HKT48
Official logo
Background information
Origin	Fukuoka, Japan
Genres	Pop,J-pop,Teen pop,Bubblegum pop
Years active	2011 (2011)–present
Labels	EMI (UMG)
Member of	AKB48 Group
Members	Team H details Team KIV details Team TII details
Website	www.hkt48.jp

HKT48 (read "H.K.T. Forty-eight") is aJapanese idol group produced byYasushi Akimoto. HKT48 is named after theHakata-ku, Fukuoka city ofFukuoka Prefecture, where Akimoto originally intended to base the group.^[1] The group currently performs at City Bank HKT48 Theater inFukuoka^[2] and has sold nearly 4 million copies of CDs in Japan.

Plans for a group entitledHKT48 were first revealed byAKB48 producer Yasushi Akimoto on November 19, 2008.^[1] HKT48 was officially announced on May 1, 2011, at an AKB48 handshake event.^[3] The group was the fourth AKB48 sister group to be launched, after the groupsSKE48,SDN48 andNMB48.^[4] While the group took its name from its proposed base location ofHakata-ku, Fukuoka, HKT48 was eventually based at a theater in the Hawks Town Mall in neighboringChūō-ku, Fukuoka.^[1][4] This location is next to theFukuoka Yahoo! Japan Dome.^[5] In addition, it was announced that the group would be accepting applications from girls aged between 11 and 22.^[3] The first round of the first HKT48 audition took place from May 31, 2011, and successful applicants took part in the second round of auditions, consisting of a singing and dancing test, in the first half of July 2011.^[3] The final auditions were held at Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk Hotel on July 10 and 24 candidates successfully passed the final.^[6]

After undergoing dance and vocal lessons, HKT48's 21 first-generation members were first revealed at an AKB48 handshake event on October 23, 2011, atSeibu Dome.^[5] Of these 21 members, 17 were junior high school students or below, and two were elementary-school students.^[7] The youngest member of the group, Natsumi Tanaka, was born in 2000, and was 11 years old at the time of the announcement. She said that "joining AKB48 is my ambition since I was 5 years old, so it feels like a dream to be in this group."^[7] The oldest member was Yūko Sugamoto, who was 17 years old at the time of the announcement.^[5]

They debuted at HKT48 Theater on November 26, 2011,^[8] and have been performing sets of songs entitled "Te o Tsunaginagara", which had been originally performed by SKE48 Team S and KII. On December 31, 2011, 16 members appeared on the stage of the 62nd edition of "NHKKōhaku Uta Gassen", as one of the sister groups of AKB48.^[9] On March 4, 2012, the first 16 members were selected to form Team H, and appeared on the stage.^[10] On June 20, 2012,Rino Sashihara fromAKB48 transferred to HKT48 and as of 2012 was HKT48's oldest member.^[11]

On June 23, 2012, the final auditions for the second generation were held, and 34 candidates out of 48 finalists has passed the final.^[12] On August 18, 2012, the management announced that five members, three from Team H, Komori, Sugamoto and Taniguchi, and two Kenkyusei – Eto and A. Nakanishi, would be resigning from HKT48 "due to personal reasons".^[13] On August 24, 2012, it was announced on the first day of the AKB48 concert atTokyo Dome thatAika Ota, one of AKB48 Team A members, would be transferred to HKT48.^[14] On September 23, 2012, HKT48's second generation research students were announced.^[15]

HKT48 released their debut single, "Suki Suki Skip!" on March 20, 2013, under theUniversal Sigmarecord label.^[16][17]

On March 31, 2016, the existing theater located at Hawks Town Mall was closed, with a special farewell performance. A new temporary theater opened in Nishitetsu Hall, also in Chūō-ku, Fukuoka, on April 28, 2016.^[18]

In mid-2018, 10 members of HKT48 joinedProduce 48, a South Korean competition television show onMnet to form a girl group. MembersSakura Miyawaki andNako Yabuki finished in 2nd and 6th placed respectively, both earning themselves a spot to debut inIZ*ONE.

On November 2, 2020, the new and permanent theatre was opened in BOSS E・ZO FUKUOKA. The theatre was named "Nishi-Nippon City Bank HKT48 Theater".

On May 15, 2021, bothSakura Miyawaki andNako Yabuki returned to HKT48.Sakura Miyawaki also announced her graduation, which took place on June 27, 2021.

On October 16, 2022, during HKT48 11th anniversary concert, Nako Yabuki announced her graduation from the group with graduation concert would be held in Spring 2023.^[19]

Team H's formation was announced at HKT48 theater on March 4, 2012. At the conference, it was also announced that 16 members were selected and 5 members remained as a trainee.^[20] On January 11, 2014, during their first exclusive concert tour in Ōita, a theater managerRino Sashihara announced a new Team KIV and promotion of 17 members from the trainees.^[21] On March 30, 2016, the group announced that Team TII was formed and 10 trainees were promoted from 3rd generation and 2nd Generation draft members.^[22]

On November 26, 2017, the group announced that all 10 trainees from 4th generation were promoted and assigned to the existing 3 teams, one to Team H, two to Team KIV, and seven to Team TII.

On April 9, 2021, the group announced that 4 trainees from the 5th generation were promoted and assigned to two teams, two to Team H and two to Team KIV.

On October 16, 2022, the group will end its current three-team system with Team TII ceased and start its two-team activities with Team H and Team KIV in February 2023.^[19] It is also announced a new captain for both Teams H and Team KIV respectively.

Team H is associated with the color Sulu Green, the current captain is Yuka Akiyoshi.^[23]

Team KIV is associated with the color Charlotte Blue, the current captain is Aoi Motomura.

Team TII is associated with the color Golden Yellow, the current captain is Emiri Yamashita and the current co-captain is Hazuki Hokazono.^[22]

These members were transferred from HKT48 to a different group.

• HKT48 no Odekake! (TBS, 2013–2017)^[50]
• Majisuka Gakuen 0 Kisarazu Rantō Hen (NTV and Hulu Japan, November 28, 2015)^[51]
• HKT48 vs NGT48 Sashikita Gassen (NTV and Hulu Japan, January 12 – March 29, 2016)^[52]
• HKT Variety 48 (2012-2019)^[53]

• Ozaki Shihainin ga Naita Yoru Documentary of HKT48 (2015)^[54]

Media related toHKT48 at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website(in Japanese)

• HKT48
• AKB48 Group
• Culture in Fukuoka Prefecture
• Japanese girl groups
• Japanese idol groups
• Japanese pop music groups
• 2011 establishments in Japan
• Musical groups established in 2011
• Universal Music Japan artists
• Musical groups from Fukuoka Prefecture

• Pages using the EasyTimeline extension
• CS1 uses Japanese-language script (ja)
• CS1 Japanese-language sources (ja)
• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from September 2020
• Articles with hCards
• Articles containing Japanese-language text
• Commons category link from Wikidata
• Articles with Japanese-language sources (ja)