Girl Group Star Announces Her Marriage, Future Plans
A former member of a popular idol group is embarking on her next adventure: marriage.
Watanabe Rika is a former member of the J-Pop girl group Sakurazaka46. She joined Sakurazaka46 (then called Keyakizaka46) in August 2015 and officially became part of the 1st Generation lineup in February 2019. Rika left the group in 2021 and has continued working in the entertainment industry as a model.
On March 3, Rika (also known to fans as Berika) announced her marriage on Instagram, in the post’s caption and handwritten letter. In the caption, she revealed that she has married a non-celebrity. She also confessed that she felt a bit nervous about how her announcement might be received.
She went on to express her heartfelt thanks to her supportive fans, who have followed her since her idol days, as well as to a new group of fans who are following her for her mountain-climbing and nature posts. Rika began chronicling her climbing adventures and love for mountains in 2025.
“I have been fortunate to meet many people and experience many things since entering the industry at 20,” Rika wrote in her handwritten letter. “Through those experiences, I realized that the moments where I feel truly at ease are the quiet, natural ones. I’m happy to have met someone who values that side of me.” She intends to continue working in the entertainment industry at her own pace while focusing on her personal interests, like “the beauty of the mountains.”
