Rika Ishikawa

**Rika Ishikawa** is a Japanese singer, talent and idol signed under J.P. Room. She is best known as a former member of Morning Musume and the leader of the former group v-u-den.

## History

### Early Life

Rika Ishikawa was born in Yokosuka, Japan on January 19, 1985.

### 2000-2001

Ishikawa auditioned for Morning Musume while it was holding its fourth generation auditions. She succeeded and entered the fourth generation with three other girls; Hitomi Yoshizawa , Nozomi Tsuji, and Ai Kago. The fourth generation's debut single was Morning Musume's 9th single, "Happy Summer Wedding". Rika Ishikawa breifly became a replacement member for the 2000 shuffle unit, Aoiro 7. At the same time as this, Ishikawa was added as a second generation member to the first official Morning Musume sub-group, Tanpopo.

In 2001, Ishikawa was added to the then-semi-dormant Hello! Project group Country Musume. It was hoped that she could help get the fairly quiet group back onto its feet and allow her fans to spill over to the group to aid in its sales.

As Ishikawa was working hard within both these groups, she was also performing as a full recording member of Morning Musume and in 2001 she received a prominent part inMorning Musume's twelfth single "The☆Peace!". The part was not a singing part but rather a spoken part near the end that focused entirely on her. The song became a personal favorite of Ishikawa as the monologue spoken by her towards the end of the song became one of her favorite moments of being in Morning Musume.

Ishikawa also took part in her first shuffle unit recording as a part of 3nin Matsuri alongside her fellow Morning Musume member Ai Kago and Hello! Project soloist Matsuura Aya.

### 2002-2005

Ishikawa continued her duties within Morning Musume, Tanpopo and Country Musume during 2002, taking part in the 2002 shuffle unit Sexy 8. Sexy 8 won the competition that the Hello! Project shuffle units competed in every year; selling the most copies of their singles out of the three shuffle groups.

In a surprise move by Tsunku, Morning Musume was split into two halves - Morning Musume Otome Gumi and Morning Musume Sakura Gumi - so that the large group could perform in smaller towns that could not hold the larger numbers the full ensemble needed. Ishikawa was placed into Otome Gumi and released two single with the group before the groups merged together and formed Morning Musume once more. Ishikawa was included in the 2003 Elemental Shuffle Groups as a member of 7AIR.

It was in 2003 that Ishikawa ended her duties as leader within Tanpopo and as a member of Country Musume. She instead joined the short-lived ROMANS group in 2003, releasing only one single, "Sexy Night ~Wasurerarenai Kare~", on August 20, 2003 before disbanding the same year.

In May, it was announced that Ishikawa would be graduating from Morning Musume. She would graduate during the 2005 Morning Musume concert tour.

In the second quarter of 2004, the formation of a new Hello! Project group Ecomoni was announced. Ishikawa was to be partnered with Morning Musume's Sayumi Michishige in the hopes that their group could promote environmental awareness. The group was originally supposed to be a temporary Hello! Project group, existing only for the duration of the Acchi Chikyuu wo Samasunda (熱っちぃ地球を冷ますんだ, Cool Down the Hot Earth) environmental festival, lasting from June 19, 2004 to June 20, 2004. After the festival, instead of disbanding the group, Ecomoni started to appear on Japanese TV, especially on the program Oha Suta (おはスタ).

In August, the formation of another Hello! Project group involving Ishikawa was announced. Ishikawa was going to be the leader of a new group v-u-den, alongside Hello Pro Kenshuusei member Okada Yui and Tsunku♂ Produce Hello! Project Shin Unit Audition winner Miyoshi Erika. The group released their debut single "Koi no Nukegara" on September 23, 2004. The new group also starred in their own television show Majokko Rikachan no Magical v-u-den (魔女っ娘。梨華ちゃんのマジカル美勇伝) between October 4, 2004 and December 24, 2004.

On May 7, Ishikawa graduated from Morning Musume at Nippon Budokan to concentrate her efforts on v-u-den. The group released four more singles which was then followed by their debut album, "Suite Room Number 1", in October 2005.

### After Morning Musume

On January 26, it was announced that on June 29, 2008 v-u-den would be disbanding after four years of being one of the most active Hello! Project groups in regards to single and album releases. On April 23, v-u-den released their final single, Nanni mo Iwazu ni I LOVE YOU and officially disbanded after their last concert during their v-u-densetsu 5 tour. Ishikawa was to go on with her career as a member of Ongaku Gatas and as a player for Gatas Brilhantes H.P.. Ongaku Gatas released their first album "1st GOODSAL" on February 6 and their third single on September 10.

On October 12, 2008 it was announced that Ishikawa was going to be paired up with fellow ex-Morning Musume member Hitomi Yoshizawa in the new unit Hangry & Angry in collaboration with a Harajuku fashion store of the same name. Hangry & Angry made their first United States performance at Sakura-Con in Seattle, Washington in April 2009.

On March 31, Ishikawa graduated from Hello! Project with the rest of Elder Club.

On January 1, 2010 Ishikawa opened up an official blog.

On February 9, 2010, It was announced Ishikawa and Hello Pro Kenshuusei members Kikkawa Yuu and Sengoku Minami will be in a stage play titled Tiger Breathing. The play ran from 5/7-11.

On July 9, 2010, It was announced that Ishikawa would have an FC-exclusive solo event titled Ishikawa Rika Casual Dinner Show. The event had two shows (times are only for shows, the dinner will take place much earlier) on 8/21 Flamingo the Arusha – 14:00/ 18:30.

From October 8-10, 2010, Ishikawa appeared as one half of HANGRY & ANGRY at the New York Anime Festival (NYAF). She participated in the h.Naoto fashion show and panel.

On September 2,2010, It was announced Ishikawa and Hitomi Yoshizawa would have an FC exclusive event titled Ishikawa Rika & Yoshizawa Hitomi FC Event. The event took place at Yokohama BLITZ on the following dates: 10/25 – 19:00 and at 10/27 – 19.

On January 28, 2011, it was announced that Ishikawa was part of the OG member group Dream Morning Musume and that they would be releasing the groups first album, called "Dorimusu ①", on April 20th, 2011. On July 04, 2011 Okai Chisato and Ishikawa were in a mini drama titled Tokusou Shirei! Aichi Police.

On November 9th, she opened an Ameba blog.

In April 2012, Ishikawa starred in the movie Atsuhime Number 1 where she played the role of a Shogun's wife travelling through a time slipped into the future, present day Japan.

In short previews of Suugaku♥Joshi Gakuen, it was revealed that Ishikawa plays Machida Nina's big sister.

On February 12, Hello! Project Fanclub News announced that Ishikawa will participate in a stageplay titled Moshimo Kokumin ga Shusho o Erandara along with Ai Takahashi, S/mileage members Wada Ayaka and Fukuda Kanon, and Hello Pro Kenshuusei members Miyamoto Karin and Uemura Akari. There were 11 showings and it ran from April 24th through the 30th.

Sometime in late 2013, Ishikawa was transferred to J.P. Room alongside Hitomi Yoshizawa and Kei Yasuda.

On August 5, Ishikawa revealed that she is in a relationship with Nogami Ryoma, a professional pitcher for the baseball team Saitama Seibu Lions. It has been reported that they have been dating since the end of last year.

On December 31, Ishikawa made a surprise appearance in the second part of the Hello! Project COUNTDOWN PARTY 2016 ~GOOD BYE & HELLO!~, performing in four group songs.

On March 13, 2017, On January 1, Sports Hochi reported that Ishikawa and Nogami intend to get married sometime in 2017. This was later confirmed, and they officially registered their marriage on March 13.

On November 16, Nogami revealed in an interview with Sports Hochi that Ishikawa was five months pregnant with their first child and she is expected give birth in the spring. Ishikawa also made an announcement on her blog the next day.

On December 9, Ishikawa and Nogami held their wedding party, which was attended by several former Hello! Project members and Nogami's former teammates from the Saitama Seibu Lions.

On April 25, Ishikawa announced that she gave birth to a son.

On November 18, Ishikawa announced that she was pregnant with her second child.

On January 11, Ishikawa announced that she gave birth to her second child, a son.

In September, Ishikawa became a model for Aimmx, Ai Takahashi's line of cosmetics.

On January 1, she was transferred from J.P ROOM to UP-FR0NT CREATE alongside Miki Fujimoto, Kei Yasuda, Maasa Sudo, Yurina Kumai, Erina Mano, Maimi Yajima, Saki Nakajima, Haruka Kudo, Haruna Iikubo and Rina Katsuta.

On January 22, Ishikawa celebrated her 38th birthday at a fanclub event titled Ishikawa Rika Birthday Event 2023 ~Tadaima~, featuring two shows at Tokyo FM Hall.

## Appearance

Rika wears a blue vest over a yellow shirt, a blue skirt and yellow boots. She has blonde hair.