Himeka Nakamoto
Former Nogizaka46 member
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Himeka Nakamoto (中元 日芽香, Nakamoto Himeka; born April 13, 1996) is a Japanese mental health counselor, radio host, author, and former idol. She was a first-generation member of the idol group Nogizaka46.
- Mental health counselor
- radio host
- author
- idol
Himeka Nakamoto | |
|---|---|
中元 日芽香 | |
| Born | April 13, 1996 Hiroshima, Japan |
| Education | Waseda University |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Agent | Nogizaka46, LLC |
| Spouse |
Unknown (m. 2024) |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Suzuka Nakamoto (sister) |
| Musical career | |
| Also known as | Himetan (ひめたん) |
| Genres | J-pop |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 2009–2017 |
| Label | N46Div. |
| Formerly of |
|
| Website | nakamotohimeka |
Early life
Nakamoto was born in Hiroshima on April 13, 1996.[1] She is the middle child of three sisters; her younger sister, Suzuka (born 1997), is best known as the lead singer of Babymetal under the stage name Su-metal.[2] She enrolled in Actor's School Hiroshima as part of the 16th batch in 2006, joining Suzuka, who enrolled in the 15th batch the same year. They performed in a duet called Tween.[3] She was also a member of the school's idol group SPL∞ASH.[4]
Career
Entertainment
Nakamoto passed the auditions for Nogizaka46 on August 21, 2011, and joined as a first generation member. Her audition song was "Aitakatta" by AKB48.[5] In the group, she was known for her cheerful "Himetan" persona and signature pose, the "Himetan Beam" (ひめたんびーむ).[6][7][8] She was also the lead vocalist of Nogidan, the rock subunit of Nogizaka46.[9] 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.
Nakamoto went on hiatus from January to April 2017, citing poor health; this was later revealed to be a form of adjustment disorder and eating disorder, which she began to experience a few days after joining Nogizaka46.[8][10][11][12][13] On August 6, she announced in a live broadcast of Radirer! Sunday that she would graduate from Nogizaka46.[14] Her final performance as a Nogizaka46 member took place at the Tokyo Dome on November 7–8, 2017.[15] 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.[16] Her final blog post on the official Nogizaka46 blog was published on December 22, 2017.[17]
Mental health
Nakamoto became interested in pursuing a career in mental health after attending therapy while a member of Nogizaka46.[18] She completed training as a hand reflexology counselor[19] and in cognitive behavioral therapy,[8] then joined the e-school of Waseda University's Faculty of Human Sciences in April 2018.[18] She graduated in March 2023,[20] and launched her mental health counseling website eight months later.[21]
While continuing her studies, Nakamoto obtained her mental health counselor certification from the Japan Promotion Counselor Association. She currently provides counseling through her Skype-based service "Monica and Me Counseling Salon" (カウンセリングサロン モニカと私), which accommodates those who cannot leave their homes or are concerned about the stigma around mental health issues.[18][22] Like several other former Nogizaka46 members, she is still signed to the Nogizaka46 management and has made public appearances related to her current occupation.[23] She had her own consultation segment on the NHK Hiroshima radio program Hiroshima Koiraji (ひろしまコイらじ) from March 2021,[24][8] and hosts the podcast Himeka Nakamoto's 'Na' on Nippon Cultural Broadcasting starting June.
Nakamoto's autobiography, Thank You, Me: Graduating from Nogizaka46 and Becoming a Psychological Counselor, was released in June 2021.[12] Her next book, I'll Listen to Anything: Himeka Nakamoto's Counseling Room, was released in December 2023.
Personal life
In February 2024, Nakamoto announced her marriage to an undisclosed man.[25] She owns a Yorkshire Terrier named Monica (モニカ), who functions as the mascot for her counseling business.[26] On November 21, 2025 Nakamoto announced on her Instagram story the birth of her daughter.
Appearances
Bibliography
| Title | Release date | Publisher | Notes | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thank You, Me: Graduating from Nogizaka46 and Becoming a Psychological Counselor[a] | June 22, 2021 | Bungeishunjū | Autobiography | ISBN 978-4163913919 |
| I'll Listen to Anything: Himeka Nakamoto's Counseling Room[b] | December 7, 2023 | Bungeishunjū | ISBN 978-4163917900 |