We Still Subbing

  ※ The interview was conducted through e-mail correspondence Q First, could you please tell us what made you start supporting Sakurazaka46? Endo: Ever since they debuted as Keyakizaka46-san with “Silent Majority”, I’d already thought they had cool songs, and I’ve been following their songs since. At that time I’d just started getting into Nogizaka46 so I didn’t really understand much about idols yet. I started getting interested in Sakurazaka’s members as well from a little after the first 2nd generation members joined the group. I started watching “Keyaki tte, Kakenai? [now Soko Magattara, Sakurazaka?”” and “Hiragana Oshi [now Hinatazaka de Aimashou]” after “Nogizaka Kojichuu”. I’d like to apologise for any inconveniences I might cause with my answers, since I’m still new to things like this, but I’d like to answer your questions in my own way, so I’d appreciate it if you’d understand. Q Please tell us the Sakurazaka46 songs that left an impression on you. Endo: There’s so many s...

  Sincere, genuine, and positive—these were the qualities that emerged from Tamura Hono's words, highlighting that the group is currently in its best condition it has ever been. However, this is not their final stop. Rather, it is seen as just a milestone. Now, they are ready to go beyond full bloom. Q The other day, I was able to watch the 2nd of “4th ARENA TOUR 2024 Shin Sakurazensen - Go on back? -” performance in Kanagawa. It might just happen to be something that happened that day, but I had the impression that there were a lot of women in the audience. What do you feel from the stage? Hono: Right… I have always got the impression that there are a lot of women coming to our events, but I think that people around me have been mentioning it more often recently. Such as, “There sure is a lot of women in Sakurazaka46’s concert audience”. My parents also came to watch, and it seems that they saw the fans taking pictures together with the individual member flags in front of the venu...

The interview was conducted after the end of Sakurazaka46’s 3rd Anniversary Live, and right after Kobayashi Yui announced her graduation. The month of December. Kobayashi-san, who exudes a mature atmosphere, blended in with the streets of Ginza in no time. That was the picture at the beginning, taken on a street corner. First, I asked her about her impression of Ginza. “I have the impression that it’s quiet and calming. I feel that most people there are those who are working nearby rather than youngsters” she explains, but also adds that she’s not knowledgeable about Ginza. “There are so many stores here that I feel like exploring. I’ve never been inside a brand-name store before, so I’ll start from there (laughs)”, so she aspires. She sounded as if she would feel more satisfied with her first visit to a brand-name store than with anything she would purchase inside. She also mentions that she rarely eats outside. She used to go out with foodie ex-members Harada Aoi-san and Ozeki Rika-s...

Not only in their age, but Ishimori Rika and Murayama Miu from Sakurazaka46’s third generation also differ in their aura and personalities. Ishimori is the comforting type of idol with a reputation for her singing abilities. She is a reliable person who’s also good at cooking.  Murayama is highly regarded  for her dancing, and she has a unique side that you wouldn’t expect from her refined facial features and cool aura. Why were they chosen to be featured on the covers? Well… That’s because it has to be them. As revealed in the interview, the two were always supporting each other by each other's side, sometimes like sisters, sometimes like best friends. “Perhaps the fans still don’t know that we’re close to each other,” said them with a laugh. Surely, this interview is filled with stories that you have never known before. Their characteristics — We interviewed Nakashima Yuzuki-san and Mukai Itoha-san before, and well, the more we dug, the more interesting it became. Ishimori. ...