Meet & Greets

Photo sessions (撮影会)

These are sessions where you get to take photos with the members. To promote new releases or events, they often hire out a venue for a day or two and hold multiple sessions over the day, with the members changing outfits several times. There is also usually an opportunity for a few fans to take photos with the members before or after their live shows. Photo sessions are sometimes known as chekikai, as originally you could only take cheki (like a Polaroid) photos with the members. These days you can choose whether to take a Polaroid or use your phone.

Photo sessions are usually held with just 1 member at once, but there have been opportunities to take photos with certain pairs, trios, or the entire group. You can choose whether you want to be in the photo or not. You can ask the member to do any pose as long as it is not offensive, obscene or dangerous, and you can explain it to them easily. You cannot touch the members unless you choose one of the 4 set poses pictured in the photo on this page. Unfortunately it's forbidden to post your photos with the members online.

After taking the photo, you get about a minute to speak to the members. Photo sessions at overseas events are usually much more lax than in Japan, so the members might speak to you for longer than normal.

Online meet and greets (オンライン特典会)

Sometimes also called talk calls, these are online phone calls or videos calls with the members. They were introduced to replace normal photo sessions during the pandemic. Instead of taking a photo with the members, you can take as many screenshots as you like, as long as you tell the member before you shoot. An alarm will ring 15 seconds before the end of your turn, and the member will end the call after saying goodbye.

Video calls are currently being held on the LINE app. Due to being online events, it's possible for fans to take part from overseas, but the tickets are sold on e+ which does not accept international payment methods. If you do take part in an online meet and greet, you need to add the member's account as a friend on LINE. You then need to send them a message containing your e+ registration number to confirm you will be participating.

Handshake sessions (握手会)

As you might've guessed from the title, this is a chance to shake hands with the members. This is usually done at promotional events such as free lives, and a ticket to take part in the session sometimes comes free with the merchandise they are selling. Handshake sessions may also be held at the end of events to thank the fans for coming. Depending on how fast the staff move you on, you get about 10 seconds to say a few words to each member.

Autograph session (サイン会)

These are fairly rare and are most commonly seen at overseas events. At previous events they have allowed you to get an autograph from a member when you spend a certain amount of money on CDs or merchandise (e.g. buying a keyring gets you an autograph from 1 member). You can ask the members to sign anything within reason, such as CD covers, trading cards and event pamphlets, but they will not sign on skin or fabric. As with the handshake sessions, this is another chance to talk to the members and is usually more relaxed overseas than in Japan, but make sure you move on when asked by the staff.

Greeting/Waving off (お迎え・お見送り)

This is where the members welcome you to the venue or wave you off at the end of a performance. These have replaced handshake sessions during the pandemic to avoid unnecessary physical contact.

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