Ayano Omoto, known as Nocchi of the techno-pop trio Perfume, has married actor Kento Shibuya, her agency announced on its official website. Both are 38.
The agency wrote that it was reporting that Nocchi, a member of Perfume, had married Shibuya. Nocchi issued a comment of her own: "I am writing to let you know that I have gotten married. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has always watched over and supported me with such warmth."
Nocchi debuted with Perfume in 2005, and the single "Polyrhythm" became a major hit in 2007. The group appeared on NHK's year-end Kōhaku song contest for 16 straight years, from 2008 through 2023. Perfume entered a cold sleep — the group's term for a hiatus from activities — this year.
Social media filled with surprise and congratulations, including one fan who joked that the break was less a cold sleep than a "hot sleep."
An actor since childhood
Shibuya debuted as a child actor at 8. He played soccer well enough to join the junior youth setup at Tokyo Verdy, but narrowed his focus to acting in junior high school and has worked since in TV dramas, films and stage productions.
His NHK taiga drama — the broadcaster's year-long historical serial — credits include "Toshiie to Matsu," "Idaten" and "Seiten o Tsuke," and he currently appears in "Toyotomi Kyōdai!" An entertainment-industry source said Shibuya has rarely carried a lead role but has devoted himself to acting.
For "Toyotomi Kyōdai!" he plays Nagakatsu Maeda, a supporting part. The source said Shibuya toured graves and castles in Aichi and Gifu to build a picture of the man, and that fellow actors trust him deeply for that kind of preparation.
That dedication matches what Nocchi has described as her type. "The kind of man Nocchi says she likes is someone for whom work comes first," the source said. "In that sense Shibuya, who has kept at acting seriously for nearly 30 years without a break, fits her to a T."
A group looking at its own lives
Perfume entered its cold sleep this year so that the three members, who have worked continuously since debuting, could make time to face their own lives. Ayaka Nishiwaki, known as A-chan, announced her marriage to a man outside the entertainment industry in November last year, part of the same turn.
A music-industry source said Nocchi and Kashiyuka, whose real name is Yuka Kashino, traveled to Lake Como in Italy in September when A-chan held her wedding there. Nocchi was genuinely happy for her and said she felt she wanted the same for herself, according to the source.
Fans now want to know when the cold sleep will end. The same source said no deadline has been set and there is no sign of one, but that the group chose a hiatus rather than a breakup because it envisions starting again.
Nocchi hinted at a return in her comment, saying she would keep taking on challenges and growing so she could make enjoyable times with everyone, and that she looked forward to meeting fans with a smile again.