Twitter Tidbits: Country Girls on tour

22nd April Momochi-ism tour in Nagoya [x][x][x][x]

Yamaki: Mai-chan, Yanamin, you've become senior high students. How are you finding it?

Ozeki: I'm cute, right!

Momo: Well, it'll take some time if we go in that direction, so let's just put it aside for the time being...

Ozeki: As senior high students, we have new teachers as well. So at our first lessons with the new teachers, we have to introduce ourselves. Since I'm cute, I've get told that I'm cute dozens of times a day.

Momo: Hmm? Okay.

Ozeki: Like my friends tell me that I'm cute. But it'd be awkward to start off with a, 'Yeah, I know'. For me to suddenly come out to say it, the people around might wonder, 'What's up with this girl?'

Momo: I can relate to that, obviously (laughs)

Ozeki:  So I modestly tell the speaker that they're cute too. But humility just doesn't fit with me! I can't lie, can I? We started off with science classes, and we had to introduce ourselves with something that made us happy recently. So I was like 'I'm Ozeki Mai, and my cuteness makes me happy every day!'. The mood of the class was like, 'What's up with this kid?' But what I've learnt from Country Girls is that persistence through difficulty makes one stronger. Regardless of how down class' reaction made me feel!

Audience: Ohhhh~!

Ozeki: Next class was English. When I had to mention what I like, I went 'Hello, my name is Mai Ozeki, I like looking my face.' While the mood at the previous class was underwhelming, it was somehow well received at this class!

Momo: It went well!?

Ozeki: Our teacher was a native speaker, and even they were excited, going 'Oh, wonderful, beautiful'. My friends and teacher understood that that's the kind of person I am. And that's how I started my life as a senior high student.

🍑🍑🍑

22nd March Happy Dinner Time ~Momochi ni Sachi Are~ Dinner Show in Cotton Club [x][x]

Momo: I discussed the setlist with Yamaki Risa-chan. I wasn't sure if I should put in my favourite non-Hello! songs. And then she was like 'Momochi-senpai, what are you saying! The fans have come to watch their oshi have fun, as she enjoys singing the songs she likes!' I'm sure that she must have said that with Misshige-san in mind!

🍑🍑🍑

22nd April Momochi-ism tour in Nagoya  [x]

Yamaki: If I may say so myself, I think that we've grown compared to how we were in the past. And I've got a proper basis for making that statement. Do you remember the opening day of our second tour?

Morito: At the opening day of our second live tour, the first song was Kakumeichikku Kiss. We couldn't even get to our positions in time while the introductory song was playing. We completely missed the timing. We had to dash to get to our positions in Kakumeichikku Kiss. In a sense, it was legendary. It was just a week before when Momochi-senpai had to go on a break because of vocal cord polyps. Out of the blue, the four of us had to practise for the opening day, and we were nervous wrecks.

Momo: So it's because of my scheduling?

Yamaki: Momochi-senpai, without you, we were like mere children, completely clueless!

Momo: I was in the ward, worrying about you guys. Then I got a call. I was told, 'Momochi-senpai, it went perfectly!' That gave me some relief. Later that night, I got a video from the show. It only took 30 seconds of watching for me to see the first mistake.

Yamaki: On Hello! Sute, Hello! Project's YouTube programme, I hosted the show for my first time with Momochi-senpai. I was fully dressed up, putting in everything I had in my own way. To bring up my luck, I wore pink. And obviously, Momochi-senpai was also completely decked out in pink. As we were hosting, we were happily commenting about how we were both in pink. By the time I rewatched that Hello! Sute a couple of years later, I'd realised that I should make sure that my clothing doesn't overlap with the senpai.

Momo: I'm fine if that happens. But if it was some senpai who wasn't me, there might have been trouble. I won't name any names though.

[2ch] Momochi's female wota

Momochi's female wota

1 ：名無し募集中。。。＠＼(^o^)／：2017/02/09(木) 21:45:11.77 0.net

What a persistent gaze

12 ：名無し募集中。。。＠＼(^o^)／：2017/02/09(木) 21:55:32.85 0.net
>>1
Well… I'll forgive this

3 ：名無し募集中。。。＠＼(^o^)／：2017/02/09(木) 21:49:26.10 0.net
She always looks at her in the same way
It's already become a skill

5 ：名無し募集中。。。＠＼(^o^)／：2017/02/09(木) 21:50:35.55 0.net
What, there's even more? lol

6 ：名無し募集中。。。＠＼(^o^)／：2017/02/09(木) 21:50:54.68 0.net
Feels like she's plotting something in her imagination

7 ：名無し募集中。。。＠＼(^o^)／：2017/02/09(木) 21:51:51.63 0.net
Her gazes in the top-middle and bottom-right ones are extremely intense

8 ：名無し募集中。。。＠＼(^o^)／：2017/02/09(木) 21:52:24.89 0.net
This is an entertaining series

9 ：名無し募集中。。。＠＼(^o^)／：2017/02/09(木) 21:52:25.35 0.net
They've increased, huh?

11 ：名無し募集中。。。＠＼(^o^)／：2017/02/09(木) 21:55:20.57 0.net
She was looking at Momochi at the recent HinaFes lottery

13 ：名無し募集中。。。＠＼(^o^)／：2017/02/09(木) 21:58:39.46 0.net

Changed

14 ：名無し募集中。。。＠＼(^o^)／：2017/02/09(木) 22:02:24.35 0.net

I put in that weird drawing as well

27 ：名無し募集中。。。＠＼(^o^)／：2017/02/09(木) 22:13:00.21 0.net
This is a masterpiece lol

Tsugunaga Momoko Last Interview (Big One Girls No. 039)

This magazine will go on sale on the 30th of May. Exactly one month after that, it'll be 'Tsugunaga Momoko Last Live ♥ Arigatou Otomomochi♥'. How are you feeling right now?

It still hasn't hit me yet. I feel like I'll probably go on like this, not realising it even as it ends. I guess that it'll hit me as July comes along, having used up everything I've got on the 30th of June.

Have you finished planning out what's going to happen at your last live?

It's not yet set in stone. However, I'd would prefer to make it a cheerful last rather than a solemn one.

When did you set your heart on graduating?

When Country Girls was formed (in 2014), I joined in with them as their Playing Manager (PM). I made a public promise to grow together with the members for two to three years, until they were all able to stand on their own. And there's also the fact that the 30th of June marks exactly 15 years since I entered H!P. So I was resolute about carrying this out. But I can't pinpoint an exact time when it happened, if that's what you want to know.

I would think that it was a life changing decision though. 

That's true. I knew that my lifestyle would go through a complete change, but I also had no idea how things would pan out.

You had no worries about it?

I felt that somehow or the other, things would be all right. Having been an idol for 15 years, I've had a good education on how to be loved by people. Well, I've got a cute face, and I'm amiable, so honestly, wherever I go, I'll be invincible though. (laughs) So, won't I lead a happy life if I properly go through with my studies? Plus, I'm aware of my own strengths on top of that.

First of all, what was your reason behind choosing to go to the education department for university?

I've always really liked school in itself, and add to that my love of children, that's what made me want to go on to the educational department for university.

And as you studied at university, the feeling that you would like to go on the path of child education began to sprout?...

Well, actually, being tasked with the responsibility of being Country Girls' Playing Manager played a bigger role. It's not that I'd tell them something and they'd respond with even more than I gave them, but becoming Country Girls' PM led me to awaken to the joy of teaching and educating. And since I'd always had an interest in it from the start, I feel like I'd like to take up this challenge at this point in time.

Maruwakari Winter 2017: Tsugunaga Momoko

Normally, would one be an idol for 15 years!?

The universe's number one idol is eternal!

Q1. Please tell us about an incident involving ℃-ute members that left an impression on you.

I can't pick the best once since we've been together for about 15 years, but the time when we did three shows in one day at the Yokohama Arena was pretty memorable.

Q2. What's your favourite ℃-ute song?

'Momoiro Sparkling'. I treasure it as if it were my own song, so much that I change part of the lyrics when I sing it, to 'Yakedoshichaiso Momochichichi~♪' ♥

Q3. What do you think is amazing about ℃-ute?

Their dancing is intense and sexy ♥
I run out of breath doing just one of their songs, and my muscles will somehow be sore the next day.

Q4. Please place the members of ℃-ute into family roles (Father, Mother, Older Sister, Younger Sister, Pet).

Father → Maimi. In ℃-ute and H!P, she's unreliable but still gives proper support, so I'd like to convey my gratitude. Yo! Leader!!!!
Mother → Nacky. Since she's always supporting the clumsy leader.
Older sister → Airin. She occasionally acts like an adult when we're together in Buono!
Younger sister → MaiMai. Even now, in my mind, she's still the same first grader that I first met.
Pet (Dog) → Chisato. Since she's always yapping.

Q5. Please give a message to each of the ℃-ute members.

Thank you so very much for your roughly 15 years of hard work.
For me, you're like irreplaceable childhood friends.
Let's gather up as BeriKyuu at least once a year ☻
Please keep in touch with me as well, ok! (laughs)
Maimi, love you ♥ Nacky, love you ♥ Airin, love you ♥ Chisato, love you ♥ MaiMai, love you ♥

Q6. This year is the year of the 'Rooster'. So what specie of bird would you equate yourself to?

The resplendent quetzal. Since it's said to be the most beautiful bird in the world.

Q7. Please tell us who's a member whom you'd like to receive New Year's money from, and a member that you'd like to give New Year's money to.

If I'm going to get any, I'd like to get it from all of them!!!!
And I don't want to give anyone New Year's money!!!
'What's yours is Momochi's! What's Momochi's is Momochi's!!!!'

I'll throw my whole being into it!!

♥ Tsugunaga Momoko ♥

Voter comments for Momochi's 15th anniversary album

1. Gag 100kai bun Aishite Kudasai / Berryz Kobo
Recorded on the single 'Gag 100kai bun Aishite Kudasai'
Released 23 Nov 2005

♪ If it's Momochi, it's this song!

♪ I like how it feels like I'm being hit with a barrage of questions during her solo part at the last chorus.
Momo-chan sings it a bit differently now than she did back then. Which is great too.
I'm already like a granny, but even when I'm more of a granny than I am now, I'd like to remember this song, and properly put on my blusher, to show that I haven't forgotten it. I chose this song with that in mind.

2. Moshimo... / Hello! Project Mobekimasu
Recorded on the single 'Busu ni naranai Tetsugaku'
Released 16 Nov 2011

♪ The lyrics are jam-packed with a depiction of a girl who's a bit self-centered, but still loveable. It's a perfect fit for Momochi's cute voice. I love this song ♥

♪ I think this is a perfect song for Momoko, since the melody, the lyrics, the dance, they're all flooding over with cuteness.
I like how it's like 'Cuteness = Righteousness'.

3. Hatsukoi Cider / Buono!
Recorded on the single 'Hatsukoi Cider / Deep Mind'
Released 18 Jan 2012

♪ A legendary song that is used as a representative of the idol world!
It's a song that can get even non-Hello wota pumped up, and this song immediately creates a sense of familiarity. And above all, I love the people who sing the song, so there's no other choice but Hatsukoi Cider!!

♪ When I realised that the girl who sang this carefree, high-pitched song was the Momochi whom I saw on the variety circuit, I immediately felt this sense of affinity. Here was a girl, the same age as me, spinning this heart-throbbing melody and expressing the slight sadness of a first love. This song is what led me to like Momochi. It's a really important song to me.

4. Ganbacchae! / Morning Musume。 to Hello! Project Kids + Goto Maki
Recorded on the album 'Koinu Dan no Monogatari Original Soundtrack'
Released 14 Feb 2003

♪ Ganbacchae! is the Hello! Project song I have the deepest attachment to.
I've been a Hello! Project fan for about 20 years, but back then, Ganbacchae! was a song that featured tiny girls who were the same age as me singing with wide smiles on their faces. I really wanted to be like those girls!
They're all grown up now, but this is a song I love. For me, it's a song that brings me back to those days.
For Momo-chan's last. I definitely want to hear this song!

♪ It's the song that started everything, so I want to listen to it again. I want those who don't know about it to listen to it.
The words in 'Ganbacchae!' seems be directed to the Kids before their debut. But now, those words are like a cheer of support towards Momochi who'll be tackling a new path.

5. I Need You / Buono!
Recorded on the album 'Buono! 2'
Released 11 Feb 2009

♪ I like Momochi's first lines. And listening to it now that Momochi is graduating, the lyrics capture how the fans feel. 'Kimi ga inai Sekai ha ne / donna Sekai?' ('A world without you in it / How would that be like?') Just thinking about a world after Momochi's graduation forces me to hold back my tears.
However, 'Kimi ga dokoka ni iru dake de / Watashi nara Ganbatteikeru' ('Just knowing that you're somewhere / Drives me to do my best') and 'Itsumademo Daisuki / Kimi ga ite mo Kimi ga inakutemo / Omotteru' ('I'll love you forever / Whether you're around or aren't / I'll always think of you ')... I think that all the fans feel that way.

♪ Momochi sang this song solo at Buono! Live 2012 'R・E・A・L'
Just before entering the chorus, Momochi faced the audience and yelled out 'Come On!' into the microphone. At the moment, I remember feeling like time had stopped at the venue. Singing so clearly in a heartbreaking way from the A melody to the C melody, she had created a 'Momochi world'. And yet, all of the sudden, it felt like she was calling us into that world, inviting us fans to build to mood together with her, letting us join in with the fun of the concert, making us really fall in love with Momochi. We really fell in love with her. I'd always liked her to begin with, but at that moment, I fell in love with Momochi again.
So, I want this song, 'I Need You', to be included in the album that features the names 'Tsugunaga Momoko' and Momochi. I love Momochi, who's the cutest in the world!

Momochi interview (Hello! Project Station #224)

Tsugunaga Momoko will be graduating from Country Girls as well as Hello! Project on the 30th of June.

We held an interview with her to look back on her 15 years of life as an idol.

Tsugunaga Momoko x ZYX

[On 'ZYX', her first unit after joining the Hello! Project Kids]

The members of ZYX were picked out from the older members of the Hello! Project Kids.
Well, while I was older, I was completely inexperienced in both dancing and singing.
I was completely left behind.
I worked hard at the practices, but I couldn't get to the required level.
So that spurred me on to work even harder.
More than anything, I got to work with Yaguchi Mari-san.
That was when I knew how great our senpai were.
Time has run its course, and several years have passed since then.
Now the roles are reversed - In Country Girls, I'm now in the position that Yaguchi Mari-san was in back then.
With the passage of time, I realise that she must have had a lot of deep thoughts about it.
I'm truly grateful to Yaguchi Mari-san, the senpai who taught me so much things back then.

Tsugunaga Momoko x Buono!

[Being picked as a member of Buono!]

I got called to the lesson studio and was told that Suzuki Airi-chan and Natsuyaki Miyabi-chan and I would be put in a group...
Well, both Airi and Miya are well known for their singing.
So I was like, 'Why me?'
But since we were told at the same time that it would be an anime tie-up, given my naturally high-pitched voice, I thought that I had been picked for my anime voice.
But when things unfolded, we were singing nothing but these hard rock songs...
I really... was concerned if I could sing them well.
But that made me like singing even more.
And a lot of Buono! songs made people like my singing as well.
So it's really... hmm, hmm... Huge to me.

Sweet Inspiration: A time when I slipped up (Tsugunaga Momoko, ℃-ute, Kobushi Factory) - Big One Girls No. 039

Question: Tell us of an unforgettable story where you slipped up!!

Inoue Rei
I woke up after napping on the sofa at home, and made it just in time for work. In my rush, I'd brought my luggage up two floors. My legs were worn out, you could hear the joints creak. After I was done with work, I went to the hospital. Turns out that I'd pulled a muscle. If only I had prepared properly.

Okai Chisato
This was at the New Year's Hello! Project concert two years ago. At the time, we had two different setlists. I was in the dressing room when a ℃-ute song, 'Love Take It All', started playing. I was dumbstruck, and then the singing started!!......
It turned out that we were doing the other setlist on that day. I only turned up when my singing lines started. Being in my 13th year at that point in time, I got a really good scolding, I'm really remorseful about it......

Ogawa Rena
In primary school, I was playing around with a shopping cart. I was too forceful, and the shopping cart ended up flipping over, with my head hitting the ground. I was bleeding and got carried off to the hospital. But it didn't hurt, perhaps because I was so shocked. Reflecting on it, I told myself that I shouldn't mess around with shopping carts. (laughs)

Suzuki Airi
When I was two or three, I went to watch my father at a golf game. The are fences at the golf course, right? I'd put my head through the fence, and couldn't pull it out! So I yelled out to my father in the middle of his match, crying out 'Papa, I can't get out!!' (laughs) Even back then, I was such a rascal,

Tasaki Asahi
During parent's day in my second year of primary school, the teacher asked us to raise our hands if we could answer a question. But not everyone raises their hands, right? I didn't know the answer, so I didn't raise my hand. But then the teacher said that it was fine to raise our hands even if we didn't know the answer. So I did raise my hand. Then I got picked. When I admitted that I didn't know the answer, I got laughed at...... I regret not having studied more. That's a story of when I slipped up.

Nakajima Saki
Before ℃-ute had even made our debut, we used to go around with Abe Natsumi-san on her concerts. We did skits at those concerts. I had completely forgotten one of my lines, so I left the stage in a rush and got a staff member to tell me my line. I said my lines without giving any thought to them, which is something I'll never forget. (laughs) It's something that I could do because I was still a kid. Did I cry on-stage? It's a memory that I really regret.

Tsugunaga Momoko
I don't fail. If pushed to say, I fail at failing. (laughs) Something's a failure only if you think of it as a failure. For example, I've honestly made mistakes while dancing at concerts. However, I try to make it not look like a slip-up. This technique is impressive: 'I didn't get it wrong, it was just that everyone else made a mistake'. (bursts in laughter) Do it decisively, with a confident face. In that sense, I don't fail. This question may be getting answered by all sorts of idols, but as a senpai in the idol world, I'd like to say one thing: Nothing's wrong with failing, but don't have regrets. Momochi-senpai would like to highlight this. That's how I'd like you to lead your lives.

Hagiwara Mai
When and we were performing 'Ganbacchae!' at a concert during our days as the Hello! Project Kids, my leg got caught on (Okai) Chisato's leg or something, which made me slip and fall. I bumped my head, and it felt like I got a concussion, I could actually see some chicks floating around. If I had fallen at school, then there'd be someone to help me. But at the time, I couldn't stand by myself.... Being in first grade, it was a huge thing to me to learn that I couldn't live by myself. (laughs)

Hasegawa Moemi
When I went to a theme park with family, there was an octopus (a ride shaped like an octopus, whose tentacles go up and down). But the moment I saw it, I thought that it was a monster and ran away. (laughs) I strayed away from my family and went missing for about two hours. My two brothers went on that ride, while I ran away... My father and mother probably had it tough.

Hirose Ayaka
I was asked by my mother to stir-fry some onions, so I cut them up and fried them. I had it going on a low flame, but I let my eyes stray for just a moment, and it ended up getting completely burnt. (laughs) I have to really sharpen up my cooking skills.

Yajima Maimi
I wet myself in my sleep when we were on the plane when I was going overseas with my family. (laughs) I was three, but I can still really remember the details of that incident. I cried a lot. There are photos from back then. My mother had her coat buttoned up, and it looked like she was wearing a dress. The cabin attendant was in a panic as well. I remember the seat being covered with a transparent sheet, and sitting on top of that.

Country Girls feat. Maimi Yajima (℃-ute) Original Photo Book (UTB+ vol 36 Mar 2017)

Yanagawa Nanami

I'd like to go to the gym and build up my muscles

My lifestyle took a huge turn once I joined Country Girls. Up until then, going to school was my routine. But with the addition of work, I got to go all around the country for events, I got to eat all sorts of things for the first time, I got to feast my eyes on many sights, it's all added to myself. And hiking up Mount Fuji undoubtedly left a huge impression on me. As hard as it was to deal with such a huge goal, it left me with a great sense of achievement. Last year, I got to play the sax in 'Namida no Request' and appear on Pokemon shows. This year, I'd like to leverage even more of my interests and skills in my work. I'd like to go to the gym and build up my muscles so that it'll have a good influence on my performances. When I'd first joined, I was immediately paired with Momochi-senpai for the filming of the MV for 'Boogie Woogie Love'. It made me happy when she asked me 'Are you having fun, being in Country?' As she was giving me her attention, I felt comfortable talking to Momochi-senpai. I get so nervous with Yajima-san that I haven't really talked with her. She's awe-inspiring, she's a beauty, she exudes this brilliant aura. I'd like to become like her. There's still the 'HinaFes' in March, so I hope to talk with her a little there.

Funaki Musubu

I'll work hard at my studies even after Momochi-senpai has graduated!

Last year, I got closer to the members, and have been going out increasingly more with them during our private time. I met up with Ozeki-san at eight in the morning to go and watch a horror movie. That was fun, the two of us watched it through the gaps in our fingers. (laughs) I think I've improved at talking on-stage. At first, even coming up with a topic was already hard enough, but I've gotten more and more used to it. Now I'm able to talk in detail about trivial things. I enjoy doing the talk segments while letting my inner self show. And I'll be taking exams this year, so even after Momochi-senpai graduates, I'll like to keep firm and properly study. When I was doing my first recording after having joined, I was a nervous wreck. But Momochi-senpai wished me luck. At the time, I couldn't believe that she had talked to me, I was so happy. What I remember about Yajima-san is when ℃-ute-san did a Christmas event. In that event, they discussed a survey filled by the Kenshuusei. After mulling over how to answer the question, 'What is scary about ℃-ute?', I wrote and sent in 'Yajima-san's smile is so beautiful that it's scary'. And it wasn't taken in a positive light. I got found out since I put my name down as FM-san. (laughs) I'd like to tell her that it was a misunderstanding. I meant it in the best of ways!

Momochi no Kimochi: Afterword

Thank you very much for enthusiastically reading until the very end.

Didn’t you come to like Momochi even more by reading this book?

At the very least, I came to like myself even more ♥

I hope that as many people as possible enjoy it.

More from this book

Tsugunaga Momoko Photo Essay "Momochi no Kimochi"

Momoko Tsugunaga

Momochi no Kimochi: Tears (Essay #22/22)

I got to go to a primary school for a month to do practical teacher training as part of my university studies. I’m an idol 24 hours a day, and my aura of cuteness shines bright around the clock. But since I’d be at school, I’d have to work hard to conceal that aura. At any rate, the nickname ‘Momochi’ and the Momochi Musubi were no-nos. As a result, my students didn’t seem to have noticed, and my teaching practice went by without a hitch. Of course it was better that way, but to me, it felt a bit sad, like a piece of myself had been taken away from me……

In that state of mind, I approached my final day. My students had never called me anything but ‘Tsugunaga-sensei’. But after I had said my farewells, with a ‘one two’, they said ‘We love Momochi~!’ I hadn’t expected this surprised, so I was caught off-guard. No matter when I dealt with my students, I’d tried not to let that part of me show. I’m known to be an iron-hearted woman, who would hardly, if ever, show my tears in front of people. And yet, I was crying buckets…… Like something out of a drama, it was a beautiful story, a beautiful scene, and they were also beautiful tears. The smiles on the faces of my students were of course so wonderful that it was almost blinding.

You know. Because of that, how do I put this…… Thinking about it now, there was a camera when it happened! Since it was really a truly lovely scene! Perhaps if we had given it another try, I would have properly looked at the camera, and cried nicely. I’m confident that I could pull it off! But I definitely would like to be in the Momochi Musubi if we did that ♪

More from this book

Tsugunaga Momoko Photo Essay "Momochi no Kimochi"

Momoko Tsugunaga

Country Girls (CD Journal Feb 2017)

Tsugunaga-san, this might be the last time you'll be appearing in this magazine.

Yanagawa: Huh~

Tsugunaga: Oh my! So, about that front cover......

Everyone: Ahahaha!

And with that, I think it would be nice if things moved along as usual.

♥♥♥

So when you go out for meals, it's normally Tsugunaga-san who extends the invitation? Is it difficult to ask her out without some sort of underlying reason?

Yamaki: Actually, there isn't a problem with inviting her out without any reasons. But I find it difficult. I can't just ask a great-senpai out for a meal without a reason. The other day, the two of us went for mushroom nabe. I felt like having some, but it turned out that the others weren't big fans of mushrooms when I asked them. I didn't want to drag along people who weren't really fond of mushrooms, so I asked Momochi-senpai whether she'd like to have mushroom nabe. She was okay with that, and she was fine with me asking her out. I was actually really shocked by the fact that there weren't any problems with me asking her out for a meal on a private basis. And though we happily headed to the store, (looks at Tsugunaga) she turned peevish.

Tsugunaga: I was really happy that Risa-chan extended an invitation to me. It's not uncommon for me to have a meal with the kouhai, but the invitation would generally come from me. That was the first time that Risa-chan had asked me out, so I was on cloud nine as we headed to the store, with a spring to my step. I was even having fun picking things out from the menu. But then I got embarrassed at how excited I was. Could it be that perhaps Risa-chan had something to discuss with me? Now that my graduation's set in stone, she'll become the oldest in the group, so I wondered if there was some sort of problem concerning the group.

Like she may have wanted to ask you something.

Tsugunaga: That's right. I was wondering if there was something she wanted to bring up. To find out if she wanted to talk with about something, I asked her why she'd invited me out. And so it turned out that it was because none of the other members liked mushrooms that much. I was like 'Huh?' (laughs) I'd been chosen via the process of elimination. And what's more, she added that nabe isn't something she could order without at least 2 people.

Yamaki: I couldn't go alone. (laughs)

Tsugunaga: Isn't that horrible!

I'd have thought that Tsugunaga-san would have been the first person to ask. (laughs)

Yamaki: And that's where we differ. I didn't think that it would be all right to ask Momochi-senpai out without a reason. If I'd told her that I just invited her for some vague reason or the other, it'd be awkward.

Tsugunaga: You could've just said that you wanted to have a meal with me.

All: That's right!

Tsugunaga: You just happened to want mushroom nabe, and I happened to be the only person who was convenient, right?

Yamaki: ...Well, that's true, you happened to fit the bill. That is a fact. (laughs) The big takeaway I got from this huge incident was that it's fine to invite Momochi-senpai out just because I want to have a meal with her. So I'd like to ask her out for more meals until her graduation.

Momochi no Kimochi: The statement that changed my fate (Essay #21/22)

I’m now known as ‘Momochi’ all over Japan, or should I say, throughout the world (!?), but it was given to me by my fellow group member Sugaya Risako-chan about four or five years ago. She probably turned ‘Momo-chan’ to ‘Momochi’, but it was cute and rolled off the tongue, so I thought that it was a good nickname.

It was about two years later when I decided that I’d fare better with a nickname, that I’d be Momochi from then on. In order to spread the word, I started by changing my signature. But I would require permission from my manager in order to change my signature. And what’s more, given that my nickname had yet to make its mark at the time, would they really allow me to change from my name ‘Momoko’ to ‘Momochi’? There weren't any senpai that could act as a precedent, so perhaps they might be really against it…… With my head all in a mess, I discussed it with my manager-san. I showed my manager my new signature, asking whether it would be all right for me to change my signature like that. And my manager uttered the following statement:

‘Ah, that’s great, it’s much quicker to write.’

…...T, that’s it~~!? What was the point of me getting so worked up about? Give me back that sense of panic I had wastefully used up!! But I was lucky that I got to change it without too much fuss ♪ And as you all know, the nickname ‘Momochi; has spread throughout Japan ♥♥♥ And that’s thanks to the lightly-made statement by that manager-san ♥

More from this book

Tsugunaga Momoko Photo Essay "Momochi no Kimochi"

Momoko Tsugunaga

Momochi no Kimochi: Dreams (Essay #20/22)

Momochi is versatile (?), but I have a skill that impresses even myself.

I am able to control what happens in my dreams.

For example, if I'm being chased after baddies, I'll wish for a policeman to come, and one will come. If I want to get down from a high spot, I'll wish for a trampoline to cushion my landing, and a trampoline will appear. So no matter how bad of a dream I'm having, everything settles well in the end. Isn't that amazing? But apparently anyone can do it with enough practice.

And yet, before concerts, I'll definitely have a dream where I lose my teeth. The situation's the same: At a performance set at an outdoor stage, we'll be called out to perform, and my teeth will pop out. I'll be perplexed: 'What do I do? I've got no front teeth!' And it always ends there.

It's only in that dream where things end before I can take control.

I've always been having that dream. It's already been about 10 years since I first started experiencing it.

More from this book

Tsugunaga Momoko Photo Essay "Momochi no Kimochi"

Momoko Tsugunaga

Momochi no Kimochi: Cosplay (Essay #18/22)

Keep this between us: I'm so good in cosplay that it's almost scary. It doesn't just stop at maid uniforms, I'm cute as a nurse or even as Red Riding Hood! I looked unexpectedly good when I dressed up as a policewoman, and I had a photo of that as my lock screen at one point in time. Going with the flow, I've even dressed up as a cockroach. You might not think that dressing as a cockroach would be appropriate for an idol, and yet I was still adorable. Rustling my way through.

Unfortunately, wigs are the only things that don't suit me. When I wore a blue wig to cosplay as Ayanami Rei-chan, I got quite a lot of booing from the Eva fans. Honestly, it was even less well received that the cockroach. (laughs)

More from this book

Tsugunaga Momoko Photo Essay "Momochi no Kimochi"

Momoko Tsugunaga

Momochi no Kimochi: Luxuries (Essay #19/22)

I've got zero attachment to shopping.
Brands, cosmetics, I've got no interest.
Hairdressers, nails, those are out of my area of knowledge.

I don't really use my money,
so recently I've been called the 'thrifty idol',
But what does that do to my image??

To me, luxury would be 'Finishing a whole package of bubblegum, all 12 gums, in one go'.
Normally you'd eat them separately, so to have them in one go, isn't that quite the luxury?
What's more, the gum doesn't get swallowed,
and gets discarded instead.
That also adds to the luxuriousness, doesn't it!?

More from this book

Tsugunaga Momoko Photo Essay "Momochi no Kimochi"

Momoko Tsugunaga

Momochi no Kimochi - 22 idol guidelines in the style of Momochi

I: One should treasure the things that don't change.
Idols provide people with dreams, so it's really important to have something that remains constant. While looks will change with age, it's important that you put in some effort and have some tricks up your sleeve so that you don't show how you've aged. In that sense, I really admire and respect Matsuda Seiko-san, who doesn't seem to have changed even despite growing older.

II: One should remain firm to their own style
Establish your own style, something that you'll keep on doing no matter what. My pinky that's always standing at attention, my nickname Momochi - these are things that I persisted with despite facing resistance. At some point, people stopped mentioning anything about them, and they've now become my trademarks. Whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger!

III: One should think positively
At first, I used to have a 'heart of glass'. It's better to do something and fail rather than to fail without having done anything at all. Even if you fail, that's that, then move on to the next thing.

IV: One should learn how to forget
While I occasionally fail at auditions for shows, it's common for me to naturally forget about it. The other day, a producer apologised to me for not being able to cast me in a prior show, but I had already forgotten about that rejection in a heartbeat. Forgetfulness is also useful is refreshing your emotions as you head on to try the next thing.

V: One should sing even if they are on a basket
People often say that they made their start using a box as their performance stage. But when I was small, I flipped over a red laundry basket and used that as a stage. It might have been less steady than a box, but that was how strongly I admired idols. It showed how much grit I had. The power of chasing one's dreams is majestic, isn't it!?

VI: One should take up opportunities with everything they've got
There are lots of people who came to learn about Momochi through 'MechaIke'. At the time, I faced it full of spirit, and thought of it as a turning point for my life. I only thought about putting myself forward. In the past, Tsunku♂-san would always scold me, telling me that the senpai-kouhai relationship doesn't matter when on-stage. Victory goes to whoever stands out. I think that things turned out nicely. It resulted in a lot of people getting to know me, so I'm grateful to Tsunku♂-san ♥

VII: One should also accept the haters
When you've appeared on various programmes, there'll be more people who like you. But it doesn't just end there: there'll definitely also be a rise in the number of haters. Yet, it also provides opportunities to change that 'dislike' into 'like' someday. The scariest thing is actually when people are 'indifferent'. So on the contrary, I'm grateful for the haters. If you take their words as advice, you'll be able to accept and understand them.

VIII: Firstly, one should love oneself
As a basis, you should only watch idol DVDs which you appear in. Even on concert DVDs where all the Hello! Project members appear, I watch the other groups at 5x speed. If I see a flash of myself sitting in the bleachers, I go back, and once that's done with, I speed things back up. (laughs) To everyone in the other groups, yurushite-nyan ♥ While it's obviously fun to watch yourself, if you check yourself out with such zeal, you'll learn and discover all sorts of things about yourself, so don't make light of it.

Momochi no Kimochi: Nervousness (Essay #17/22)

Recently, I haven't been nervous at all during concerts. It's like I've almost forgotten how it's like to be nervous.

Before, I used to fret about making mistakes, but nowadays, I'm fine even if there are 5000 people in the audience.

And yet, I get nervous when I have to talk in front of about 30 people.

In the past, I used to be bad at reading aloud in classes, so bad that I'd even read out '.' as 'full stop'.
Or my palms would get sweaty as I waited for my turn to arrive.

Even now, when I have to make presentations in front of ten people at university seminars, just standing in front of people makes my heart pound, my face red. I feel running away while screaming 'Please don't look at me!'

At those times, I'd cheerfully start with a 'Right, let's get this talk started♪' This makes me feel like I'm pretty much at a concert, which steadies myself a little. I bear these words in my heart: 'This isn't a classroom. This is Nakano Sunplaza!'

More from this book

Tsugunaga Momoko Photo Essay "Momochi no Kimochi"

Momoko Tsugunaga

Momochi no Kimochi: The illusory flavour (Essay #16/22)

When I was in primary school, the dish I liked the most at the lunch service would be the miso soup.

The taste of miso is extremely to my liking.

It's the best match for my palate. 

The was another kid in my class who also liked miso soup, and that kid would often slip out in the ruckus before we said grace to quickly top-up their miso soup. 

With its mild taste and condiments such as radishes immersed in it, that miso soup was really delicious. 

The other day, I just happened to get the opportunity to savour the miso soup from the primary school that I attended, but unfortunately, the taste had changed a little. 

At this point in time, that miso soup has become an illusory memory. 

From the bottom of my heart, I really regret that I never asked what sort of miso they used. 

However, if I you were to ask me what I'd like for my last meal, without hesitation, I'd pick yakiniku ♥

More from this book

Tsugunaga Momoko Photo Essay "Momochi no Kimochi"

Momoko Tsugunaga

1001 Nights - The 42nd Night: 100 questions to Tsugunaga Momoko (Part 2)

On the 31st of March 2017, at long last, we finally have ‘Momochi’ Tsugunaga Momoko holding her first and likely only talk event in this 42nd instalment of the 1001 Nights series of Hello! Shop talk events. With this show, all the Berryz members have appeared at this series of events, though Momo's by herself - all the other members appeared in pairs.

Usual disclaimer that these are based on tweeted fan reports and thus should be taken to be an interpretation of the event rather than comprehensive coverage. Momochi herself answered at a rapid pace, taking a total of answering 47 minutes per part to answer 50 questions.

Theme for this event was ‘Tsugunaga Momoko’. The event was split into two parts, where Momochi would answer 50 questions from the fans during each part, for a total of 100 questions. Twitter hashtag for the event was  #ももち (#Momochi). This post covers the second part - see the first part here.

(Second part of the event starts!)

Everyone in Osaka, maido. (Another Kansai-ben version of 'thank you')

We already know how this goes, so on to the questions.

Wota: Eh~

So when? What’s normally done during the opening?

Wota: *mumble mumble*

You can’t answer, can you? It's because you only come to Momochi’s events, right~😒

Q51. Honestly, what do you think about marriage proposals at handshake events?

I think that people who do so are very fortunate people. It's completely fine.

Handshakes are a special privilege to those who have purchased our CDs. So it's fine to do anything with the time that you've acquired, as long as it's within the bounds of morality.

I don't know what I myself will think about it though.

Q52. Of incoming and outgoing H!P members, if you pick your future children?

I’m sorry, is there a problem with my reading comprehension?

I don’t understand this, I can’t figure out your Japanese.

Is my reading ability the problem? No, your Japanese is the problem!

Q53. If you could go back to the past and redo something in your idol life, when would you choose?

I'm always content, but at the first GekiHaro, I wore an Edo-era wig. I really hated that wig. That was the only thing I hated about that play.

And yet, in the posters and pamphlets, my hair was done in a half-up, not much different from what I've got going at the moment. So it would have been fine if I had appeared like that at the real performance…

If I did the hairstyle I had in the pamphlet, it would have been the best GekiHaro.

That's what I’d like to tell myself when I go back.