Yamagishi Riko

"Up to now, Tsubaki Factory have been told that we have this image of being reserved and quiet, but with our major debut on the 22nd of February this year, we'd like to do our best to make this year the year where Tsubaki Factory takes the lead role."

- Yamagishi Riko, January 2017

Yamagishi Riko (山岸理子) is a Japanese pop singer under Hello! Project as a member and leader of Tsubaki Factory. She first joined Hello! Project as a member of Hello Pro Kenshuusei in June 2012 and was introduced at the June 2012 recital alongside Nomura Minami.

Early Life
Yamagishi Riko was born on November 24, 1998 in Chiba, Japan.

She was a part of DSK Dancer's Club prior joining Hello Pro Kenshuusei.

2012-2014
In June 2012, Yamagishi joined Hello Pro Kenshuusei after auditioning for the program. She was officially introduced as a member on June 17 at the June 2012 recital alongside Nomura Minami. Later that summer, she participated in the Morning Musume 11ki Member "Suppin Utahime" Audition alongside several other members of Hello Pro Kenshuusei, but failed.

Begining in 2013, Yamagishi began to take part in activites outside of Hello Pro Kenshuusei starting with the Winter 2013 Hello! Project concert tour, where she was a back-dancer for several performances. She then continued participating in every Hello! Project concert tour, as well as Soto Fest and the annual Hinatsuri Festival and Countdown Lives, as a trainee, until mid-2015.

After the conclusion of the winter Hello!Con, she participated in the stage play Nettai Danshi, which ran from February 7th to February 17, 2013, alongside Kaga Kaede. On March 6th, she participated in a fanclub event for newcomers Ichioka Reina and Makino Maria.

Starting on April 2013, Yamagishi was starring on the Hello Pro Kenshuusei original webshow Hello Pro Kenshuusei no Tadaima Kenshuuchuu!. The show concluded in September. Soon after, on October 5 a new webshow titled ~Onedari Entame!~ Hapi★Pure began airing. Hapi★Pure concluded on September 27, 2014, one year after it began airing.

In fall 2013, Yamagishi participated in Morning Musume's fall 2013 tour alongside several other trainees as a back-dancer. She was later chosen to be part of the opening and challenge act for Morning Musume's fall 2014 Budokan concert, S/mileage's summer 2014 Budokan concert, Berryz Koubou's fall 2014 Budokan Concert, and ℃-ute's spring 2014 concert tour, ℃-ute no Hi concert at Nippon Budokan and spring 2015 concert tour alongside other selected trainees.

In late 2013, Yamagishi auditioned for a role with Engeki Joshibu and passed. She starred in the Engeki Joshibu musical Bokutachi Karen na Shounen Gasshoudan, which ran from March 14 to March 23, 2014, which also features Yasuda Kei, Ogawa Makoto and several other trainees. At around the end of the year, she participated in the stage play Kurukuru to Shi to Shitto, starring Niigaki Risa and Kikkawa Yuu. The stage play ran from December 3rd to December 11, 2014.

2015
In 2015, Yamagishi was featured in the music video for ℃-ute's 27th single "Tsugi no Kado wo Magare," released on April 1st, alondside Kaga Kaede, Ichioka Reina and Horie Kizuki as back-dancers.

On April 29, 2015, it was announced that Yamagishi would be debuting in a new unit named Tsubaki Factory alongside Kishimoto Yumeno, Niinuma Kisora, Asakura Kiki, Ogata Risa and Tanimoto Ami. Yamagishi's response regarding the new unit:

"That I entered the Kenshuusei and then am going to debut in such short fashion makes me nervous, but when I was chosen, I was also surprised. To think that all of those that have supported me until now will be with me forever makes me happy. In Hello! Project there are a lot of groups with varied personalities, I want us to become a group that can reliably put out our personality for everyone to see."

Yamagishi had her first performance as a member of Tsubaki Factory on May 4, during the Hello Pro Kenshuusei Happyoukai 2015 ~Haru no Koukai Jitsuryoku Shindan Test~ event.

On May 16, 2015, Tsubaki Factory's official blog was announced and Yamagishi made her first post.

On August 8, it was announced that Yamagishi would be the leader of Tsubaki Factory.

2017
On March 25, Yamagishi announced at Hello! Project Hina Fest 2017 that she would release her first solo photobook titled Riko on April 27.

On November 24, Yamagishi celebrated her 19th birthday at a fanclub event titled Tsubaki Factory Yamagishi Riko Birthday Event 2017, which featured two shows at TOKYO FM HALL.

2018
On May 27, the Fami Hello! PHOTOBOOK was released, including Yamagishi's gravure that was originally published in an August 2017 issue of Weekly Famitsu.

Personal Life
Family= Yamagishi has an older sister. She also has a nephew.

She owned a miniature dachshund named Annie, whom she had since she was in her first year in elementary school. Annie passed away on March 3, 2016.

Yamagishi was a second year middle school when she initially joined Hello Pro Kenshuusei in June 2012. When she joined Tsubaki Factory in April 2015, she was in her second year of high school. She graduated from high school in March 2017.
 * -|Education=

The following list are notable friendships Yamagishi Riko has acquired:
 * -|Friendships=
 * Nomura Minami: She is good friends with Kobushi Factory member Nomura Minami, who she considered to be her rival in Hello Pro Kenshuusei back in December 2013 because they joined at the same time.
 * Kaga Kaede: She is good friends with Morning Musume member Kaga Kaede.
 * Ichioka Reina: She also is good friends with Hello Pro Kenshuusei member Ichioka Reina.

Yamagishi's given name, Riko, means "truth" (理; ri) combined with "child" (子; ko). Her parents named her by taking the first kanji from each of their names.
 * -|Name Meaning=

The following is a list of nicknames that have been used to refer to Yamagishi Riko:
 * -|Nicknames=
 * RikoRiko (りこりこ): Official nickname. Given to her since joining Hello Pro Kenshuusei.
 * Yama (やま): Used by Ichioka Reina.

Profile
Stats=
 * Name: Yamagishi Riko (山岸理子)
 * Official Nickname: Rikoriko (りこりこ)
 * Birthday:
 * Birthplace: Chiba, Japan
 * Blood type: B
 * Height: 155cm
 * Western Zodiac: Sagittarius
 * Hello! Project Status:
 * 2012-06: Hello Pro Kenshuusei Member
 * 2015-04: Tsubaki Factory Member
 * Tsubaki Factory Member Color: Light Green (2015-)
 * Hello! Project groups:
 * Hello Pro Kenshuusei (2012-Present)
 * Tsubaki Factory (2015-Present)
 * Hello! Project Station Dance Club (2015-Present)
 * -|Q&A=
 * Hobbies: Reading books, collecting pens
 * Specialties: Dancing, cartwheels
 * Favorite Music Genres: Hip hop, R&B, J-pop
 * Favorite Sport: Badminton
 * Motto: Minna chigatte, minna ii. (みんなちがって､みんないい｡; Everyone is different, everyone is good.)
 * Favorite Food: Wakame egg soup, Beansprouts, grated yam, edamame, natto, ume, and fruit
 * Least Favorite Food: Shiitake mushrooms, pickles carrots, sea urchin, and persimmon
 * Favorite School Lunch Item: Miso cheese salad
 * Favorite Colors: Yellow-green, pink
 * Favorite Animal: Dogs; her favorite breeds are Miniature Dachshund, Shiba Inu, and Toy Poodle)
 * Favorite Hello! Project Songs:
 * (As of May 2015) "Gamusha LIFE", "Bishoujo Shinri", "Love take it all", "THE FUTURE" and "Adam to Eve no Dilemma", all by ℃-ute
 * (As of November 2013) "Bagel ni Ham & Cheese" by ℃-ute, "Hatsukoi Cider" by Buono!, and "Shin•Nippon no Susume!" by S/mileage
 * (In October 2016) "KEEP ON Joshou Shikou!!" by Juice=Juice,
 * Favorite Tsubaki Factory Song: Teion Yakedo
 * Favorite Movies: Cinderella, Biri Gal
 * Favorite Anime: Chibi Maruko-chan, Sazae-san, Crayon Shin-chan, Doraemon
 * Looks Up To: Suzuki Airi, Fukumura Mizuki, ℃-ute, Sasaki Rikako

Solo Photobooks

 * [2017.04.27] Riko (理子)

Other Photobooks

 * [2018.05.27] Fami Hello! PHOTOBOOK

Cover girl

 * [2018.02.16] Young Gangan No.05

Television

 * [2013-2014] ~Onedari Entame!~ Hapi★Pure

Theater

 * [2013] Nettai Danshi
 * [2014] Bokutachi Karen na Shounen Gasshoudan
 * [2014] Kurukuru to Shi to Shitto
 * [2015] Thank You Very Berry
 * [2016] Kizetsu Suru Hodo Aishiteru!
 * [2016] Zoku 11nin Iru! Higashi no Chihei, Nishi no Towa
 * [2016] Nega Poji Poji
 * [2018] Nettai Danshi (Daily Guest Role)

Internet

 * [2013] Hello Pro Kenshuusei no Tadaima Kenshuuchuu!

Music Videos

 * [2017] ℃-ute - To Tomorrow

Trivia

 * She wanted to join Hello Pro Kenshuusei because she liked Minimoni when she was little.
 * She thinks she won't lose to any other member in the droopiness of her eyes.
 * She wants to be someone who makes everyone energetic and to be able to dance cool and sing.
 * For her, the hardest thing about being a Hello Pro Kenshuusei is when she isn't chosen for things and when she feels like she hasn't improved at all.
 * When asked what group she'd like to join, she answered Morning Musume. When asked again later, she said that her dream was to join a Hello Pro Kenshuusei unit.
 * She wants to try singing "Crazy Kanzen na Otona" by ℃-ute.
 * She sang "Kono Machi" for the Hello Pro Kenshuusei Happyoukai 2013 ~Haru no Koukai Jitsuryoku Shindan Test~ event and her number for the event was 15.
 * She says that everything has gotten easier since she joined the program. She's progressed in singing and dancing and has gotten people below her. She thinks she's probably competent when it comes to rhythm but not so much with pitch. Still, she finds the lessons fun and is glad she joined the program.
 * As of August 2015, she has the most theater work from the Kenshuusei.
 * Fukumura Mizuki and Uemura Akari said that they are curious about Riko.
 * Ever since she got her member color, she started to collect green colored items.
 * Her future goal is wanting to appear in dramas and movies, and work with animals.