Aobazaka46 (青葉坂46, pronounced "Aobazaka Forty-six") is a Japanese idol group project formed by Sony Music Japan as part of the Sakamichi Series franchise. Officially announced on August 18, 2026, the group was established for a limited period of one year as a connecting platform toward the three senior groups in the series, namely Nogizaka46, Sakurazaka46, and Hinatazaka46. The name "Aobazaka" itself literally means "Aoba Hill" in Japanese, following the naming pattern typical of the Sakamichi franchise, which uses names of locations in Japan.
Background and Announcement
The existence of Aobazaka46 was first noticed by the public when the domain aobazaka46.com was registered by Sony Music Japan on July 22, 2026. However, widespread attention only emerged on August 16, 2026, when a mysterious advertisement was aired during the flagship Sakamichi Group program, Nogizaka Under Construction on TV Tokyo. The 15-second advertisement showed scenes of Tokyo and figures of girls who appeared to be saying "Aobazaka?" before finally revealing the name "Aobazaka46" along with the date and time, namely August 18, 2026 at 9:00 p.m. JST.
The same advertisement was simultaneously uploaded to the official YouTube channels of Nogizaka46, Sakurazaka46, and Hinatazaka46, sparking widespread speculation among fans. In the video, five members from the three Sakamichi groups appeared, namely Inoue Nagi and Endo Sakura from Nogizaka46, Morita Hikaru and Yamashita Shizuki from Sakurazaka46, and Kosaka Nao from Hinatazaka46. The logo shown in the advertisement was also said to integrate the colors associated with the three Sakamichi groups.
Official Formation and Concept
On August 18, 2026 at 9:00 p.m. JST, through a livestream on the official Sakamichi Group YouTube channel, Aobazaka46 was officially introduced to the public. Unlike previous Sakamichi groups that were formed as permanent entities, Aobazaka46 was designed as a group with a limited active period of one year. This unique concept makes it a "bridge group" aimed at finding and developing new talents before they are permanently placed into one of the three senior groups.
This announcement also marked the start of an open audition to find members of Aobazaka46. Unlike typical Sakamichi groups, whose new members immediately join a specific group, Aobazaka46 audition participants will form the group itself and be active together for a full year. After the one-year period ends, all members will be placed into one of the three senior groups, namely as Nogizaka46's 7th Generation, Sakurazaka46's 5th Generation, or Hinatazaka46's 6th Generation.
Audition and Requirements
The Aobazaka46 audition opened on the same day as the official announcement, August 18, 2026, and will close on October 8, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. JST. The requirement for applicants is women aged between 12 and 20 years old as of October 8, 2026. In addition, participants must be able to take part in the selection process from the second stage onward, and be willing to move and live in Tokyo immediately if selected as regular members.
The audition process itself consists of several fairly rigorous stages. The first stage is a document screening through online registration. The second stage is an online interview scheduled for late October 2026. The third stage is an in-person interview to be held in various cities in Japan, including Sendai, Fukuoka, Sapporo, Nagoya, Tokyo, and Osaka, from late November to early December 2026. The fourth stage is an in-person interview in Tokyo on December 19, 2026, followed by a final interview on December 20, 2026, and concluding with a final training camp selection from December 27 to 29, 2026.
Support from Seniors
The announcement of Aobazaka46 was also accompanied by messages of support from three senior members representing each group. Inoue Nagi of Nogizaka46 said that words of encouragement from Kaki Haruka during her own audition in the past gave her the courage to try, and she encouraged prospective participants not to be afraid to take the first step toward a new world. Morita Hikaru of Sakurazaka46 shared her experience of taking the audition with a lack of confidence and full of anxiety, but her decision to leap based on feelings of "liking" and "admiration" truly changed her life dramatically. Meanwhile, Kosaka Nao of Hinatazaka46 revealed that she wrestled with doubt until the registration deadline, but the belief that "effort is never wasted" and "nothing begins without trying" ultimately gave her courage.
Marketing Strategy and Premiere
Before the official announcement, Aobazaka46's marketing strategy had already attracted considerable attention. In addition to the television advertisement, Sony Music Japan also put up a mysterious outdoor advertisement in Shibuya, Tokyo, that simply read "Aobazaka46 2026.8.18 21:00 Streaming on YouTube". This puzzle-like approach succeeded in creating anticipation and speculation among fans, with various theories emerging ranging from the possibility of a fourth group in the Sakamichi series, a collaboration project among the three groups, to the announcement of a multimedia project such as a game or anime.
The official Aobazaka46 YouTube channel has been launched and in a short time has gathered more than 24,000 subscribers. The group is also active on various social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok. The official audition website has also been launched and supports eight languages, including Indonesian, indicating the global ambition of this project.
Impact and Significance
Aobazaka46 represents a new approach within the Sakamichi Series ecosystem, which has long been dominated by the three main groups. The concept of a one-year group that functions as a "talent factory" for all three groups at once is an innovation that has never been done before in the history of this franchise. Previously, in 2018, a joint audition was held for Nogizaka46, Keyakizaka46, and Hiragana Keyakizaka46 that produced 39 participants from a total of 129,182 applicants, but the participants were immediately placed into their respective groups. Aobazaka46 is different because its members will form a group of their own before eventually being placed.
The group also reflects Sony Music Japan's strategy to continue expanding and renewing the Sakamichi franchise, which has been running for more than a decade. By providing a structured entry path for young talents, Aobazaka46 is expected to become a solution for ensuring the continuity of the three senior groups with a supply of high-quality new members.
Future Prospects
With the audition still ongoing until October 2026 and the selection process continuing until the end of the year, Aobazaka46 is expected to begin its full activities in early 2027. Over the coming year, the group is scheduled to release music, appear at various events, and build its own fan base before the members are eventually placed into their respective senior groups.
The success of this unique concept remains to be seen, but the initial enthusiasm from fans and the presence of strong supporting infrastructure from Sony Music Japan provide a solid foundation for Aobazaka46 to begin its journey. For fans of the Sakamichi Series, Aobazaka46 offers the opportunity to witness the birth of a new generation of idol talent that will shape the future of Nogizaka46, Sakurazaka46, and Hinatazaka46.
References
Situs resmi Aobazaka46. "Aobazaka46 Audition." aobazaka46.com.
Nogizaka46 Official Site. "乃木坂46・櫻坂46・日向坂46につながる1年間限定の新グループ「青葉坂46」誕生！メンバー募集オーディション開始！" nogizaka46.com, 18 Agustus 2026.
Mantan-web. "Aobazaka46: A new Sakamichi group will be formed for a limited time of one year." en.mantan-web.jp, 18 Agustus 2026.
Overseas Idol. "Nogizaka46 Sparks Buzz with Mysterious 'Aobazaka46' Teaser." overseasidol.com, 17 Agustus 2026.
Wikipedia bahasa Spanyol. "Aobazaka46." es.wikipedia.org.
TEGASIAN. Aobazaka46: Jembatan Masa Depan Menuju Generasi Baru. tegasian.tegaroom.com