Himeka Nakamoto


Himeka Nakamoto is a Japanese mental health counselor and former idol. She was a first-generation member of the idol group Nogizaka46.

Career

In 2006, Nakamoto enrolled in Actor’s School Hiroshima as part of the sixteenth batch, joining her sister Suzuka who enrolled in the previous batch the same year. As students, they performed in a duet called Tween. She was also a member of the idol group SPL∞ASH, which was founded by the school.
Nakamoto passed the auditions for Nogizaka46 on August 21, 2011, and joined as a first generation member. Her audition song was "Aitakatta" by AKB48. In the group, she was known for her special pose called the "Himetan Beam", with which she supposedly transferred energy to their fans. She was also the lead vocalist of Nogidan, the rock subunit of Nogizaka46. In the sixth season of NogiBingo!, she served as assistant MC. She was also an assistant MC on the NHK Radio 1 program Radirer! Sunday.
On August 6, 2017, Nakamoto announced in a live broadcast of Radirer! Sunday that she was graduating from Nogizaka46 due to poor health. Her final performance as a Nogizaka46 member took place at the Tokyo Dome on November 7–8, 2017. On November 8, "Last Number", a collaboration single between her and Radio Fish, the boy band formed by Radirer! Sunday hosts Oriental Radio, was released. Her final blog post on the official Nogizaka46 blog was published on December 22, 2017.

Post-Nogizaka46

Nakamoto became interested in pursuing a mental health care career after she attended psychological counseling sessions while in Nogizaka46. In April 2018, she enrolled into the Faculty of Human Sciences e-School of Waseda University. As of May 17, she has also completed training as a hand reflexology counselor at the Heartful Life Couselor Academy in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
On November 20, her official website, managed by the Nogizaka46 management, was launched. She has obtained mental health counselor certification from the Japan Promotion Counselor Association and works as a counselor and trainer while continuing her studies. She provides counseling through her own Skype-based service, the, to accommodate those who cannot leave their homes or are concerned about the stigma around mental health issues.

Personal life

Nakamoto is the older sister of Babymetal lead singer and former Sakura Gakuin member Suzuka Nakamoto and the middle child of three sisters. She owns a Yorkshire Terrier named.