Fujiyoshi Karin (Karin) / 2nd Generation

Thank you for your in-depth info and thoughts. But you said, "I guess they decided not to embarrass the lower placers", dont you think that there will be "Baka queen" episode (as usual), maybe another week? (It might do charm to some idols like Waada Maya, but personally I dont really favor this kind of episode, its a double-edge sword)

 

Karin becomes more and more attractive as time goes by:

 

https://twitter.com/foxtrotal/status/1678029095232475141?t=Tn8GgBU6BXXLjwMIIV-VQQ&s=19



https://twitter.com/Kayseurounet/status/1680590607356493825?t=sZKct6sSc57lWzI_mhhd_w&s=19


if the video does not show watch the video here


if the video does not show watch the video here


if the video does not show watch the video here


if the video does not show watch the video here


if the video does not show watch the video here

https://youtu.be/G6MDWv1GBus

Congratulations on sakurazaka on your Paris performance

https://twitter.com/modelpress/status/1680879079111925761?t=Xdboshlyv5nSL9p95ISmDQ&s=19

https://twitter.com/toomuchidea/status/1682313968722010112?t=LOd1NloBE5v8_CwgrMMjxw&s=19

 

The feature interview with Karin in Tokyo Calendar magazine was so enjoyable that I translated it. It's a bit long for the board, so I put it in my blog.

The magazine is a food and lifestyle magazine, specializing in Tokyo restaurants and bars, and interviewed her in a traditional-style restaurant in the Shinjuku area. Excerpts:

“Normally when I drink, I like beer or whisky-and-soda,” says Fujiyoshi-san. Our interview was her last work of the day, and she tried the sake suggested by the manager. With no sign of her face reddening, she kept a dignified appearance. “Delicious,” she said. “I’m sorry, that’s all I can say….”

“In the group, I’ve been given the experience of various positions. I’ve watched over everyone from the back row and felt very comfortable there. But I came to feel that just aimlessly following along wouldn’t do any more….”

“For a floater like me, the burden was heavy….” At 21 years old, Fujiyoshi Karin of Sakurazaka46 felt “freedom and responsibility"....

“To be centre on a single gave me much more freedom than I had imagined.”
​

A while back, when they took Karin out of the senbatsu, sending her from the front row right off-stage, I wondered if they were trying to get her to take things more seriously and fulfill her potential. If so, it seems to have worked. In beauty and in character, she seems to be growing up. But she's still Karin, the weird but charming loner who grew up as the daughter of a downtown Osaka restaurant owner.

 

The past two SokoSaku shows have included sections where the 1-2 Gen members line up in order of the number of something they do or have in their lives: minutes per day in the bath, number of shoes, number of YouTube subscriptions, et al. In a couple of categories, Karin's answers were quite interesting.

Spoiler: Karin's answers

As for how many pairs of shoes/boots members owned, it ranged from 3 to 71...Kobayashi was 71 and Karin was 3. And asked how long they spent in the bath every day, Karin and Rena were the longest...at 3 hours! Karin very seriously said that, for health, one's legs had to be warmed. She seemed baffled when members laughed. The shortest time in the bath? Ten-san at ten minutes.

Keyavids is catching up now, with subbed versions now up to #141, the second of two "IntelliQueen" episodes. Last Sunday's episode on Japanese TV was #143.

 

I posted a little story about Odakura and Karin in Reina's thread.

 

From Seventeen magazine:



Brief video clip of Karin leaning on Ten, backstage on tour (Twitter link).

At Saturday's Rock in Japan festival:



And this little clip of Karin in the new outfit (Twitter link).

 

That last pic with Karin looking up is turning iconic, making its rounds on Twitter.

 

At the Malaysia Japan Expo performance, Karin was sporting a ponytail. I don't remember her doing that at a major event. Was it because maybe it was hot and was an outdoor event? The organizers had big fans blowing towards the crowd.

 

@Jsprite -- One possible reason is the current rumour that she has had her ear(s) pierced, higher up, on the cartilage, and putting her hair up keeps the area well-aired to avoid infection.

Reaction to this rumour seems more or less universally positive. "So cute." "Totally suits her." "Fantastic." "Karin-chan's piercing will save the world."

Just a rumour so far, despite a scramble for images to try to prove it (click/tap to enlarge):




Analogous story from an Odakura Reina Meet & Greet session, where Reina was asked for a story about Karin and said that she was the first person to notice that Karin had dyed her hair. Commenters don't seem to have noticed, or even to think Karin actually has dyed her hair.

By the way, I really like Karin's hair up like that. She looked great in the KL live.

 

@cryspower posted a video of the interview session after the KL performance. I was struck by the fact that Karin just wanted to perform, not to talk or relate to the fans directly. She didn't smile or wave, and she gave a pained expression when Ten-san tried to give her the mic. But she bowed whenever it was appropriate, and bowed deeply as she left the stage. My kind of girl, lol. Not really an idol, but a shy person who is also a performer. People say she's quite forthcoming in Meet & Greet, but some situations seem to make her very uncomfortable.

On another note, I thought I might have seen a slight flash at the location where she is supposed to have a piercing. I still don't believe it, but maybe.

 

@ukifune You're deeply in love my friend... everything Karin is doing is leaving you awestruck. Lol I don't blame you at all, she is serious stuff, a real pro. As for the piercing, I don't see any reason why not. It would definitely suit her and at the end of day: if not Karin then who? You see piercings everywhere that most are aesthetically bad. At least Karin is a rare beauty and I'm sure that her tastes would allow something that would enhance her looks.

 

A while ago there was an interview in which Karin sampled some sake and said she normally drinks whisky and water. Now a little discussion on 5ch: "What if Karin got drunk...?"

• I make bold to present this frightening image of Karin drunk (above)
• She'd probably become extremely talkative
• Rena actively pressed her
• It seems that Rena drinks highballs that are 8 parts whisky to two parts soda
• I think Zono drinks a lot at her Kyushu festivals. For some reason, I can't picture Run-chan drinking.
• Neru seems to be a big drinker. I'd like a broadcast of a Sakurazaka Kyushu-contingent drinking party.
• Ozono: "There's sweet-potato brandy for the two of us."
• Sounds like Ozono.

Drinking as a constant habit is not so good, but occasional drinking is normal in most non-Muslim countries. Have there been ideas like the ones above concerning members of other groups, such as Nogi? It seems Karin, like Neru before her, thinks of drinking as a symbol of adulthood. As daughter of the owner of an izakaya, I imagine that seeing adults drinking has been pretty normal in her life.

That photo above, even though she is sitting, somehow conveys her loose-limbed grace. In dance, her movements often seem to me to go further than others', and to flow smoothly into each other, without any obvious break. She's not the group's most athletic or technical dancer, but its most graceful.

 

Whisky at 22 years old feels a bit heavy to me, but maybe it's because I associate whisky with old people lol
I always found japanese beers lighter then europeans, so I don't know if the kind of alchool they consume is lighter too or if it is the heavy stuff you can find around here too.

Like you said, occasional drinking is normal like any other growing up experiment, especially at that age... the fact they speak of it so openly considering their job makes me confused though. In a society in which everyone has to conform to rules and roles is so easily accepted for girls and idols to drink?
Just curious.

As for other groups, I have no idea. If I'm not wrong Miho posted a picture on instagram with a beer... and that is all the info I have

 

As @Dill said, I find the image of an idol drinking somewhat... "repulsive". Don't get me wrong, I see nothing wrong to drinking as long as it hasn't become an obsession (alcoholism), neither I find drinking only a "male" habit. Even further than that, us Europeans do drink a lot and do drink from teenage years (unlike Japan). I remember myself drinking half a glass of watered wine at Sunday family lunch even at the age of 6. In my country teenage parties usually end with a bunch of drunk boys and girls doing funny or ridiculous stuff (at least) or end up at hospital for caffein injection (at worst).

However, even marketing distinguishes "male" and "female" drinks, with whisky dominating mostly in the male / older male category, and even though Japan produces some of the finest whisky I've ever tasted, I find it weird to even imagine such delicate creatures like Karin, Run or Rei gulping down a "Yamazakura" (with soda or water or whatever). I've heard that walking at night in the street of major urban areas in Japan, the sight of drunken "salary-man" is very common... (Jesus these people don't seem to cope well with alcohol). But of course I can't even imagine these girl idols drunk (!!!) although I'm sure they would do a lot of funny things...

Apart from the funny side of the story, if idols are so strictly seperated from any "pairing activities" so as to keep their immaculate, pristine image, so do they must keep their drinking habits (which I'm sure they are perfectly allowed to have), in their private life exclusively.

At least as long as they are idols...

 

I think it would be more unusual to find an idol who did not associate drinking with adulthood. It’s such a common idea in Japan that I’d expect an idol to agree with the association for the sake of conversation even if she didn’t genuinely believe it. More broadly, I’ve found Japan has a bigger preoccupation than other countries about things being “for adults,” meaning grown-up and sophisticated. It shows up frequently as a marketing phrase (大人の味, etc.) that extends to food and drink (usually flavors that are more bitter, heavy, full-bodied). But generally, don’t most young people in countries with an enforced drinking age consider drinking a sign of being more adult?

I basically only follow Nogizaka, but I think virtually every Nogi member who came of age in the group has mentioned (or someone else mentions) the first time they drank alcohol, though that stuff usually shows up in a blog or interview, not the main variety show. Drinking alcohol is part of growing up, and a big part of J-idol groups is about following girls grow up. I guess it’s possible Sakurazaka members aren't as open about it, but I’d expect the reason to be ‘because they’re more private’ before it being ‘because alcohol is improper.’

It may have been bad decades ago, but it’s normal for idols and certainly for women above 20 to drink alcohol in Japan in 2023. They’re still held to a higher standard of propriety than men, but it’s normal. As long as it's not underage drinking. Attitudes shifted as women entered the workplace and got more disposable income. It’s not like idols are talking about getting drunk on the job or losing control. Here is an entire official afterparty where Nogi members prominently drink beer; top Nogi members in a beer promotion; and a Showroom where two members of the current youngest gen mention alcohol. One of the original Nogi 1st gen, Etou Misa, made drinking alcohol a big part of her ‘older sister’ character.

 

Happy Birthday to Karin (it's already 08/29 in Japan)! She centers 2 of my favorite all-time Saku songs, Naze Koi and Guzen no Kotae. She gave these 2 songs her personal imprint, a certain vulnerability that no other member could have. She showed she was ready to center a harder-hitting main single, which did happen with Start Over.

May your path become brighter and brighter, as I see you as one of Sakurazaka's pillars now and in the years to come.

 

Happy Birthday Karin-san!!!

 

Happy Birthday, Karin-san! No need to start over, just keep going!

I'm sure Karin doesn't expect to keep being centre, even though she seems to have enjoyed the experience. But management is going to have to decide just how much of the success of the 6th single was due to her. I can imagine them deciding to put someone else at centre, but featuring Karin somehow. Karin and Ten make a great dance pair in the hip-flexing part later on in live performances of Start Over. Power-packed.

Memory lane:
Baby Karin w/papa (who went on to own an izakaya in downtown Osaka)


"Roro", audition entry number 66:




Naze Koi:


Azatoi drama:

 

Happy Birthday! From the Uni's On Air game which I'm still playing.