakurazaka46 members before the 3rd generation members joined.

Q After the renaming to Sakurazaka46, 1st generation members Moriya Akane-san, Watanabe Rika-san, Watanabe Risa-san, Harada Aoi-san, Ozeki Rika-san, and Sugai Yuuka-san graduated. Do you feel a sense of loss every time it happens?

Koike: We should be mindful of how important the time we have together is, but you could feel how important they were to the group after they announced their graduation. There are a lot of times during a graduation ceremony where I feel overwhelmed by the loneliness.

Uemura: There’s one less person in the dressing room, and each person has their own good points, plus the scenery I see during performances changes, so every time there is a graduation it makes me feel lonely. But when working as a group, sometimes I forget about that feeling.

Habu: As friends who have spent and shared a long time and seen many things together, I feel sad about it, but my feeling of wanting to cheer for their dreams is stronger.

Kobayashi: Every time a member graduates, there will be changes in their position, and most of the time it happens to be someone who had a symmetrical position with me, and at that moment I could keenly feel that they’ve graduated.

Saito: Farewells are something that you can’t get used to, right? But everyone graduated with determination, so while I feel sad about it, I’d like to send them off. Ever since we became Sakurazaka46, it’s become possible for us to hold graduation ceremonies, and have them wear pretty dresses as we send them off, and I’m glad we can do that.

Q It has become a custom to perform Keyakizaka46 songs at graduation ceremonies, but do you perform it with a nostalgic feeling?

Kobayashi: I think that the songs the graduating members want to sing that are then included in the setlist are also songs that those who have been supporting us since Keyakizaka46 times would like to see as well. The graduating member also talks about the reason why she wanted to perform those songs, so I’m able to perform them while thinking of the feelings of the graduating member and the fans. It’d be great if that could color every last stage performance for members who graduate.

Q There were some 2nd generation members who had mixed feelings upon hearing the roar raised when the intro to “Fukyouwaon” started playing during the Tokyo Dome encore.

Saito: When we performed “W-KEYAKIZAKA no Uta” in “W-KEYAKIZAKA FES. 2021”, the venue was instantly dyed green. It made me feel happy from how nostalgic it is, but even though we asked for people to change their colors to sakura pink for “Sakurazaka no Uta”, it never fully changed to sakura pink. So of course there’s that feeling of frustration involved. I feel that we have to be a group that will make the fans go along with things.

Koike: The first time we performed a Keyakizaak46 song, there was a loud reaction from the audience, and it made me think, “This never happened for a Sakurazaka46 song…” But the more we perform Keyakizaka songs at graduation ceremonies, my feelings change. It might sound weird, but I started to think, “We carry the DNA of both Keyakizaka and Sakurazaka, aren’t we awesome?!”

Kobayashi: Even now, there are times when people call us “Keyakizaka46”. There must be people who still don’t know that the group changes names, and there are also those who call us that as a reflex. When that happens, it makes me go “Ahh~”, but it’s not like we can blame anyone for it either. The only thing that we can do is to continue to do our best so that people can know about us without blaming ourselves for it.

Q Right now you are still in the middle of the tour (At the time of the interview). It has a more stoic composition and production than last year’s tour, and the greatness of everyone’s performance is being conveyed even more.

Uemura: I think that the number of dance tracks is also one of the highlights. Just like last year, we started the performance with a dance track, and from the second half of the show there is a dance track for every song with a production that features the center member, I think it must have been impressive.

Saito: The all-members song “Tamashii no Liar” barely has any choreo and they told us to dance however we like. On the first day, you could see there were parts we were still figuring out, but as the tour has gone on, each member has looked to themselves to think of ways to gain the spotlight, so I think it has improved with every performance. Being able to see the growth of our songs is the real thrill of a tour, and I think that songs other than “Tamashii no Liar” have also grown.

Koike: We were inspired by the 3rd generation’s “BAN” performance, and it makes us want to show an improved version of “BAN”, so we performed the long version of it. This time the original choreo is barely there, new parts were added and the arrangement was redone. We also use the stage extensively, and I think we were able to show a performance that changed everyone’s impression of the song.

Kobayashi: This is pretty much the first time the audience can raise their voices during our concerts, so before the start of the tour, we had no idea what to expect from the audience. When the tour started, they would yell “Hey!” in unexpected places, and I was able to enjoy the concert while thinking “Oh, so they yelled it here LOL”. We were able to do the “2ND YEAR ANNIVERSARY ~ Buddies Thanksgiving ~” with a close distance from the fans and I thought that was nice, but this time in the encore there’s a part in the production that allows us to come closer to where the audience is sitting. While we still have elements that we “show” the crowd such as lasers and special effects that we also had last tour, I think we were able to show our gap by adding something to the production that allows the audience to experience it up close.

Habu: I think that MC sessions are a big element of a concert, and this time there are moments when the 2nd generation members tease the 1st generation members. It makes me happy how there are members who enjoy my boring jokes. There are also a lot of members who have been working hard and gaining experience on variety shows, and I think that the result of their daily activities has shown in their MC. It makes me happy to be able to feel the 2nd generation’s growth.

Q I think that 2nd generation members have grown in both MC and performance. It’s different from when they just joined Keyakizaka46, they have become stronger.

Saito: When they first joined Keyakizaka46, the 2nd generation members didn’t have their own original position, they merely entered the position of a member who had graduated. With the renaming of the group to Sakurazaka46, they now have their own positions, and I heard how they are enjoying being able to participate in song recordings and MV filmings, and I am sincerely glad. The 2nd generation members have a strong inclination towards study and learning, and their expressions change with each performance. They greatly inspire me.

Uemura: When I joined a song I had never performed before, I felt very nervous about it. But isn’t that what the 2nd generation members experienced a lot during Keyakizaka46 time? I regret not being able to understand the pain they were feeling at that time. I think it is because of what they experienced in Keyakizaka46 that the 2nd generation members are able to relax and enjoy performing in Sakurazaka46.

Koike: They joiend the group because of their admiration for Keyakizaka46, and then immediately entered the positions of graduated members. I’m sure that they must have performed while feeling considerable pressure. After the renaming to Sakurazaka46, even though it should be difficult to rebuild again from scratch, I could feel how reliable they are from how excited they are at giving the group new colors. But sometimes, I couldn’t help but feel worried that they might break down from working too hard. I hope to pay attention to little changes that happen with 2nd generation members and comfort them.

Habu; I think there are many 2nd generation members who carry their own colors. Instead of relying on someone else, they are pursuing their own style. And the same time, they are able to look at the group as a whole, thinking “this is what I must do now” or “I’ll wait for the others here”. You can feel each of their own individuality. I think that is why there is a great explosive power when they are united together.

Kobayashi: Now with the 3rd gen members entering, they are starting to experience becoming a senior. I hope that experience can lead them in a good direction.

Uemura: When I see 2nd generation members talking casually with someone other than their genmates, it gives a fresh feeling like, “Oh~ They are seniors now!” (laughs)

Q There are a lot of clumsy girls among 3rd generation members, I could feel that there are similarities with 2nd generation members. It seems that they will be an interesting presence from now on.

Saito: When we met them for the first time, I was shocked to hear them say, “I listened to “Silent Majority” when I was in elementary school”. Like, “elementary school…?” (laughs). That is just how much age gap there is between us. It might sound cliché, but I could feel a new wind from them. They are all so cheerful and giving it their all. I hope that 3rd generation members can enjoy their activities like 2nd generation members. That way will surely be a plus for the group*. I don’t have a particular comment like “It should be like this” to give.

Kobayashi: They told us things like, “I love this concert” or “I went to your handshake event before”, so there was a strong impression of “a fangirl” at first. I think that their sense of responsibility will grow as they gain more experience as Sakurazaka46 members. Right now, as they grow day by day, I see them firmly responding to the requests from the staff such as, “I want you to do the MC session more like this”, so I look forward to how the 3rd generation members will be from now on.

Uemura: That’s true, they feel more “fangirl” than when 2nd generation members joined. Though it might have been a difficult environment for them to say their thoughts. The 3rd generation members often give comments like “So cute”, declaring their oshimen, and say things like “Please do your best!” whenever we passed by during a concert or meguri. It makes me happy to know that there is someone cheering for us close by.

Q It gives you a sense of self-affirmation, isn’t it?

Uemura: But I think that they are cuter than me. Each of the 3rd generation members has their own different cuteness that isn’t just about their looks. I watched the vlog videos that were revealed first. Watching the documentary made me emphasize so much to them that I cried on both days of “Omotenashikai”. While there are sides of them that are already well established, there are also sides of them that are still fresh. That freshness of them reminded me of when we first just joined the group.

Koike: I saw 3rd generation members reflecting on their performance and going “I made a mistake”, but until now I have made so many mistakes so much that there is probably nothing I ever got right before, so I hope that they can make the most of that experience and challenge the next one. It’s completely okay for them to make mistakes right now, and I am sure that there must be a lot of people who become their fans because of their freshness. I only hope that they will never forget their feelings of love toward Sakurazaka46. And I hope, in a good way, that they don’t just see us as 1st generation members. It seems that Endo Riko-chan has started to like me ever since she joined the group, and often comes to get pampered. I hope that we can interact with the 3rd generation members in a close relationship.

Habu: I think that 3rd generation members have only just opened the door. But I think there is no need for them to take everything. I hope that they can adjust it so that they don’t burst from it. I look forward to seeing how 3rd generation members become in a year or two.

Q Habu-san joined Kira Kids that was established by Masumoto Kira-san together with 3rd generation members (Odakura Reina, Murayama Miu), are you not?

Habu: Yes, I actually joined. (laughs)

Q (laughs) I think that Habu-san’s casual personality is a great side of yours.

Habu: Kira-chan is someone I can’t take my eyes off from, so I thought it'd be great if I could give her a follow-up. Recently, she has become able to understand what the adults are feeling. When she joined Keyakizaak46, she was going to cut her eyebrows, but the staff told her to stop. Now she understands why the staff stopped her.

Uemura: That’s right.

Q If a 3rd generation member wants to dye their hair bright colors…

Habu: I think she’ll say, “I think it’s better not to do that”.

Uemura: There are things that are only good at the beginning.

Q On the first day of the tour, the disbandment of W-KEYAKI FES was announced. It might be restarted again in the future, but it’s an event that has been held since the time of the Republic of Keyaki, so I wonder if you have some thoughts about that.

Kobayashi: Republic of Keyaki was only performed by Keyakizaka46, so we were able to show a concert that is suitable for Republic of Keyaki. And then it is passed to us and Hinatazaka46 in the form of W-KEYAKI FES, but even if it has become a joint concert that the fans has been waiting for, there are also things about it that raised many opinions. So rather than continuing to the event in an ambiguous status like it is, I think it’s better to create a concert in a different form.

Uemura: I received messages from the fans saying how sad they are about it, and 3rd generation members also said things like “I wanted to spray some water too”. I thought those reactions were obvious, but we are taking it in a positive way.

Habu: So lonely that I sweat.

Uemura: Eh? What do you mean? (laughs)

Habu: A loneliness that doesn’t bring tears to your eyes (laughs). I think that when we overcome that feeling of loneliness by taking on new challenges, there will be something good waiting for us. I’d like to etch a new history by doing a stadium concert.

Q As change happened to W-KEYAKI FES, it has been decided that “3rd YEAR ANNIVERSARY LIVE” will be held at ZOZO Marine Stadium on 25th-26th November.

Saito: A stadium concert has always been our dream since the time of Keyakizaka46, so I was happy when it was decided. I’d like to cherish every opportunity and increase the number of Buddies as many as possible before the concert.

Kobayashi: It will be our first stadium concert, so I still don't know how wide it will be or what kind of scenery I will see, it doesn’t feel real yet. I’d like to make it into such a concert that when it ends, I can be proud that we have completed a stadium concert.

Koike: My current goal is how I want both the group and myself to grow to the point that we have become someone fitting to stand on the stage of a stadium live while borrowing the help of the fans.

Q I look forward to the performance at ZOZO Marine Stadium. In terms of career, it won’t be strange for you to graduate at any moment, so I am sure that there must be a lot of fans wondering how long you will stay in the group. You have closely spent the past ~8 years with the fans, has they become a family-like presence for you?

Habu: There are those who continue to visit me from the time of my debut. The fan who was back then merely a “5th year elementary schooler” is now a university student. There are also fans who have married each other. They often told me, “I like Habu-chan no matter how you are”, so I’d like to continue to give it my best so that they can continue to like me as a person and feel glad to have been supporting me.

Saito: Those who have liked us since the beginning have walked through our history together with us, and they experienced the same things as the members, so I think that they are all very strong people (laughs). And on the other hand, it makes me happy how those who only become a fan recently looked up the past. No matter what period they come to like us, I could feel their love.

Kobayashi: It feels strange to think that they have spent 8 years cheering for the same person. It makes me curious, so I asked someone who has been coming since the beginning, “Are you not bored!?” (laughs)

Q I see that your relationship is at such a point that you can ask about that.

Kobayashi: That fan was angry at me. They said, “You are that dense to my affection!?*”. I said, “I’m thankful for that.”

Q When I interviewed Uemura-san last March 2022, you said, “Recently there are many people who grew apart at the end of Keyakizaka46 but now are returning, it made me happy”.

Uemura: I wonder if it’s because they think it’s about time I graduate? (laughs). There were people who asked, “Have you decided to graduate? Please tell me.”.

Habu: Hee~

Uemura: When I’m in the group, I don’t really get a sense of my age, but when I look at the fans I think about how I’m getting older the same way they are. Recently, I was shocked by a fan who has been supporting me since middle school who got married, and in meguri they lifted up their baby while saying “ta-da!” (laughs)

Habu: How the time has passed!

Q Please tell me your vision of the future.

Saito: I am still continuing my activities here because I like it, so I’d like to continue to give it my all to face it while cherishing my feelings of love for it.

Kobayashi: Right now, I don’t have a concrete vision like “this is who I want to be”, so I’d like to grow old happily.

Habu: I always admire people who enjoy growing older. In order to enjoy the future, I’d like to experience many things and refine my sensitivity.

Uemura: I think that this is the only time when I can become an idol in my life, so I’d like to continue to do my best until I reach my goal.

Koike: Right now, I’ve been making Pomu house-sit a lot, so I’d like to make some time for Pomu. (laughs)

Uemura: What about the time with us? (laughs) 

Koike: I think I cherish Pomu more. (laughs)

Habu: Woof.

Uemu: Did you just say “woof”? (laughs)

All: (laughs)

—

Raw: anon

Translation: tmi

QC: deedlit, nira, peezy