Rika Watanabe

is a former member of the female Japanese idol group Sakurazaka46. She also serves as a regular model for the female fashion magazine LARME since July 2017 and an exclusive model for the female fashion magazine since November 2017. Like other members, Watanabe is represented by Sony Music Labels.

Biography Born on 16 May 1995 in Ibaraki Prefecture, Watanabe passed first generation member audition of Keyakizaka46 on August 21, 2015, and started her activities.

On 6 May 2017, she made her runway debut at the fashion and music event GirlsAward 2017 SPRING ／ SUMMER, held at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium. She is also part of the subgroup along with Risa Watanabe, Akane Moriya, Yūka Sugai and Manaka Shida. As part of the subunit, Watanabe made appearances in three songs: "Aozora Chigau" in "Sekai ni wa Ai Shika Nai", "Wareta Sumaho" in "Fukyōwaon, and "Namiuchigiwa o Hashiranai ka?" in "Kaze ni Fukarete mo".

On 10 July 2017, LARME announced that she will be one of the magazine's regular model.

She is close with Risa Watanabe, who from also from Ibaraki and shares the same family name. Fans call them collectively as "W Watanabe" or "Beri Beri". and is also close with Nagasawa Nanako and Neru Nagahama, and are well known among fans as Hotoke-zu.

She has a shy and clumsy disposition, and her treasure Whale Shark Plush "AOKO" of Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is popular among the fans.

Skills Her special skills are playing the piano and Japanese calligraphy (shodō).

Hobbies Her hobbies are visiting neko cafes, shopping, sleeping, and looking up a place with good food and eating there. She has decided to eat curry on Thursdays.

She prefers dogs over cats. 2017 Girls Award 2017 Autumn/Winter 2017 Tokyo Girls Collection 2017 Autumn/Winter 2017 Tokyo Girls Collection Hiroshima 2017 2018 Tokyo Girls Collection 2018 Spring/Summer 2018 Girls Award 2018 Spring/Summer 2018 Girls Award 2018 Autumn/Winter 2019 Tokyo Girls Collection Shizuoka 2019 2019 Tokyo Girls Collection 2019 Spring/Summer 2019 Tokyo Girls Collection Kumamoto 2019