Sakurazaka46

Keyakizaka46 promoting "Ambivalent" (2018)

Keyakizaka46 (欅坂46) is a Japanese idol group produced by Akimoto Yasushi signed to Sony Music Entertainment. They are a sister group to Nogizaka46.

Members

	Kanji (1st) (Aug 2018)
	Kanji (2nd) (Dec 2018)
Hiragana (1st) (Jun 2018)	Hiragana (2nd) (Jun 2018)
	Hiragana (3rd) (Dec 2018)

Names in italics denote that the member has announced their graduation. Names in bold denote captain.

Kanji Keyakizaka46

1st Generation

Ishimori Nijika Uemura Rina Ozeki Rika Oda Nana Koike Minami Kobayashi Yui

Sato Shiori Saito Fuyuka Sugai Yuuka Suzumoto Miyu Nagasawa Nanako Nagahama Neru

Habu Mizuho Harada Aoi Hirate Yurina Moriya Akane Watanabe Rika Watanabe Risa

2nd Generation

Inoue Rina Seki Yumiko Takemoto Yui Tamura Hono Fujiyoshi Karin Matsuda Rina

Matsudaira Riko Morita Hikaru Yamasaki Ten

Hiragana Keyakizaka46

1st Generation

Iguchi Mao Ushio Sarina Kakizaki Memi Kageyama Yuuka Kato Shiho Saito Kyoko

Sasaki Kumi Sasaki Mirei Takase Mana Takamoto Ayaka Higashimura Mei

2nd Generation

Kanemura Miku Kawata Hina Kosaka Nao Tomita Suzuka Nibu Akari

Hamagishi Hiyori Matsuda Konoka Miyata Manamo Watanabe Miho

3rd Generation

• Kamimura Hinano

Former Members

• Suzuki Mizuho (Left September 17, 2015)
• Harada Mayu (Dismissed November 11, 2015)
• Imaizumi Yui (Graduated November 4, 2018)
• Shida Manaka (Graduated November 16, 2018)
• Yonetani Nanami (Graduated December 22, 2018)

Information

Keyakizaka46 (1st gen) (2015)

2015: Formation

Known initially as Toriizaka46 (鳥居坂46), an idea for a new sister group to Nogizaka46 was first introduced to the public during Nogizaka's 3rd Year Birthday Live at Seibu Dome. The group was to be second in the "Sakamichi" (or slopes) series. Sony started accepting applications for potential members on June 28, 2015. Finals auditions were held on August 21st, when 22 girls were confirmed to have passed. Their identities were revealed during a press conference on the same day, where it was also announced that the group would change its name to Keyakizaka46. On October 4th, the group debuted its first regular television programming Keyakitte, Kakenai? on TV Tokyo's Sunday night line-up. In mid-November, they also appeared in their first live event in front of fans at Zepp DiverCity. At the end-of-year FNS Kayousai program, they performed live on television for the first time alongside AKB48 and sister group Nogizaka46 in the song "Seifuku no Mannequin", of which Hirate Yurina was chosen as center.

2015-16: Hiragana Keyaki and Single Debut

Hiragana Keyakizaka46 (1st gen) (2016)

During the last airing of Keyakitte, Kakenai? in November, the show introduced a new member Nagahama Neru, who was one of the finalists from the initial audition, but was unable to participate in the final selection. The show also announced the formation of Hiragana Keyaki (ひらがなけやき), a secondary group to the main Kanji Keyaki line-up, of which Nagahama was to hold a concurrent position in. In April 2016, the group released their first single "Silent Majority", which managed to chart at #1 on the Oricon and sell over 260,000 copies in its first week, a best for any female artist debut in Japan and a record that was previously held by HKT48. On May, 11 members were announced to have passed the Hiragana Keyaki audition. The following July, Keyakizaka's first feature drama Tokuyama Daigoro wo Dare ga Koroshita ka? aired on TV Tokyo. Its theme song "Sekai ni wa Ai Shika Nai" was released on August 10th as the group's second single. At the end of October, Hiragana Keyaki held their first standalone event "Hiragana Omotenashikai" at the Akasaka BLITZ, with entry costing just 500 yen. On November 24, Keyakizaka46 was announced as a participant at the 67th NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen, less than a year shy of their music debut. They also held their first concert at the Ariake Coliseum on Christmas Eve and Christmas night.

2017

At the handshake event for their third single "Futari Saison", Sugai Yuuka was announced to be captain and Moriya Akane the sub-captain. At the Japan Gold Disk award, the group received the New Artist of the Year award in the domestic category from the RIAJ in February. On March 21 and 22, Hiragana Keyaki held their first concert at Zepp Tokyo separate from the main group, and announced a Zepp tour. In early April, they released their fourth single "Fukyouwaon" and held a concert at the Yoygoi National Gynasium in commemoration of their first anniversary, where they performed their entire to-date discography of 26 songs. At this event, Keyakizaka also announced auditions for the second generation of Hiragana Keyaki to be held over the summer. In June, management announced the start of the group's official fanclub. Through this service which requires a monthly fee of 423 yen, fans would be able to access limited content such as offshot photos of the members and have the opportunity to enter the lottery for event tickets before the general public. In July, Keyakizaka46 released their first full-length album Masshirona Mono wa Yogoshitaku Naru, placing first on the weekly Oricon chart, beating Nogizaka46's first week record for their respective debut album. In the same month, both the Kanji and Hiragana groups held their first annual Keyaki Kyouwakoku concert for two days at Fuji-Q Highland Conifer Forest. On August 13, nine girls out of 15,000 applicants were revealed to have been selected for the final lineup in the second generation Keyaki audition.

Discography

Albums

• [2017.07.19] Masshirona Mono wa Yogoshitaku Naru (真っ白なものは汚したくなる)

Other Albums

• [2018.06.20] Hashiridasu Shunkan (走り出す瞬間) (Hiragana Keyaki)

Singles

• [2016.04.06] Silent Majority (サイレントマジョリティー)
• [2016.08.10] Sekai ni wa Ai Shika Nai (世界には愛しかない; There Is Only Love in the World)
• [2016.11.30] Futari Saison (二人セゾン; Our Season)
• [2017.04.05] Fukyouwaon (不協和音; Discord)
• [2017.10.25] Kaze ni Fukaretemo (風に吹かれても; Even If the Wind Blows)
• [2018.03.07] Glass wo Ware! (ガラスを割れ!; Smash the Glass!)
• [2018.08.15] Ambivalent (アンビバレント)

Video Releases

• [2018.09.26] Keyaki Kyouwakoku 2017 (欅共和国2017)

Publications

Photobooks

• [2018.11.21] 21ri no Mikansei (21人の未完成)

See Also

• Nogizaka46

External Links

• Official Website