Sana (사나)

Minatozaki Sana arrived at JYP Entertainment not as a debut pick but as a near-miss — a member of the pre-debut project 6MIX that was ultimately dissolved before it launched. When JYP restructured its plans and assembled TWICE through the 2015 survival competition *Sixteen*, Sana secured her place in the final nine-member lineup, beginning a career that would make her one of the most recognizable Japanese artists active in the K-pop industry.

Debut & Formation

Sana was born in Osaka, Japan, on December 29, 1996, and was scouted by JYP Entertainment as a trainee before the formal group-building process began. Her path through 6MIX and then *Sixteen* meant her debut was shaped by public scrutiny from an early stage. TWICE officially debuted on October 20, 2015, with the extended play *The Story Begins*, positioning Sana as one of three Japanese members in a group otherwise composed of Korean nationals — a multinational configuration that would become a deliberate and commercially significant part of the group's identity.

Within TWICE

Sana's presence within TWICE has been defined as much by personality and stage charisma as by any single formal role. The group does not operate on strictly delineated vocal or rap lines in the way some contemporaries do, and Sana has contributed across performance and vocal capacities throughout TWICE's extensive discography. Her visibility within the group has been consistently high, and she is frequently cited in coverage as a focal point of the group's visual and fan-engagement dynamic.

Her profile extended further with MISAMO, a TWICE sub-unit comprising exclusively the group's three Japanese members — Sana, Momo, and Mina. The unit has represented a distinct creative space, allowing the three to engage more directly with a Japanese audience and sonic identity separate from the main group's output.

Activities

Beyond music, Sana has maintained a public presence in the fashion and luxury space. In March 2026, she attended the Prada White Sun opening event at Lotte Department Store Jamsil Avenuel in Seoul, a placement that reflects the broader trend of K-pop's top-tier acts serving as de facto brand ambassadors within the luxury goods sector.