Tokunaga Chinami

Tokunaga Chinami

Discography

Publications

Concerts & Events

Gallery

Tokunaga Chinami徳永(とくなが)千奈美(ちなみ)
Tokunaga Chinami, May 2021
Name
Nicknames	Chii-san (ちーさん) Toku-san (徳さん) China (ちな)
Personal Information
Born	May 22, 1992 (1992-05-22)
Origin	Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
Blood Type	O
Zodiac Sign	Gemini Monkey
Height	164 cm (5 ft 4.5 in)?
Professional Information
Genres	J-Pop
Occupation	Idol, Singer, Actress, Model, Hello! Project Advisor
Years Active	2002-2021 (18 years)
Agency	UP-FRONT AGENCY (2002-2012) UP-FRONT PROMOTION (2012-2021)
Label	UP-FRONT WORKS PICCOLO TOWN (2002-2015)
Associated Acts	Berryz Koubou, Hello! Project Kids, H.P. All Stars, ZYX-α, Ganbarou Nippon Ai wa Katsu Singers, Mobekimasu, BeriKyuu, DIY♡, Mellowquad, UP-FRONT GROUP Telework Gasshou
Berryz Koubou
Joined	January 14, 2004
Debut Single	Anata Nashide wa Ikite Yukenai
Last Single	Romance wo Katatte / Towa no Uta
Departure	March 3, 2015
Tenure	11 Years, 1 Month, 17 Days
Member Color	Orange (2005, 2007-2015) Light Blue (2005-2006)
Links
Blog	Tokunaga Chinami Official Blog
Instagram	@chinami.tokunaga
Autograph

Tokunaga Chinami (徳永千奈美) is a former Japanese idol, actress, and model previously managed by UP-FRONT PROMOTION. She is a former member of Hello! Project, having joined as a member of Hello! Project Kids in 2002 and later debuting as a member of Berryz Koubou in 2004. During her time in Hello! Project, she was also a member of ZYX-α, BeriKyuu, DIY♡, and Mellowquad. She graduated from Hello! Project on March 3, 2015 in a joint graduation concert with the other members of Berryz Koubou. Since then, she had been on hiatus as of November 25, 2015 to study abroad and learn English in New Zealand.

On February 28, 2021, Tokunaga’s contract with UP-FRONT PROMOTION expired, and she subsequently left the company to work a new job that made use of the English skills she had obtained while studying abroad.

Biography

Tokunaga Chinami, August 2015

Tokunaga Chinami, January 2015

Tokunaga Chinami, November 2014

Tokunaga Chinami, February 2014

Tokunaga Chinami, October 2013

Tokunaga Chinami, January 2013

Tokunaga Chinami, December 2012

Tokunaga Chinami, July 2012

Tokunaga Chinami, October 2011

Tokunaga Chinami, March 2011

Tokunaga Chinami, July 2010

Tokunaga Chinami, March 2010

Tokunaga Chinami, November 2009

Tokunaga Chinami, January 2009

Tokunaga Chinami, July 2008

Tokunaga Chinami, November 2007

Tokunaga Chinami, August 2007

Tokunaga Chinami, December 2006

Tokunaga Chinami, November 2005

Tokunaga Chinami, December 2004

Early Life

Tokunaga Chinami was born on May 22, 1992 in Kanagawa, Japan to a couple whose names are undisclosed.

2002

On June 30, Tokunaga Chinami joined Hello! Project after successfully passing the Hello! Project Kids Audition along with 14 other girls.

2004

In 2004, she was one of the eight members selected to form Berryz Koubou.

She was a member of Little Gatas and Mix Gatas and was added to Gatas Brilhantes H.P. in 2007.

2008

In 2008, her cellphone was stolen and several pictures were leaked out to the internet.

2009

At the spring concert in Tokyo (Berryz Koubou Concert Tour 2009 Haru ~Sono Subete no Ai ni~), on April 5 it was reported that Tokunaga collapsed on stage. A short while after Tokunaga collapsed, fellow member Tsugunaga Momoko came out on stage and said that “Chinami just got over enthusiastic and used up too much energy, but she will be fine”. A recording of Tsugunaga’s message has confirmed the news.

In 2009, Tokunaga was assigned to be a part of the new shuffle group ZYX-α along with Niigaki Risa, Kusumi Koharu, Umeda Erika, Tsugunaga Momoko, Sudo Maasa, Wada Ayaka, and Ogawa Saki.

Tokunaga, along with four other members of °C-ute and Berryz Koubou left the Hello! Project futsal team, Gatas Brilhantes H.P.. The members left of their own violition due to feeling that they could not perform as high level players due to their level of ability.

2012

On July 20, it was announced that Tokunaga, Yajima Maimi, Natsuyaki Miyabi, Nakajima Saki and Iikubo Haruna were chosen to form the unit DIY♡. The unit released an indies single, titled "Forefore ~Forest For Rest~ / Boys be ambitious!" (with GREEN FIELDS), on November 7.

2013

On March 2, at SATOYAMA e Ikou! ~Forest For Rest~, Tokunaga was announced a member of the new SATOUMI movement unit, Mellowquad, along with fellow Berryz Koubou member Natsuyaki Miyabi and ℃-ute's Yajima Maimi and Okai Chisato.

On May 22, Tokunaga had her birthday event, titled Tokunaga Chinami Birthday Event ~there My 21 Birthd Party.night~.

On May 26, Tokunaga appeared on the cover of the magazine Rod & Reel. This is her first time being on the cover of a magazine by herself.

On June 8, Tokunaga's Twitter account was closed.

2014

On May 22, Tokunaga celebrated her 22nd birthday. The special event was called Berryz Koubou ~Tokunaga Chinami Birthday Event 2014~, the event featured two performances in Tokyo.

2015

On March 3, Tokunaga graduated from Berryz Koubou and Hello! Project, along with the rest of the group. After graduating, she and Shimizu Saki became Hello! Project Advisors.

On April 30, Tokunaga began co-hosting the Hello! Project show GREEN ROOM alongside fellow former Berryz Koubou member Natsuyaki Miyabi.

On May 4, she attended Hello Pro Kenshuusei Happyoukai 2015 ~Haru no Koukai Jitsuryoku Shindan Test~ as a judge.

In November 25, it was announced by UP-FRONT PROMOTION's representative director that Tokunaga would halt her position as a Hello! Project advisor to study abroad and learn English. Tokunaga herself stated in a blog post that she would be leaving in mid-December.

2017

On June 12, Tokunaga returned to Japan in order to get a driver's license so she would able to drive while living abroad, but she failed the exam on her first try. It was not until November 1, that she announced she had finally received her license and would study abroad once more.

2018

On February 6, Tokunaga announced she was in New York City training as an official NBA ambassador for RakutenTV, who made a deal with the NBA for exclusive online distribution rights in Japan. She would be working alongside Morning Musume '18 member Nonaka Miki, who was revealed to be an ambassador the day before. On February 18, she announced she was the ambassador for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

2020

On July 23, after several years of studying abroad in New Zealand, she revealed that she had returned home to Japan about a month prior, but had not publicly disclosed her return back then due to COVID-19 precautions.

2021

On February 28, Tokunaga’s contract with UP-FRONT PROMOTION expired and was not renewed. She revealed that she had been building her resume and applying to jobs since her return to Japan in mid-2020, and had landed a job that made use of the English skills she had obtained while studying abroad.

2022

On March 3, Berryz Koubou's major debut 18th anniversary, Tokunaga Chinami announced that she had gotten married in early spring 2021 to someone she had been dating to a while, and that she had given birth to her first child, a baby boy.

Personal Life

• Family
• Education
• Name Meaning
• Nicknames

Tokunaga's parents are divorced and she uses her mother's maiden name. Her birth name is rumoured to be Suzuki Chinami (鈴木千奈美). She has an older sister and two younger sisters.

She also has a pet dog named Root.

When Tokunaga joined Hello! Project Kids, she was a fourth year elementary school student. She graduated from high school in March 2011.

Tokunaga's given name, "Chinami", means thousand (千; chi), a kind of plant (奈; na) and beauty (美; mi). It's a feminine Japanese given name and surname.

Here is a list of nicknames that was used to refer to Tokunaga Chinami:

• Chii-san (ちーさん): Official nickname, given her since joining Berryz Koubou. Used by members and fans.

Profile

• Stats
• Q&A
• More

• Name: Tokunaga Chinami (徳永千奈美)
• Nickname: Chii-san (ちーさん), Toku-san (徳さん), China (ちな), Chinami, Tokkuriina, Chinacchan, Chii-chan (ちーちゃん), Chinako (ちなこ), Chii (ちい)
• Birthdate: May 22, 1992 (1992-05-22)
• Birthplace: Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
• Blood Type: O
• Height: 164 cm (5 ft 4.5 in)^?
• Western Zodiac: Gemini
• Eastern Zodiac: Monkey
• Hello! Project Status:
  • 2002-06-30: Member
  • 2004-01-14: Berryz Koubou Member
  • 2015-03-03: Graduated
• UP-FRONT GROUP Status:
  • 2002-06-30: Joined UP-FRONT AGENCY
  • 2012-10-01: Transferred to UP-FRONT PROMOTION
  • 2015-11-25: Hiatus
  • 2021-02-28: Contract expired (not renewed)
• Years in Berryz Koubou: 10 Years
• Official Kaomoji: 从*´∇｀)
• Berryz Koubou Color:
  • Light Blue (2005-2006)
  • Orange (2005, 2007-2015)
• DIY♡ Color:
  • Yellow (2012)
  • Purple (2012-2015)
• Hello! Project Groups:
  • Hello! Project Kids (2002-2015)
  • Berryz Koubou (2004–2015)
  • BeriKyuu (2011-2015)
  • DIY♡ (2012-2015)
  • Mellowquad (2013-2015)
• Shuffle Units:
  • H.P. All Stars (2004)
  • ZYX-α (2009-2011)
• Concert Units:
  • Hello! Project Shirogumi (2005)
  • Wonderful Hearts (2006–2010)
  • Hello! Project Mobekimasu (2010–2013)
• Other Groups:
  • Little Gatas (2004–2007)
  • Mix Gatas (2006)
  • Gatas Brilhantes H.P. (2007–2009)
  • Ganbarou Nippon Ai wa Katsu Singers (2011)
  • UP-FRONT GROUP Telework Gasshou (2020)

• Favorite Brand/Designer: Kaparua
• Favorite English Phrase: "Member of Society".
• Special Skill: Badminton.
• Strong Point: Laughing.
• Weak Points: Being fickle.
• Favorite Subject: Homeroom.
• Favorite Animal: Dogs and Elephants.
• Favovite Colors: Red, Yellow, Orange.
• Favorite Songs in the Past: "Dango 3 Kyoudai" by Hayami Kentarou and Shigemori Ayumi (with Hidamari Kids and Dango Chorus), "Zurui Onna" by Sharam Q, "Ai no Shirushi" by PUFFY.
• Current Favorite Songs: "Stay" by Miley Cyrus, "GOOD LUCKY!!!" By Gucky, "Aitai" by Yuzu
• Rival: Yajima Maimi

Hello! Project Daihyakka (2004) Details

• Hobby: Sleeping
• Special skill: Badminton, making crossed eyes, laughing
• Strong point: I laugh everyday!
• Weak point: I get mad as soon as I don't like something
• Habit: My eyes are half-open when I'm sleeping
• Favorite color: Pink, orange, black, gray, white
• Favorite flower: Sunflower
• Disliked thing to do: Handicrafts, ice-skating
• Scared of: Ghosts!
• Favorite movie: "The Tigger Movie" (Winnie the Pooh)
• Favorite book: "The Tigger Movie" book (Winnie the Pooh)
• Favorite word: "Happy!" "Arigatou!" (thank you) "Daisuki!" (I love you) "Genki!!" (energetic)
• Favorite season: Summer. Because you can really play all you want
• Favorite food: Sushi, fruits, spaghetti, nattou, figs
• Least favorite food: Green bell peppers, green peas, mushrooms
• Favorite song: "Momoiro Kataomoi" (Matsuura Aya)
• Charm point: Eyes, smiling face
• [2010.01] Nation Junior Magazine (Thailand)

1. Is it hard for teenagers working in the entertainment industry?:

I don't find it hard because I really love what I am doing. The only difficult thing is waking up early in the morning.

2. What has been the most impressive moment of your career?:

We've had many great experiences since we started the band but my most impressive moment was our concert at Saitama Super Arena (one of the best stadiums in Japan). It was such a very happy moment for me

3. What are your goals?:

To play our own concert at Budoukan, one of the greatest stadiums in Japan.

4. Where do you see yourself in 50 years?:

Still living a colorful life: fashion, my smile and my feelings will all be colorful.

Discography

Main article: Tokunaga Chinami/Discography

Solo DVDs

• [2007.04.01] Tokunaga Chinami Berryz Koubou DVD Magazine Vol.8 (DVD Magazine)
• [2012.10.13] Orange
• [2013.09.07] White

Publications

Main article: Tokunaga Chinami/Publications

Solo Photobooks

1. [2009.09.11] Chinami
2. [2012.10.12] Metamorphose (メタモルフォーゼ)

Works

Movies

• [2002] Koinu Dan no Monogatari (仔犬ダンの物語)
• [2004] Promise Land ~Clovers no Daibouken~ (Promise Land ~クローバーズの大冒険~)
• [2011] Ousama Game (王様ゲーム) (as Kamoshita Akemi)

TV Programs

• [2002–2007] Hello! Morning (ハロー! モーニング)
• [2007–2008] Haromoni@ (ハロモニ@)
• [2008] Berikyuu! (ベリキュー!)
• [2008–2009] Yorosen! (よろセン!)
• [2009] Bijo Houdan (美女放談) (2 episodes)
• [2010–2011] Bijo Gaku (美女学)
• [2011–2012] Hello Pro! TIME (ハロプロ！ＴＩＭＥ)
• [2011–2013] Kaette Kita Berryz Kamen! (帰ってきたBerryz仮面!)
• [2012–2013] Hello! SATOYAMA Life (ハロー！ＳＡＴＯＹＡＭＡライフ)
• [2014–2015] The Girls Live

TV Dramas

• [2012] Suugaku♥Joshi Gakuen (数学♥女子学園)

Theater

• [2006] Edo Kara Chakushin!? ~Timeslip to Kengai!~ (江戸から着信!? 〜タイムスリップto圏外!〜)
• [2007] Reverse! ~ Watashi no Karada Doko Desu ka? (リバース! 〜私の体どこですか?)
• [2008] Berryz Koubou VS Berryz Koubou (Berryz工房 VS Berryz工房)
• [2009] Thank You Very Berry (サンク ユー ベリー ベリー)
• [2010] Sanokuen Shoujo (三億円少女)
• [2011] Real Etude Minna no Ie Girl's STAGE (リアルエチュード みんなの家 Girl's STAGE)
• [2011] Sengoku Jieitai (戦国自衛隊) (Stageplay)
• [2012] Sugar Spot (シュガースポット)
• [2013] Warera Jeanne ~Shoujo Seisen Kageki~ (我らジャンヌ 〜少女聖戦歌劇〜) (as Harold and Tatiana)
• [2014] Musical Sengoku Jieitai (戦国自衛隊) (Musical)

Internet

• [2011] Michishige Sayumi no "Mobekimasutte Nani??"
• [2013–2015] Hello! Project Station
• [2014–2015] MUSIC+
• [2015] GREEN ROOM (Main MC)

Radio

• [2004–2009] Berryz Koubou Kiritsu! Rei! Chakuseki! (Berryz工房 起立! 礼! 着席!)
• [2009–2012] Berryz Koubou Beritsuu! (Berryz工房 べりつぅ!)
• [2012–2015] BZS1422

Music Videos

• [2003] Fujimoto Miki - "Boogie Train '03" (as back dancer)

Trivia

Her favorite artists are Inui Hiroshi, misono, AAA, Nakamura Ataru and Miley Cyrus. Entertains herself by doing an "eyeball relay" (shuffling her eyeballs side-to-side). Chinami has a dog named Ruuto, who is of the same breed of Shimizu Saki's dog Kurumi. Known within other Hello! Project members for doing one-shot gags often. Ishikawa Rika singled her out on some of her past gags on Gyao's Hello Pro Hour. Collects small stuffed animals. Her favorite is a small green dinosaur, from the Chobin series of stuffed animals. In Berryz Koubou's latest DVD magazine, Tokunaga has claimed she wants to make an all around the world trip with all of Berryz Koubou. She said "When we land we can say 'We are Berryz Koubou' and then fly to the next country". She appears on the pv of Boogie Train '03 along with Sudo Maasa, Tsugunaga Momoko, and Umeda Erika. Hello! Project Kids Audition song: Momoiro no Kataomoi by Matsuura Aya From Sono ~Sono Subete no Ai ni~: her good subject is Physical Education and her favorite food is Ume. During the trip to Hawaii, she shared room with Shimizu Saki. Sometimes calls Natsuyaki Miyabi her "girlfriend." In a recent Berryz Koubou DVD Magazine, she said her favorite Berryz member was Kumai Yurina. She hates perfumes that have a too sweet scent. People often says that her voice is loud. Back when she first started in Berryz, when they did their self-introductions and were asked what was their favorite food, even though she liked sushi the best she gave a different answer because she thought sushi wasn't a cute answer. After some prompting they find out it is spaghetti. Tokunaga said she doesn't find spaghetti cute anymore, so she gives her real answer (sushi) nowadays. Berryz Koubou members call her "granny" because she does things like eat umeboshi and she has had a bag of them on the train (which is like old people food). She's usually in a high tension, that's why is really easy to tell when she's feeling down. When something troubles her, she's really lost in thoughts. On a magazine, she stated that live events are places where she can reaffirm her own objective point of growth. Only when she look at seals or dolphins (or something like this), she can say that she calm down, and that all her worries go away. She's in charge of comedy in Berryz Koubou because she says puns all the time. In 4th grade, she ranked 3rd at the prefectural tournament of Badminton. In Yorosen!, she taught Berryz Koubou about Ecology. She can recite pi to 45 decimal places. She mentioned on Hello Pro Time that she has been sleeping alot lately. When Berryz Koubou first debuted, Tokunaga had the longest hair within the group. Although, in 2005, she decided to cut her hair short. Tsugunaga Momoko says she gets really angry when she's hungry. She wants to learn English so she could talk to Barack Obama, former president of the United States. When she was asked which smile of all Hello! Project members she likes the most she answered it would be Suzuki Kanon's. Considers Yajima Maimi as her greatest rival in Hello! Project. Once in a special interview she said that her favorite song is Tsukiatteru no ni Kataomoi.

External Links

• Berryz Koubou Profile (archived)
• Official Blog
• Instagram