Saturday 1 October 2016

Yajima Maimi: Hitori no Kisetsu - A season to myself (UTB October 2016)



As Hello! Project Leader, Maimi-san exudes an air of dignity. After one year, another photobook of hers will go on sale! For this photobook, we ventured off to a different location for the first time - Taiwan. With its unique streets and temperature... We discover a new Maimi-san!!


I'd like to have a special event for my 10th photobook!!

We've finally hit photobook number nine!

'Thank you very much!! I've been putting one out every year since I was fifteen...... I'm grateful to the fans and the members of staff'

How was your first shoot in Taiwan?

'I remember enjoying myself and laughing all the time. While the other members went back after our concerts in Hong Kong and Taiwan, I was the only one remaining in Taiwan, shooting the photobook. Thanks to that, I was able to have my fill of good grub, and completely enjoy Taiwan! I feel like I should apologise to the members (laughs)'

You had that much free time despite the photobook shooting!?

'Before, just the thought of a photobook made me a nervous wreck. I was often required to have more mature expressions on my face, and there were even times when I had to force myself to look mature. But it seems that over the course of the last few books, my looks have caught up to my age (laughs). You could say that it's become part of my natural posture. However, honestly speaking, the shooting itself was fun!'

The members check out your photobooks every time one comes out, don't they?

'In particular, it makes me happy every time Mai-chan declares 'This is my favourite page!' What's more, the other day, when we were talking about turning points amongst ourselves, they all said that the sale of my first photobook was a turning point. I wasn't aware of it, but I had become a bit more dignified, compared to before it had been released (laughs). I guess it was the outcome of doing my best, in my own way, at having my photos taken, which had been what I was worst at'

Maimi-san, you've got quite the history. At this rate, I'm sure that you'd like to hit that tenth volume, right!?

'I'd be glad if that was the case. Up to now, I've done events in all sorts of forms, like talk shows, signing events, exhibitions. So to commemorate the tenth volume, I think it'd be nice to do something different!

Where do you feel you've grown the most since your first photobook?

'It's a bit embarrassing (laughs), but since it's ten years of Yajima Maimi, I'd like to show that I've got confidence!'

C-ute Yajima Maimi Photo Book "Hitori no Kisetsu" / Akihito Saijo

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