TOKYO - Rin Okabe, a popular member of AKB48 who has been selected for the group's singles 12 times, has announced the release of her first photobook on March 27th to commemorate her graduation from the group.
The photobook, which is yet to be titled, features a collection of photographs taken in her hometown of Hitachi City in Ibaraki Prefecture, where she serves as the "Ibaraki Ambassador," as well as in Okinawa Prefecture.
The theme of the photobook is "a journey of reset and restart," beginning with a location personally meaningful to Okabe—the area in front of JR Joban Line's Hitachi Station. For the first time, she took on the challenge of a full-fledged gravure shoot, including swimsuit and lingerie scenes, which she mentioned she had almost no experience with before.
Okabe, who was nominated for "The 100 Most Beautiful Faces in the World" in both 2022 and 2023, retains the charm and delicacy that has captivated fans over her ten-year idol career. However, this photobook also includes many shots that overturn the conventional image of "Rin Okabe," showcasing her from multiple perspectives.
Reflecting on the opportunity to publish a photobook, Okabe said, "I had never thought about releasing a photobook, so I hesitated at first when the idea was presented to me. But when I heard that the photographer Kazutaka Nakamura, whom I've long admired and who has taken many of my favorite photographs and photobooks, would be in charge of the shooting, I was instantly motivated. From that day on, I started walking two hours every morning and did everything I could to prepare for the shoot. I felt so attached to the project that I experienced a sense of loss after returning from the location shoot. I believe it has turned out to be the best photobook, and I definitely want as many people as possible to get their hands on it!"
Source: MDPR
