Rihokora #45 - Apr 2, 2022 - If I could travel back in time

 I even miss those days...

The new year has started (Note: the Japanese school year begins in April).  Some of you may be starting something new or changing your environment, right?  When I was living in the U.S., I couldn't get used to the idea that the school year begins in September.  I also couldn't get used to the daylight saving time.

When I went to language school, my routine was to wake up at around 6 am every morning on weekdays, and walk for about an hour to get to the school.  My host family had offered to drive me to school, and then pick me up, but I preferred to walk.  Now that I don't have to go to work at a specific time, I miss that lifestyle sometimes.

At school or at work, you can meet friends, right?  It's nice to meet people on a daily basis.

I can imagine some of you thinking that it isn't really like that.  There may be people at work or school that we don't like, and it's not fun to have to see them everyday.  I guess the grass is always greener on the other side.  I'm just missing what I can't have now, so please read the rest of the article lol

When I was in elementary school, we had school attendance groups, led by 5th graders, and 6th graders, who would gather the children in the neighborhood, and lead them to school.  Even now, when I go out for a walk early in the morning, I greet my neighbors, who are much older than me.  Children going to school also greet me cheerfully.  Such things make me want to cry, as they remind me of when I was in elementary school.

New challenges in the Spring

I had a really hard time getting up in the morning, and I hated going to school, but me and my friends would walk alongside the rice fields for about 40 minutes every morning talking nonsense and making fun of our teacher (sorry Shimono-sensei).  I realize now how great those times were.  Back then I wanted to leave school as soon as possible, but now, I wish I could go back.  It was really nice back then.  I don't know why, but that's what I have been thinking about lately.  But now, I am an adult.

Well, let me share what I will be doing this new year.

First, I am the MC on an NHK E educational program called "NHK High School Course: English Communication I".  Doing this has made me feel like I enjoy learning English again.  I have already recorded some episodes, and I try to speak clearly and in a relaxed way, so that the viewers don't struggle.  But if you find that boring, I will see what I can do.

I will also be appearing in the Asahi TV drama "My cuteness (kawaii) is about to expire!?".  This is my first regular role in a drama, and I have been enjoying filming, as well as learning.  I hope you look forward to it.

Although I have been doing new and different things, I always try to learn through trial and error.  I try to feel grateful for what I have in the present moment.  Before it's over.

I hope everyone has a happy new year.

A picture from the recording studio of NHK High School Course.  It looks like I'm going to eat the flowers.

https://wanibooks-newscrunch.com/articles/-/3007

Rihokora #44 - Mar 19, 2022 - Going to the art museum

 The many faces of sakura (cherry blossoms)...

To everyone that follows Rihokora(mu), it's been a long time.  I took a break the last time, so it's been 4 weeks since my last update.  How is everyone doing?

Spring has arrived, right?  There is a sakura tree along the path where I usually walk, and as I watch the buds expand, I have been waiting for the flowers to bloom.

Speaking of sakura trees, let me tell you of my recent trip to an art museum, where I had the opportunity to see an exhibition of sakura-themed works by an artist called Damien Hirst.

I was finishing some stuff I had to do in the morning when I saw a poster about the exhibition, and became interested.  I like going to art museums, but I rarely have the chance.  For that reason, I decided to go immediately.  It was all so exciting... walking to the museum, buying tickets, and then going up the escalator to the exhibition room.  I wonder if this is how people feel when they go to concerts or to the theater.

The 24 artworks I saw featured sakura trees, but they were all completely different from each other.  The differences were due to the colors, and painting methods used, but I was surprised by the wide range of emotions that can be conveyed by each portrait of a sakura tree.  While cherry blossoms are pink, the petals were blue and yellow, and looked like cherry blossoms when they start blooming.  Or like cherry blossoms in the morning... or memories of cherry blossoms.  So strange.  Such memories of cherry blossoms made me think of being alive.  I stood in front of the artwork, staring at it for a while, and breathing deeply.

In the back of the exhibition room you can watch an interview with Damien Hirst, and even those of us who are not painters, can relate to his thoughts on the project.

In the Spring of 2022, I will refresh my thoughts

Thanks for coming back to my column, a column that doesn't really have a topic.

When I think "Time to write a column!", I wonder if I should write something deep, or something more fun, and whether my writing will be readable or not.

It isn't easy for me though to show my emotional side, or my deepest thoughts, so the column is just me being free to write what I feel like.  It has been like that since the beginning!

I often find myself thinking, "don't do this, or that" or "this is how it should be".  Have you ever been in such a position?  I have... many times lol

I realized though that if I keep doing that I won't be able to express myself (strangle myself), and lose sight of my own feelings.  And I don't want to lose sight of who I am.

https://wanibooks-newscrunch.com/articles/-/2957

   

Rihokora #43 - Feb. 19, 2022 - (mu) day

It wasn't what I planned.. but it's good!

I know this is sudden, but...

I was wondering if you remember how I came to name this column Rihokora(mu).  I wanted the shorter version of the name to be Rihokora.  But everyone kept saying (note: on the day the column comes out) "Today is (mu) day, right?"  I've never seen anyone call it Rihokora lol

It's totally fine, but I feel you're making things more difficult for yourselves (when you use that name).  Isn't it hard to type parentheses every time? lol

That's my only concern, so I thought I should say something, but you are free to use any name you like. hehe (fufu)

I would like to talk about the January tour since the full version, along with backstage footage, was broadcast the other day, but there is an interview included in the tour photobook, so I'll wait for its release.  If there's still something I would like to say, I will write about it here later.

Instead, I will share some of my memories with you.

The latest HAPPY stuff, in a more relaxed column

The final day of the tour, I received a wonderful gift from the 4 dancers who toured with me, NOSUKE-san, who was the choreographer and director of the performances, and MIPPO-chan, who replaced me during the dance rehearsals.

I thought it was a gift box, but when I opened it, I realized it included pictures taken during the rehearsals and the tour, with messages from everyone!

YUKINA-chan put it together, and she did a really great job.  I will blur the contents because there were a lot of funny moments.  I was really glad I was able to do the concerts with such kind and reliable people.  It really felt like a school club activity lol

It made me really happy and I still keep it at a prominent place in my room.

Speaking of messages, as someone who used to be a stationery otaku, I still like to collect stuff like message cards, letter sets, stickers, masking tape etc., but I also like to give gifts to those who have been kind to me, so I'm quickly running out of cards.  For this reason, I went to get some new cards, the morning of the day I was writing this column.

I usually go to stationery stores, or general stores (variety stores), but this time I went to the 100 yen store, the store that is everyone's best friend.  I was looking for message cards when I saw these in the gift section of the store, and I instantly fell in love.  I seem to be into pastel colors lately, and I have been slowly collecting a lot of stuff like this.

Good vibes.

I look forward to writing messages again with these.

It was a more relaxed column this time, but thank you very much for reading.  

Until next time.

https://wanibooks-newscrunch.com/articles/-/2869

Rihokora #42 - Feb. 5, 2022 - Don't let the cold get to you

 A strong ally for this season!

I feel that every year I have less and less tolerance to both cold and heat.  I am typing this right now while drinking a bottle of hot water.  I hate the cold now, but you know what?  When I was an elementary/junior high school student, I would wear mini skirts/knee high socks in the winter.  Such outfits were in fashion at the time, I guess.  I can't imagine myself going out in the cold like that now.

It seems that knee high boots are back in fashion.  I see people wearing them both online and in the city, especially those in my age group.  I don't know how they can stand the cold.  My feet get cold, even if I'm home, wearing socks and slippers.  

In such cases, hot water bottles are a life saver.

If you cook for yourself at home, you can use a hotpot.  I am doing that now and enjoying my food.  I should take a photo, but it didn't really look too fancy, so I didn't take one.  I will take one another time.  But regardless, watching movies and dramas, while keeping myself warm, is what I enjoy doing the most these days.

Becoming a real adult...

I watch a lot of Korean dramas now.  The other day I was watching a drama called "Nevertheless", and as I was watching, I began to understand the meaning of phrases such as "is that so?" or "I hate it".  A lot of words sound similar to Japanese ones, right?  I thought, this may not be the same as when I study English, but I am still learning words by listening.

Well, I need to start listening to English again.  I also need to start practicing guitar again.  There's so much I've been meaning to do, but haven't been able to.  I wonder how people with a lot of hobbies can make time for them.  For me, it's only when I start doing something that I think "Oh, I have to do laundry" or "I have to get ready for work tomorrow".  Can anyone relate to that?  I end up taking forever to do things, which is annoying.

I don't want to be an adult that gets cold easily, but an adult that uses her spare time more efficiently.

p.s. I'd like to introduce something new I got.  It's called a bubble clock.  It doesn't measure time like an hourglass, but you can watch the bubbles come and go.  I fell in love at first sight when I saw it at the store, and bought it.  I can't stop looking at it.  It's so relaxing.

https://wanibooks-newscrunch.com/articles/-/2832

Rihokora #41 - Jan. 22, 2022 - Knowing the bu(mu) (=boom, latest trends)

Fashion is for all ages

It's cold this morning... When taking a shower, I forgot to turn the shower head away from me (before the water warmed up) and I ended up taking a cold shower.  It's the kind of thing that wakes you up in the morning, but it's not good for you, so be careful everyone.

My 2nd ep "Reflection" has been released.  Did you have the chance to listen to it?

I'm so relieved it was finalized and available.  I'm really happy that so many people are listening to it.  Tomorrow will be the last day of the tour, in my hometown, in Hiroshima prefecture.  I hope we can finish the tour safely.

Now, lets talk about what I've been doing recently.

As someone who creates content online, I try to keep up with the latest trends, but I'm not yet familiar with TikTok.  I have downloaded the app of course, but I only use it occasionally.  But recently, while I was talking to my grandmother on LINE, she sent me a link.  When I opened it, I found it it was a TikTok video of a hairdresser teaching how to cut bangs.  I couldn't imagine my grandmother recommending me a TikTok video, because it's something my generation supposedly uses.

But then I remembered that my grandmother used to be a hairdresser.  So it was only natural for her to find such a video interesting.  She followed up with messages such as "This part of the technique is amazing" or "Why don't you cut your hair like that?"

Life lessons my grandmother taught me...

I realized that just because the tools we use change, our interests don't.  It was a great learning experience for me who had assumed that TikTok was only for young people.  I was impressed that my grandmother keeps up with the latest trends.

She's in her 70s, and she's interested in a lot of things, and now that I think about it, I never really feel like there's a generation gap when we talk.  And she's probably more interested in fashion than I am (although I should also become more interested).

She collects old rings and accessories and sometimes gives them to me.  She jokes "They're katami (=memento, souvenir, something to remember her by)".

Please don't say things like that grandma.  Having said that, it's not easy to meet at the moment, and I've been busy.  I should make time to go see her.

I hope that when I am as old as my grandmother is now, I will still be fashionable, and enjoy the same things people much younger than me enjoy.

Until next time!

https://wanibooks-newscrunch.com/articles/-/2787

Rihokora #40 - Jan. 8, 2022 - I was surprised!

 This year, is the second time*!

(Note: I believe Riho is referring to the fact that she was born in 1998, which was the year of the Tiger, and 2022 is her second year of the Tiger after 2010)

Happy new year everyone.  I hope you will continue supporting me and Rihokora(mu) in 2022.  2022 is the year of the tiger and I will be turning 24.

I suddenly remembered that when I was in elementary school, my parents took me to the zoo, and let me hold a baby tiger.  I'm not sure about this, but I think we had a conversation such as "it's the year of the tiger, so it's great you got to hold a baby tiger."  I thought I had already told all the stories from my childhood, but I guess there's more that I keep remembering.

I have been rehearsing every day for the January tour.  I am glad I have been busy with live performances and music activities.

When we do music activities, there are always teams formed for song production, or for live performance production.  Since I'm only 23, most of my team members are older than me.  I've been working for 11 years now, but I've always been the youngest member of the team, even in my own projects.

It takes me time to get to know people, and I tend to get intimidated when I am around older people, and I was worried that it would be hard to work, if such feelings continued to exist.  However, after I thought about it, I realized how lucky I am to be the youngest.  Ever since my debut, I have been supported by my relationships with my senpai, and I think it's ok to continue to rely on them.

A real baby tiger!?

When I get to know them, I find it very helpful and enjoyable to talk about various things to my senpai.  I think I actually fit in better with them now.

It's not just because they can share their knowledge about music or the entertainment industry, but it's also because they can share information such as "that inn in Kyushu has a great view, it's relatively close to the airport, and the building has a long history".

When I'm with younger people I keep thinking that I have to be strong, but I don't have to think like that when talking to my senpai.  I feel very lucky that I am again the youngest in my current work environment.

Since I started my solo work, people I met for the first time would often call me a baby, which annoyed me at first, but as I gave it more thought, I realized "maybe I'm still a baby!"

During the rehearsal, I thought "I haven't taken any pictures.  I need to take one!", and I took a picture of myself in the mirror.

https://wanibooks-newscrunch.com/articles/-/2746

Yahoo! News Voice - Riho Sayashi interview (January 5, 2022)

 "I couldn't wait!": What Riho Sayashi learned while writing songs in the covid era

The interview took place on December 14, 2021

Since last year, everyone has experienced difficulties meeting people due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.  Artist Riho Sayashi says that the pandemic made her reconsider how she spends her time, as she "couldn't wait to talk to friends" and felt lonely at times.  We asked Sayashi-san, who says that "leading a normal life isn't something we can take for granted at the moment", to look back at 2021, and tell us how she is feeling now.

Covid made me realize the importance of human interaction

Q: Please tell us about your work as an artist during the covid era.

A: The impact of the pandemic has been much greater, and longer than I had imagined.  You know, last year, I had events in 4 cities other than Tokyo (Nagoya, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka), but they were cancelled.  When I heard about the decision to cancel them, I couldn't hold back my tears in front of my manager.  I was looking forward to it, and it made me really sad.  I realize how much an artist's career is made by their fans, and I feel that the time I can spend with them is very important.

What made you sad?

I simply realized that my life is richer when I am around people.  In this new situation, it is possible to continue living your life without meeting anyone, if you don't want to.  I noticed that I spent more time at home during the lockdown.

However, when I was at home, I would feel lonely, and when I was chatting online, even after a meeting was over, I would sometimes think "I wish we could keep talking".

How did you deal with that loneliness?

I became more proactive in contacting my friends.  We couldn't talk as much, since we couldn't meet in person, so I valued our interactions.  It's a bit of a cliche thing to say, but in this situation, leading a normal life isn't something we can take for granted.  I couldn't wait to talk to people.  When I contacted someone and then received a reply, it would make me so happy.

Emotion and reason

You are working on an album, where you wrote the lyrics yourself.  How did you feel about that?

The first thing I thought about is how draining it is.  Writing a song takes a lot of work.  It's not something one person can do alone, and I am glad there were a lot of people involved in the process.  It also changed the way I speak and behave to the staff.

I am a rather shy person.  I am the type who has a hard time hitting the send button on an email to someone I'm working with for the first time.  But communication is very important when writing songs, and I had to communicate what I was thinking.

In the past, when performing, I would be using my emotions more, but now that I am also writing songs, I have to act with reason as well.  I don't just think "this is beautiful" or "this is cool", but also "why is this beautiful?" or "why is this cool?"

As I was writing, that back and forth, increased at once.

This year, I thought I want to lead a "teinei" life

What did you cherish the most about last year?

The most important thing I felt was the need to cherish every moment of daily life, things that we often don't pay much attention to.  The time spent with fans, but also the time spent at the live shows.  I feel every moment is precious.

I am very wasteful with my time, and the experiences I had made we want to lead a "teinei" life.

How do you waste your time?

There's a huge gap between my hard-working self, and my lazy self.  When I'm focused, I can work without any rest, but once I'm lazy, I can remain that way for days, and become very inefficient.  So I have to push myself hard and say "No!"

How have you changed compared to how you were a year ago?

Since the interview we did almost a year ago, I think I've gained confidence.  I had said in that interview that I have become an adult, and now it kind of feels like a childish thing to say.  

But the fact that I thought like that a year ago, and now I think differently, is a sign of growth.

Riho Sayashi (Artist): Born in Hiroshima prefecture in 1998;  Joined Morning Musume in 2011 at the age of 12; Graduated from the group at the age of 17 in 2015; Studied in New York; Resumed her activities in September 2020; In 2021 established her own independent label SAVO-R and released her first mini album "DAYBREAK" in August; Her second mini album "REFLECTION" will be released on January 12th, and her tour in Tokyo, Osaka and Hiroshima will take place from January 15th to January 23rd.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/6cdde2d25a0cd6e5aa96b11d9ab977c24ce1c825?page=1