Masumoto Kira interview in B.L.T November 2026
Q When did you start thinking about graduation, Masumoto-san?
Kira: It took me about a year to come to a decision. I thought that I would regret graduating on an impulse. I once went for a meal with Sugai (Yuuka)-san prior to her graduation, and she told me “Graduate at the time that you feel is best”. So I thought about it again and again until I was convinced… and then I made my decision.
Q What pushed you to finally decide?
Kira: Graduation is something that has to happen eventually, right? But that kind of decision requires resolve, and I understand that after that decision, it will be difficult to decide what to do for the rest of my life. But the more I put it off, the harder I felt it would be for me to make the decision… I thought that if I was going to go through that hardship eventually, then I might as well do it now. I talked about this with Yamaguchi Haruyo (who graduated from Hinatazaka46 in August) when we went out for a meal, and Paru (Yamaguchi) said that she had thought about it very carefully before deciding to graduate. I started thinking about it at the same time as her, but I guess the biggest reason is that I felt I had done everything that I could as a member of Sakurazaka46… The production for new music was always fresh and fun, but I pretty much experienced everything that I could as an idol, and being able to feel satisfied with my decision was also a huge reason.
And… I am fundamentally a person who gets lonely easily, and I was always sad when I had to say goodbye to my seniors and genmates, so I thought it would be better if there were still lots of my genmates around when I graduated. If I had to send everyone else off and ended up as the last one, wouldn’t that be lonely? So I thought I should graduate when there are still a lot of members to send me off.
Q Did you feel a big sense of accomplishment from being able to perform at Tokyo Dome, Kyocera Dome Osaka, and MUFG Stadium (National Stadium)?
Kira: That’s right… I’ve been able to visit many different venues all over Japan, and as it was decided that I will be graduating along with “the conclusion of the 15th single’s activities”, I was also able to stand at the National Stadium. To be honest, I did think, “It would be nice to graduate after experiencing a concert at the National Stadium”, so it really felt like I’ve done everything… I really like the costume for the 15th single. And the number of “15th” also makes for a nice conclusion. I had thought about graduating “at 24 years old” or “in Autumn”, and so I thought it was time to leave.
Q Why Autumn?
Kira: Autumn feels somewhat sad, doesn’t it? It’s a season that brings a slight chill, and I wanted the fans to think “It’s sad that Kira-chan is graduating” while feeling that autumn breeze (laughs). I wanted it to remain in our memories together with the sadness of the season.
Q I think that graduation is always sad no matter the season. That said, Kousaka Marino-san, who you’re close to, must be particularly sad about it?
Kira: Right. I spend every day with Kousaka. We’re always sitting next to each other: in the dressing room, while brushing our teeth, and while changing our costumes. I did feel like I’m leaving her on her own, but recently, Kousaka has been joking around in front of the other members as well, and she is very well loved by her juniors. That’s why I don’t think I’ll need to worry about how she’ll be after my graduation. There are so many fans who have told me how they like the KiraMari duo, but I think that by coming to the mindset of “Everyone is bound to graduate one day”, I think that the loneliness the fans are feeling will be lessened.
Q When did you tell Kousaka-san about your graduation?
Kira: I didn’t tell her at all. I didn’t let it slip to anyone until my announcement in front of everyone. The only person I told it to in advance was Yamaguchi Haruyo. By talking about it over a meal with Paru, I was able to gather my thoughts. I was able to find my resolve, and then I asked the staff, “Could you make time for us to talk?”. In the end, Paru and I ended up only a month apart (in graduation timing). I was hoping we could both support each other when one of us was troubled, but despite being younger, Paru is the more dependable one of us, so I think I’ll end up being the one who gets supported a lot (laughs).
Q I don’t think that’ll be the case (laughs), but I’m sure the Sakurazaka members must be feeling lonely about it?
Kira: It was the same with Takemoto (Yui)-san, but there’s been quite some time between my announcement and actual graduation, so I think everyone’s forgotten about it already?! Right after the announcement, the juniors told me how lonely they’ve been feeling, and the (4th generation member) Inaguma Hina-chan was crying, but now everyone’s all okay. But personally, I’d like to end my activities with more of a feeling of fun; rather than a “tearful graduation ceremony”, I’d want more of a “bye bye~!” kind of vibe.
Also, I have really tiny nostrils, so when I’m really sobbing, it gets hard for me to breathe and I start running low on oxygen. I don’t want everyone to see me hyperventilating and sobbing on stage, so since we have the opportunity, I’d like to end it on a happy note with lots of laughter.
Q So that’s the kind of aesthetic you’d like to stick to. But I’m sure Yamada Momomi-san, who adores you and calls you “Maman”, must be feeling lonely…?
Kira: I became close with Momomi-chan during the rehearsals for the 14th single BACKS LIVE!! That was also the first time the 4th generation members participated in it, so a lot of the girls were pretty confused. I couldn’t really help them with formations or the dance, so I took on more of a role of someone to talk to and I interacted with Momoni-chan when she was alone and stuff. I didn’t do it because I want to help others, I just want to talk like I normally do and she’s funny. But recently, she’s gotten really close to Yuuzu (Nakashima Yuzuki) and the other seniors besides me, and I’ve been trying to put a stop to that. I say stuff like, “Oh? So you’re not going to speak to me anymore?” (laughs).
Q That’s a pretty extreme reaction (laughs).
Kira: At first, I wanted her to get along with everyone, but when I actually saw Momomi-chan like that it made me feel lonely (laughs). It was a slight feeling of jealousy, or rather, I wanted to have her all to myself. Of course, all the 4th generation members have lots of great qualities you’d expect from a junior and are cute, but Momomi-chan is not someone who holds back. Even when I show off my special skills, she’ll frankly say, “What are you doing? Is that supposed to be amazing?” and that’s really funny. But if Momomi-chan is into it, she laughs heartily. And seeing that also makes me really happy, and makes me think of how similar she is to Fujiyoshi (Karin)-san.
Q I think I get what you mean. But I’m sure that you must also be feeling anxious about walking a different path from your genmates and juniors from now on. How do you feel about that?
Kira: To be honest, I’m feeling very anxious. I’m clumsy at everything I do, and fail often, so I think it will be difficult to discover what I want to do from now on. But I keep telling myself that delaying my graduation won’t change my feelings of anxiety. I’m trying to pinpoint the elements of anxiety within myself, and look at them in an objective way, as if someone is asking for advice. Then it’s like me giving advice to a different Masumoto Kira, saying things like, “Wouldn’t it be okay if you do this?”
Q I see, so it’s like having a meeting with your own self.
Kira: When I moved to Tokyo, to help stave off feeling homesick, I wrote down the things I didn’t like about my hometown and it made me not miss it at all. But I’ve truly been blessed in my activities as Sakurazaka46, and it’s been fun, and I couldn’t find anything I didn’t like about it. If I had to name something, I’m bad at memorizing choreography and have always struggled with that. I’d write notes, but I’d eventually forget about it with the passing of time. Basically, I’ve lived my life believing that things will work out somehow, and they have so far, and I think… it’ll probably continue to do so.
Q It probably hasn’t sunk in for you yet, right?
Kira: Ah…but when we were on the shinkansen for the summer tour (Sakurazaka Arena Tour 2026 “What’s lonesome?”), I looked at everyone’s sleeping faces and thought, “This is probably the last time I’ll be riding the shinkansen with the members”. But it still doesn’t feel real to me yet that my activities are at an end. When I watched Haruyo’s graduation ceremony, I imagined my own for a bit, but I think it will only fully sink in on the day of the event.
Q That’s certainly true. Speaking of, I’m sure you’ve accumulated many memories, but are there any particular ones that immediately spring to mind?
Kira: There’s so many, but since I watched “Republic Keyaki” as a fan, I think being able to spray water at “KeyaFes (W-Keyaki Fes)” was a particularly memorable experience for me. And I never thought I’d be able to go to Paris with the group and perform there, so that made me happy too… Then receiving the long-awaited 2nd generation song “Konbinaato”—I couldn’t forget how happy both the members and fans were over it.
And to have me, a 2nd generation member who joined the group later, as the center probably had some people wonder, “Why Masumoto?” But I think of myself as someone who doesn’t become the face of the song, in a good way. If it was Morita (Hikaru)-san or Yamasaki (Ten)-san as the center, I think their faces would come to mind as soon as the song started playing. But since I don’t stand out like that, I think “Konbinaato” has become more associated with the 2nd generation in general. I’ve never thought of it as “my song” either, and it’s always been, “an important song for all the 2nd generation members”, to me.
Q It must be memorable to be able to perform such an important song at the National Stadium.
Kira: Yes, I was so happy that we were able to perform it at the National Stadium at such an important event, with the entire group instead of just the second generation members. I still vividly remember making eye contact with everyone as they moved to the center stage while I danced alone, and watching the 3rd and 4th generation members dance so happily. I don’t think I will ever forget about it.
Q This might be a silly question, but were you happy?
Kira: Yes, in the ~eight years of time ever since I applied for the Sakamichi Joint Audition, I have received a lifetime’s worth of love. Being told “Kira-chan, you are a one-of-a-kind idol, the only one in the world” I think has allowed me to establish my own unique image as an idol… So I don’t have any desires like “I want to go back to this point in time and do it again from there”. I was someone who had to stay after gym class because of dancing, but I was able to join a group with such an amazing dance performance– I struggled to learn the choreography, and I wasn’t as good at dancing as everyone else, but I think I did a pretty good job keeping up. But those are things that I wouldn’t have experienced if it wasn’t for Sakurazaka46, and above all, the members are all wonderful people… I was truly happy to have been able to meet them.
Q Then finally, could you please give a message to these members that you love and to those who will become members in the future?
Kira: The 2nd generation members don't really praise each other, but they respect one another, and I love the relationship we have where we can mess around like elementary school classmates when we are together. And I think that each and every one of them is a star, so I hope that everyone can have confidence in themselves and run through to the very end.
The 3rd generation members are strong individually, and the sense of unity that helps them become even more powerful when they are together is amazing, so I hope that they can move forward while continuing to cherish their genmates.
People often say that the 4th generation are similar to the 2nd generation, and I feel the same way. It has been two years since they joined, so they might still lack confidence… but the 2nd generation members only started gaining confidence and changing after becoming Sakurazaka46, so from now on I would like to watch over the growth of these nine from the outside.
And then, to the girls auditioning for Aobazaka46… Please don’t give up, and continue to strive and struggle. Just as Morita-san said, “the path of pride that blossomed through struggle [もがいて咲かせた誇り高き道, from Aobazaka46 promo]”, I am sure that you will grow to be strong as well. A flower that blooms after a desperate struggle is truly a resilient one. I myself feel that I have become incredibly strong in the eight years since my audition, and I am sincerely proud to have bloomed within the group that is Sakurazaka46.
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