is an all-female Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese pop

Pop music

Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...

 group within Hello! Project

Hello! Project

is the umbrella name for all female idol Japanese pop recording artists collective that are under contract with the Up-Front Group. The "mothership" group of Hello! Project is the super-group Morning Musume. Hello! Project's current leader is Risa Niigaki, the leader of Morning Musume...

.

History

Country Musume was formed in 1999 and was billed as "Country Girls from Hokkaidō

Hokkaido

, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...

". The initial group consisted of members and Hokkaidō natives Rinne Toda, Azusa Kobayashi, and Hiromi Yanagihara

Hiromi Yanagihara

was a founding member of Hello! Project group Country Musume. She joined Country Musume in 1999 along with Rinne Toda and Azusa Kobayashi. On July 16, 1999, Yanagihara was killed in a car accident one week before the group's first release, Futari no Hokkaidou on July 23, 1999...

.

Shortly before release of their first single in July 1999, Yanagihara was killed in a car accident. After the tragedy, Kobayashi departed from the group and Toda carried on as a soloist, releasing two singles under the "Country Musume" name by herself. In summer of 2000, Asami Kimura

Asami Kimura

is a J-pop singer and former member of Hello! Project. She joined the group Country Musume in 2000 and became the group leader in 2002. She also played on the Gatas Brilhantes H.P. futsal team. She graduated from Hello! Project on January 28, 2007...

 was added to the group and the duo released one more single.

Their popularity rose when Morning Musume

Morning Musume

, sometimes referred to as is a Japanese idol girl group, whose act generally revolves around singing and dancing to upbeat melodies. They are the lead group of Hello! Project, which is managed and produced by Tsunku, who composes nearly all the lyrics and melodies of their songs...

's Rika Ishikawa

Rika Ishikawa

, is a Japanese pop singer and TV/radio hostess, associated with the Hello! Project banner and best known as a former member of the pop group Morning Musume. She was the leader of the trio v-u-den until June 2008...

—who is from Kanagawa

Kanagawa Prefecture

is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...

 and not Hokkaidō—was lent into the group in April 2001; the Country Musume had their first charting single in Japan with the release of "Hajimete no Happy Birthday." The trio under the name "Country Musume ni Rika Ishikawa" released two singles and an album. Early in 2002, Mai Satoda

Mai Satoda

is a member of the Hello! Project group Country Musume.- Biography :Satoda was discovered during the Morning Musume 4th Generation Auditions in 2000. She is also a member of Hello! Project's futsal team, Gatas Brilhantes H.P...

 was recruited into the group although she initially auditioned to be a Morning Musume member.

The quartet released one single before Toda (the remaining original member) bid farewell at the end of 2002. Afterwards, Kimura, Ishikawa, and Satoda released one more single.

In mid-2003, Country Musume had a major shift in its roster. Miuna Saito

Miuna Saito

is a Japanese pop singer was former member of Country Musume from mid 2003 until she graduated from the group on January 28, 2007 and played for Gatas Brilhantes H.P.-Country Musume:She was introduced to Country Musume in mid 2003 instead of Rika Ishikawa...

, who is from Shizuoka

Shizuoka Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...

, was recruited into the group. Instead of Rika Ishikawa

Rika Ishikawa

, is a Japanese pop singer and TV/radio hostess, associated with the Hello! Project banner and best known as a former member of the pop group Morning Musume. She was the leader of the trio v-u-den until June 2008...

, the group featured Asami Konno

Asami Konno

, born May 7, 1987, is a Japanese pop singer, best known as former fifth generation member of the all-girl Japanese pop group Morning Musume. She joined the group in the August 2001, along with fellow fifth generation members Ai Takahashi, Makoto Ogawa, and Risa Niigaki.- Biography :Konno joined...

 and Miki Fujimoto

Miki Fujimoto

, professionally known by her birth name , is a Japanese pop singer and television actress. After failing the audition to join girl group Morning Musume with the fourth generation members, Fujimoto debuted as solo artist within Hello! Project in 2002 with the single "Aenai Nagai Nichiyōbi"...

, both from Morning Musume

Morning Musume

, sometimes referred to as is a Japanese idol girl group, whose act generally revolves around singing and dancing to upbeat melodies. They are the lead group of Hello! Project, which is managed and produced by Tsunku, who composes nearly all the lyrics and melodies of their songs...

 and are Hokkaidō

Hokkaido

, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...

 natives. Under this new formation (named "Country Musume ni Konno to Fujimoto"), the quintet has released three singles as of date. In 2004, Country Musume (except the featured singers) participated on the fifth edition of Hello! Project's Folk Songs series, where various H!P artists sing covers of Japanese and Western folk songs.

Kimura and Saito graduated from Country Musume and Hello! Project in its 10th anniversary concert on January 28, 2007 leaving Satoda as the only remaining member.

Albums

#	Title	Release date	Members
1		2001-12-12	Toda, Kimura Asami Kimura is a J-pop singer and former member of Hello! Project. She joined the group Country Musume in 2000 and became the group leader in 2002. She also played on the Gatas Brilhantes H.P. futsal team. She graduated from Hello! Project on January 28, 2007... , Ishikawa Rika Ishikawa , is a Japanese pop singer and TV/radio hostess, associated with the Hello! Project banner and best known as a former member of the pop group Morning Musume. She was the leader of the trio v-u-den until June 2008...
2		2006-08-23	—

Singles

#	Title	Release date	Members
Country Musume
1		1999-07-23	Yanagihara Hiromi Yanagihara was a founding member of Hello! Project group Country Musume. She joined Country Musume in 1999 along with Rinne Toda and Azusa Kobayashi. On July 16, 1999, Yanagihara was killed in a car accident one week before the group's first release, Futari no Hokkaidou on July 23, 1999... , Kobayashi and Toda
2		1999-11-30	Toda
3		2000-04-27
4		2000-07-31	Toda and Kimura Asami Kimura is a J-pop singer and former member of Hello! Project. She joined the group Country Musume in 2000 and became the group leader in 2002. She also played on the Gatas Brilhantes H.P. futsal team. She graduated from Hello! Project on January 28, 2007...
Country Musume ni Ishikawa Rika
5		2001-04-18	Toda, Kimura Asami Kimura is a J-pop singer and former member of Hello! Project. She joined the group Country Musume in 2000 and became the group leader in 2002. She also played on the Gatas Brilhantes H.P. futsal team. She graduated from Hello! Project on January 28, 2007...  and Ishikawa Rika Ishikawa , is a Japanese pop singer and TV/radio hostess, associated with the Hello! Project banner and best known as a former member of the pop group Morning Musume. She was the leader of the trio v-u-den until June 2008...
6		2001-10-17
7		2002-04-17	Toda, Kimura Asami Kimura is a J-pop singer and former member of Hello! Project. She joined the group Country Musume in 2000 and became the group leader in 2002. She also played on the Gatas Brilhantes H.P. futsal team. She graduated from Hello! Project on January 28, 2007... , Satoda Mai Satoda is a member of the Hello! Project group Country Musume.- Biography :Satoda was discovered during the Morning Musume 4th Generation Auditions in 2000. She is also a member of Hello! Project's futsal team, Gatas Brilhantes H.P...  and Ishikawa Rika Ishikawa , is a Japanese pop singer and TV/radio hostess, associated with the Hello! Project banner and best known as a former member of the pop group Morning Musume. She was the leader of the trio v-u-den until June 2008...
8		2002-11-13	Kimura Asami Kimura is a J-pop singer and former member of Hello! Project. She joined the group Country Musume in 2000 and became the group leader in 2002. She also played on the Gatas Brilhantes H.P. futsal team. She graduated from Hello! Project on January 28, 2007... , Satoda Mai Satoda is a member of the Hello! Project group Country Musume.- Biography :Satoda was discovered during the Morning Musume 4th Generation Auditions in 2000. She is also a member of Hello! Project's futsal team, Gatas Brilhantes H.P...  and Ishikawa Rika Ishikawa , is a Japanese pop singer and TV/radio hostess, associated with the Hello! Project banner and best known as a former member of the pop group Morning Musume. She was the leader of the trio v-u-den until June 2008...
Country Musume ni Konno to Fujimoto
9		2003-07-24	Kimura Asami Kimura is a J-pop singer and former member of Hello! Project. She joined the group Country Musume in 2000 and became the group leader in 2002. She also played on the Gatas Brilhantes H.P. futsal team. She graduated from Hello! Project on January 28, 2007... , Satoda Mai Satoda is a member of the Hello! Project group Country Musume.- Biography :Satoda was discovered during the Morning Musume 4th Generation Auditions in 2000. She is also a member of Hello! Project's futsal team, Gatas Brilhantes H.P... , Saitou, Konno Asami Konno , born May 7, 1987, is a Japanese pop singer, best known as former fifth generation member of the all-girl Japanese pop group Morning Musume. She joined the group in the August 2001, along with fellow fifth generation members Ai Takahashi, Makoto Ogawa, and Risa Niigaki.- Biography :Konno joined...  and Fujimoto Miki Fujimoto , professionally known by her birth name , is a Japanese pop singer and television actress. After failing the audition to join girl group Morning Musume with the fourth generation members, Fujimoto debuted as solo artist within Hello! Project in 2002 with the single "Aenai Nagai Nichiyōbi"...
10		2003-12-05
11		2004-08-04

External links

• Official Hello! Project Profile