My Interview With Harajuku LAND

 

Harajuku LAND photo copyright SPIRAL MUSIC 2026.  Used with permission.

I have been a fan of Japanese idols since 2009.  One of the things I have always wanted to do is interview my favorite groups and soloists.  I realized too late in June 2014 when I attended Idol Matsuri in Silverdale, Washington that I could’ve interviewed Aither had I asked.  Since then, I have fantasized about interviewing many other groups.  Since I don’t speak Japanese and I didn’t know anyone who did who could help me contact the idol companies that created the groups I listen to I felt that interviewing idols would never happen.  Well, I recently used an AI program named Copilot that I have on my Windows computer to contact SPIRAL MUSIC in Tokyo.  I told them that I’d like to interview two of their groups, Harajuku LAND and Jankenpon.  I wasn’t sure that I’d get permission to interview the groups since I wasn’t positive of how effective Copilot was.  It turned out to be effective enough that I have now successfully translated my wishes to interview both groups!  Below is the first of the interviews, this one with Harajuku LAND.  The translation I got from Copilot included some name misspellings and rephrasing of my original questions.  I had to correct the names, change the questions back to the way I wanted them and make some minor edits here and there.  I have done my best to preserve the natural language of the interview participants and their personalities.  I hope the interview is understandable to all as well as entertaining.   

Please introduce yourself and, if you want, tell me your age. 

Aoyama Nanako (red costume): I’m Aoyama Nanako, a 16-year-old first-year high school student!

Sato Momo (pink costume): I’m Sato Momo, a 15-year-old first-year high school student!

Amahisa Mao (white costume): This is Amahisa Mao.

Kato Rea (light blue costume): Hello!  I’m Kato Rea, a 14-year-old third-year middle school student!

Kurumi Moa (yellow costume): I’m Moa Kurumi, a 15-year-old first-year high school student!

Akimoto Hinata (green costume): I’m Akimoto Hinata, a 13-year-old first-year middle school student!

Who is the leader, and what does your role as leader involve?

Nanako: I am!  I help bring all the members of Harajuku LAND together and keep the group organized.

Momo: Nanako.  She watches over the members carefully and does a great job bringing everyone’s opinions together.

What inspired you to become an idol?

Nanako: When I was scouted, I wanted to challenge myself with something new.  I was nervous because idols are all so cute and sparkly, and I felt like I couldn’t be like that.  But I wanted to become someone who could make others smile, so I decided to start.

Momo: I was scouted and decided to give it a try.

Mao: At first, I actually admired fashion models.  But after receiving a Spiral Music business card on Takeshita Street, I started wanting to become an idol.  I remember seeing idols and thinking how sparkly and cool they looked.

Rea: I was scouted on Takeshita Street in Harajuku, and that’s what made me want to become an idol.

Moa: Ever since I was little, I watched lots of idol shows and anime about cute girls, so I always knew my dream was to become an idol.

Hinata: When I was scouted, I thought I’d like to try it.  I couldn’t really imagine what it would be like to become an idol, so I was a little nervous.  But I wanted to become someone who could make people smile.

Please tell me about your first audition. 

Nanako: I was so nervous that I couldn’t answer the questions very well.  It ended quickly, and I remember not being able to say everything I wanted to say.

Momo: I was extremely nervous. I sang a song, and my heart was pounding the whole time.

Mao: I practiced my self-introduction and self-promotion a lot at home.  I was very nervous during the audition, but once it started, I had a lot of fun.

Rea: I actually didn’t really audition!

Moa: I was very nervous and so shy that I couldn’t even look the interviewer in the eyes.

Hinata: I was extremely nervous.  I’ve always been shy and not very good at talking, so I barely spoke before it was over.  During the singing portion, I was so nervous that I could hardly sing.

Did you have any experience singing or dancing prior to this?  

Nanako: I’ve been doing hip-hop dance since I was three years old!

Momo: No.

Mao: I had experience with several styles of dance since around third grade.  However, I had no singing experience at all.

Rea: I had never done singing or dancing before.

Moa: None at all!!! 

Hinata: I didn’t sing before, but I took K-pop dance lessons.

What does being an idol mean to you?

Nanako: It means being someone who can bring smiles and energy to many people.

Momo: I want to make people all over the world smile.

Mao: It’s important to me that lots of people get to know “Maorin”.  Through social media, hairstyles, and fashion, I try to express my individuality.  I want people to think, “I like her because she’s Maorin!”

Rea: It’s an important life experience for me and a valuable way to bring happiness and energy to others.

Moa: It means being someone who can add a little happiness and energy to someone’s everyday life.

Hinata: It means becoming someone who can bring smiles and become a source of joy in people’s everyday lives.

Can you tell me about a special memory of performing on stage?    

Nanako: My birthday event!  Everyone got excited and celebrated with me. It’s a truly precious memory.

Mao: My first time performing on stage.  I was so nervous that my self-introduction sounded awkward, and I struggled with dancing and positioning.  Looking back, it’s a little embarrassing, but it’s a precious memory because it's where my idol journey began.

Rea: The first time I saw penlights in my own member color!  I had so much fun throughout the entire concert.

Moa: At an outdoor show, I got a nosebleed and didn’t even notice it, so I kept performing the whole time!  (lol)

Hinata: Having so many people celebrate my birthday event.  After becoming an idol, being celebrated by so many people made me incredibly happy, and it’s a treasured memory.

Do you think you will continue to be an idol for years to come?  Why or why not?

Nanako: Yes, I do!  I want to become someone who can bring smiles and happiness to people all around the world.

Mao: Although balancing school and idol activities can be difficult, I want to keep going.  I want to grow as an idol and help even more people get to know Maorin.

Rea: Definitely!  Honestly, being an idol is my number one priority now.  I enjoy it so much and find it incredibly rewarding.

Moa: As long as I'm cute, I’d love to be an idol forever!  I want to become someone people are glad they supported and someone who remains in their memories forever.

Hinata: Absolutely!  Being an idol has allowed me to meet so many people, and it makes me happy to be someone important to them.  I want to keep doing this and reach even more people.

Was there a personal challenge you had to overcome to become a better idol? 

Nanako: There have been many!  My singing wasn’t very good, and while everyone else was thin, I felt I was overweight, so I worked hard on dieting.  I was also bad at smiling, so I practiced in front of a mirror.

Mao: Singing!  I still don’t have much confidence in my singing, but I practice hard to improve. Even if something is difficult, I believe you can get better with practice.

Rea: I want to improve my dance expression and singing ability.  I’d also like to improve my facial expressions during performances, so I don’t accidentally look expressionless.

Moa: I’ve always had terrible rhythm, so learning to sing on pitch and perform dance steps was very difficult.  I was also bad at smiling, so I practiced in front of a mirror every day.  Now I can smile naturally!

Hinata: I’m very shy.  When I first met people, I couldn’t make eye contact or keep conversations going during merchandise events.  It was difficult to overcome, but as I talked with more people, I’ve gradually become much better at it. 

Which one of your songs best represents your group?

Nanako: “Welcome to Harajuku LAND!”  Everyone in Harajuku LAND is full of energy, so I think this song represents us best.

Momo: “Sugary Youth.”  It’s a sweet-and-sour song about youth, and because we’re experiencing those feelings right now, I think it suits us perfectly.

Mao: “Welcome to Harajuku LAND!”  It’s energetic, playful, and fun, just like all of us.  I think it perfectly captures the bright and cheerful atmosphere of Harajuku LAND.

Rea: “Sugary Youth.”  It was our first original song, and it’s packed with everything that makes us who we are.

Moa: “Sugary Youth.”  It’s a song about honest feelings that are sometimes hard to express. Since we’re all experiencing youth ourselves, we’re able to put genuine emotion into it.

Hinata: “Sugary Youth.”  It’s our original song and represents a sweet youthful feeling.  Each member’s strengths shine through in it.  For example, one member sings a falsetto harmony part, which really highlights her individuality.

Nanako, you have a younger sister who’s an idol (Haruka of Merry Go Round Fantasy), right?  Do you give your sister advice about being an idol?  

Nanako: Yes!  Since we’re both leaders, I hope she can become even better at bringing her group together.  I want us to stay close, cooperate, and support each other.

Momo, you’re a wrestler.  How did you become interested in doing this?

Momo: Takagi-san scouted me.  Honestly, at first, I thought wrestling looked scary and painful. But he told me it’s better to regret trying something than regret never trying it.  So, I decided to give it a chance.  After officially debuting, I became more interested in professional wrestling.
  

Do you have a special message for your fans in America? 

Nanako: Thank you so much to everyone in America for supporting us!  Thank you for taking the time to read this interview.  I hope it helps you get to know Harajuku LAND better.  I would be very happy if you continue to support us!

Momo: Thank you for always supporting me.

Mao: Thank you so much for supporting us from America!  Thank you for taking the time to read this interview.  I hope you’ll get to know more about Harajuku LAND and Mao through it.  I would be very happy if you continue supporting us!  Thank you for your continued support!

Rea: Please continue supporting Harajuku LAND in the future!

Moa: I’d be happy if this interview makes you interested in us!  We have many dreams we want to achieve, and I hope we can see many amazing sights together.  I’ll continue giving everything I have so I can live up to everyone’s expectations.  Please support us!

Hinata: I’m so happy that you’re supporting Harajuku LAND as we continue to grow and evolve! Thank you so much, and please keep cheering for us! 

Special thanks to Noguchi Masato of SPIRAL MUSIC for arranging this interview.  My second interview will be posted soon, so please keep an eye out for that.  Thank you very much for reading my blog!