Momoka Ariyasu is a Japanese singer and photographer, as well as a former idol and child actress. She is best known as a former member of the all-girl musical group Momoiro Clover Z, in which her signature color was green.
Biography
Ariyasu was born in Kyoto Prefecture and grew up in Saitama Prefecture. Since the age of one, she has started acting as a baby magazine model. She was later represented by talent agency Carotte C&T and appeared on television shows and in numerous commercials. Starting in 2004, Ariyasu regularly appeared on the Fuji TV network's morning children's program Ponkikkids, where she acted as a member of a unit called Sister Rabbits. Around the same time, she joined EXPG, the boy-band Exile's dance and vocal school for kids. The school members performed as child dancers for Exile and also received acting lessons. On November 1, 2008, Ariyasu moved from Carotte to the Stardust Promotion talent agency, and on February 2, 2009 was put into the agency's all-girl idol group Power Age. Power Age had been launched in 2005 with members of elementary to high-school age, but it was nearing the end of its existence when she joined. Three months later, in May, the band was disbanded. On July 26, 2009, Ariyasu was added as a sixth member to the idol group Momoiro Clover, which was about to release its first indies single. On November 9, 2012, Ariyasu's video comment was projected at Hige Danshaku's live comedy show at Molière Theater in Shinjuku, Tokyo. During the performance, Louis Yamada LIII revealed that he was an avid fan of Ariyasu and had even named his recently born daughter Momoka after her. On January 1, 2013, it was announced that Ariyasu would refrain from singing and talking until the end of January. As it was explained, she was receiving treatment for her throat and needed to let her vocal cords rest. On February 7, it was announced that another full month, until the end of February, was needed to complete the treatment and therefore in the upcoming events and broadcasts, Ariyasu would communicate by means of writing and other members would take turns in performing her solo parts in songs. Ariyasu attended the Faculty of Arts at Nihon University and graduated from Department of Photography in March 2017. She was awarded the special prize of the art department and the photography department encouragement prize. She was the only university graduate among the Momoiro Clover Z members. On January 15, 2018, Ariyasu announced on her personal blog that she would graduate Momoiro Clover Z to live life without any schedules or plans. Her last performance as a member of Momoiro Clover Z took place on January 21, 2018. On January 15, 2019, exactly one year after her graduation announcement, Ariyasu announced her comeback as a performer while continuing her activities as a photographer. She would be represented by her own company, Apricot, Inc., and announced two concerts in Tokyo and Osaka. On February 6, 2019, Ariyasu announced that she is in a relationship with a physician with the intention to get married.
Image
Ariyasu's Momoiro Clover "image color" was green. At 148 cm, she is the shortest member of the group. The tagline she uses when introducing herself to audiences is "Silly little giant". She characterizes herself as "baka", saying that at school she cannot understand fundamental things or remember anything, but her co-members say she actually studies all the time, even backstage. Ariyasu explains that it is exactly because she is stupid that she has to study hard. Her favorite subjects are English, mathematics and Japanese.
