Is Seven Bento Enough? Minayo Watanabe Surrounded by Fans at Shin-Osaka Station
Performing as if she were an idol
Around 7 p.m. in mid-November, a couple was walking through the concourse of Shin-Osaka Station, surrounded by a group of men walking closely behind them. The couple in question was Minayo Watanabe (55) and her husband, businessman Masaki Yajima (59).
In fact, two days prior and the day before, Watanabe had held a fan meeting in Osaka, with Yajima accompanying her. During the event, Watanabe wore a pure white dress and performed songs from her days with the “Onyanko Club,” delighting her long-time fans with a nostalgic performance.
“The ‘Onyanko Club’ was a female idol group that originated from the Fuji TV variety show ‘Yuuyake Nyan Nyan.’ Their activity period was just three years, from 1985 to 1987, but they produced many popular idols such as Sayuri Kokushou (57) and Shizuka Kudo (54).
Watanabe, along with Mariko Watanabe (54), was part of ‘W Watanabe,’ which was hugely popular. She debuted as a solo artist in July 1986 with ‘Hitomi ni Yakusoku’ and went on to top the charts with five consecutive singles, a new record at the time” (idol magazine writer).
In 1996, Watanabe married Masaki Yajima, a member of the rockabilly band HOT SOX and former assistant to Hiromi Go (69). Now in their 28th year of marriage, they continue to appear together on Watanabe’s YouTube channel. The channel has gained massive support from women, and Watanabe has become a charismatic figure among people of her generation.
