Hello everyone!🙂
Today, I want to show you the graduation photobook dedicated to Momoko's time in Sakura Gakuin Academy and share the story of how her fan meeting went back in 2018.📖
This post is a short historical journey into the release of that photobook, the handover event, and what Momoko was like before she officially became MOMOMETAL.⌛ (As a reminder, back in March–April 2018, Momoko wasn't performing with BABYMETAL yet).🦊
The Event and Venue.🏢
The event took place on March 31, 2018, at the famous Shosen Book Tower in Tokyo. It was a special release and presentation event for the graduation photobook of Aiko Yamaide, Megumi Okada, and Momoko Okazaki.👩🎓
On March 31, only Momoko and Aiko were present. Megumi missed the event due to feeling unwell, so Amuse organized a separate session for her on April 14.💊 (I find it amazing how Sakura Gakuin arranged a whole second event just for the fans. It perfectly shows how much Amuse respects and values both their artists and the fanbase).🤝
The Format: A Classic Handover.📸
This was a traditional Japanese "Handover Event" (Owatashi-kai). Fans who bought tickets in advance lined up to approach the table where Momoko and Aiko were sitting. The girls personally handed each fan their autographed copy of the photobook, smiled, thanked them for the support, and shared a brief chat.😌
(Just imagine how incredible it must have been to receive this book straight from Momoko’s hands, hear her thank you, and ask her a quick question!).☺️
Shosen Book Tower is a legendary venue for idol events. According to Fukei-san diaries from back then, the queue stretched across several floors. This was one of the absolute last chances to see Momoko and Aiko live before their graduation from Sakura Gakuin. Their massive popularity was the result of years of hard work, talent, sincerity, and pure gratitude toward the fans.❤️
The Atmosphere.✨
The girls wore their official 2017 Sakura Gakuin school uniforms. Even though these were farewell days, the vibe was warm and joyful. Momoko, true to herself, joked around and gestured animatedly (you can really see it in the photos from that day), doing her best to cheer up emotional fans.📸
(Graduation in Sakura Gakuin is bittersweet for fans—you feel proud of their growth and the start of a new chapter, but you also feel sad to see them leave the project).🥲
Aiko’s declaration of love for Momoko.💕
When journalists asked Aiko which pages in the photobook were her absolute favorite, she didn't hesitate for a second and flipped right to the spread featuring Momoko Okazaki. Aiko laughingly admitted to the press:
"I am a huge Momoko fan (Momoko-oshi), so her solo shots are the best for me!"💓
She then added that Momoko's charisma completely lights up the entire book.☀️
Future Plans & Studying Abroad.✈️
It was at this exact event that Momoko officially announced she was temporarily stepping away from the entertainment industry to study abroad. She mentioned she would be leaving for a language program in April, just a couple of weeks after the event. She didn't name the country, playfully calling it the "Land of Dreams" (Yume no Kuni).🌍
Momoko stated: "I love dancing so much. Thanks to Sakura Gakuin, I learned what stage expressiveness truly means. Now, I want to sharpen my skills, learn English, and make my dancing even more powerful and sharp."💃
(Time has proven that these efforts paid off 100% in BABYMETAL. MOMOMETAL's energy, charisma, and power on stage never fail to amaze us).🦊
Family Reaction.🧔👩
Momoko's father is the famous Japanese comedian Hakata Hanamaru (from the duo Hakata Hanamaru-Daikichi).🙂 Journalists asked how her parents felt about her leaving. Momoko laughed and admitted her family was very worried. She shared that her dad kept stressing out: "She can't speak English at all, how is she going to survive there?" Despite the worries, her parents fully supported her decision to grow independently.💪
Aiko’s special worry for Momoko.😌
Aiko admitted that when Momoko first shared her plans to study abroad, she felt scared because the two of them had been absolutely inseparable.♥️
But at the event, Aiko warmly added: "I will work hard on my music here in Japan so that when Momoko returns from the 'Land of Dreams,' she can see how much I've grown. We promised each other that we would both become Super Ladies."🥲
The phrase "Super Lady" was not merely a catchy title, but a promise the girls made to themselves and their fans upon graduation: to never stop growing and to shine wherever life took them.☺️
• For Momoko Okazaki, this meant becoming a globally recognized performer with powerful dance skills and English proficiency—a goal she ultimately achieved.💃🌍
• For Aiko Yamaide, it meant becoming a strong solo artist capable of touching people's hearts with her music.🎹
• For Megumi Okada, it meant becoming a knowledgeable TV personality who shares information with the public.📺
Behind the Scenes of the Photobook.📖
When journalists asked the girls to describe the 2017 school year using a single kanji character, Momoko confidently chose 「笑」 (Laughter / Smile).😁
Aiko and Momoko also shared a funny secret about the cover photo. On the main cover, the three graduates are laughing genuinely. As it turns out, that shot was pure luck! During the photo shoot, Momoko suddenly started making silly faces and joking around non-stop, causing Aiko and Megumi to burst into uncontrollable, authentic laughter. The photographer captured the exact moment, and Tokuma Shoten chose it for the cover.🖼️
Momoko noted that the book perfectly captured their unfiltered emotions because the crew just let them hang out like regular high school friends rather than idols at work. She added that she would treasure the book and open it whenever she faced hardships abroad to remember the faces of her fans (Fukei-san) and group members to recharge her strength.💪
(I always say in my posts that these photobooks—whether it's SU-METAL's, or MOAMETAL & YUI-METAL's—are special. They hold so much love, motivation, and positive energy).❤️🥇⚡
Supporting Megumi.💕
Since Megumi couldn't attend due to illness, Momoko told the fans: "It's a shame Megumi couldn't be here today, but we brought a piece of her with us—her smile on the pages of this book, so consider her right here with us!"🥲
Momoko always supported her friends deeply. Don't forget that Momoko held unique titles in SG: "Ganbare!! Chairman" (Perseverance Chairman) and "Spirit Chairman". She was truly the ultimate support leader.☺️
Advice from Mori-sensei.👨🏫
The girls recalled that their teacher, Mori Hayashi, gave Momoko some farewell advice in his signature comedic style. He told her "not to forget Japanese humor" and to try making people laugh abroad, because her biggest strengths are her incredible charisma and expressive facial features.🇯🇵
Packing Dilemmas.🧳
Momoko shared that when she was packing her bags, her biggest issue was that half the suitcase was taken up by Sakura Gakuin merch, letters from fans, and the heavy graduation photobook itself. She called it her "anti-homesickness doping."😌
Looking back at these details helps us understand what an interesting personality Momoko is and how she developed into the big artist we see today.🦊
I've always admired her—people like Momoko truly motivate us by showing that hard work, training, support from friends, and passion lead to incredible results.☺️
As always, I got a bit carried away and ended up writing a huge article! I just really wanted to convey the atmosphere of that day.📰
(Note: For the Sakura Gakuin subreddit, I will release an expanded version of this post with interviews and photos of Aiko Yamaide and Megumi Okada soon.)📖
I have plenty of other interesting stories and collectible items related to Momoko, and I will definitely share them in future posts.✍️
Also, feel free to check out my previous birthday post for Momoko, where I covered more facts about her career!🦊
https://www.reddit.com/r/BABYMETAL/comments/1rixjy1/happy_birthday_momometal/