Land Hey（Sisters duo｜“The Power of Sign Language” delivered by sisters)

Until I accept my “Deaf self”

――It seems that you spent your childhood in Fukuoka, where your parents lived, but what kind of child were you?

Mone　I was a tomboy who hated to lose and got hurt a lot. My sister is 5 years older, and my brother is 2 years older, but I followed them everywhere whenever they go out to play. One day, I imitated the two of them and rode my bicycle down the slope by letting go, and I stepped on a large stone and fell. At that moment, I hit my forehead against the stone wall next to me and eventually had to sew it up… (bitter laugh) My parents were always worried because I was in such a state.

――It hurts just to listen to it… (laughs) When did you find out that you couldn’t hear?

Mone　Before I was one year old, my parents felt uncomfortable with my reaction to the sound and took me to the hospital. When I was tested there, it seemed that I couldn’t hear. From there, I started going to a rehabilitation center, and from that time on, my family began to learn sign language as a means of communication.

――When did you start learning sign language?

Saho　After I found out that my sister couldn’t hear me. At home, we often communicate in simple sign language, and I have learned and used simple sign language and finger spelling since I was a child. But I started seriously studying sign language when I started my current activities. So, I’m not yet able to say, “I know sign language”, and I’m still currently in the process of studying.

――Did you go to a school for the deaf for elementary, junior high, and high school?

Mone　That’s right. However, when I was in junior high school, I attended a local junior high school for just one and a half year.

――Why is that?

Mone　I’ve loved my sister and brother since I was little, so the “lonely” feeling that I was the only one who was different became stronger and stronger. Even though the two of them have a common topic going to the same school, I felt frustrated and envious that I was the only one who couldn’t join them… I really wanted to go to the same school. So, when my brother was in the third year and I was in the first year of junior high school, my parents consulted with the board of education, and I was able to enter the same junior high school that my brother attended.
I had an older brother for one year, so my brother and his friends helped me whenever I had any problems. But when I was in my second year of junior high school, there was no one to rely on as my brother graduated. After that, I thought, “I have to do my best on my own,” but I was confronted with the differences between myself and those around me, and I began to worry more about my identity.

――I see…

Mone　At that time, I myself had not yet accepted that I could not hear. I was also hesitant to use sign language. Then, I think it will be like that why not use written communication, but while taking the plunge and conveying my honest feelings to the homeroom teacher, the words will remain as words in writing. I felt like I was being confronted with reality even more because casual exchanges that seemed to flow in conversations were left as written records. So, I gradually moved away from school… Eventually, I couldn’t go to school at all from around June of my second year of junior high school.

――After that, you decided to go back to school for the deaf.

Mone　Yes, with the advice from my junior high school homeroom teacher, I went to a school for the deaf for just one day. Then I noticed that I could understand the content of the class and what my friends were saying as if I was picking it up word by word. I was very moved by that, and I wanted to live as a deaf person using sign language. Transferring schools would be like running away from the junior high school I had been attending, so I was very worried at first. However, when the teacher saw that I was communicating lively using sign language, the teacher encouraged me by saying, “It is one option to do your best at the school for the deaf again.”

 

A new scenery opened up by challenges

――I heard that you won a prize in a sign language speech contest when you were in high school.

Mone　That’s right. When I was attending Fukuoka High School for the deaf, I met a friend. There are two sign languages: “Japanese Sign Language (JSL)” and “Manually Coded Japanese (MCJ)”, and until then I had been using “Manually Coded Japanese (MCJ)”, which replaced sign language words to match the Japanese speech. But my friend used “Japan Sign Language (JSL)”. Both are basically the same, but “Japan Sign Language (JSL)” has its own word order, and facial expressions, body orientation, and gaze are also important factors, so you can express the image in your head more realistically. When I saw that, I thought, “It’s wonderful” and “I’m envious” that the same deaf person can express it so differently. From then on, I became strongly attracted to the depth of sign language. As I researched various things, I learned that there was a sign language speech contest that high school students from all over the country could participate in, and I really wanted to take on the challenge.

――From the point of when you were struggling with your own identity, it was a big step.

Mone　Until then, I didn’t have confidence in myself. But I thought, “Taking action might change something.” When I tried for the first time in my second year of high school, I failed the second exam. It was a contest where hearing people could participate, but I was very frustrated that I couldn’t win a prize as a deaf person.

――So you continued to challenge yourself from there.

Mone　Driven by frustration, I started to practice desperately for a year to “improve my expression more”. At that time, the presence of the teachers who watched over me was great. While spending time with the teachers, I was able to realize that sign language is not just a means of communication but also has depth and cultural richness as a language. Then I tried again in my third year of high school, and I was selected as one of the top five winners. At that moment, I was really happy… “You can be confident even if you don’t hear” – it was a major event that made me confident. This experience changed my way of thinking about sign language and made me want to challenge myself communicating on social media.

 

Behind the 1 million You Tube plays

――Winning a prize in a speech contest was the trigger for your current activities.

Mone　That’s right. Looking at various posts, I felt that there were many nuances such as “pitiful” that I couldn’t hear. There was almost no positive message that “it’s fun even if you don’t hear it”… That’s why I wanted to dispel the negative image of deaf through communicating on social media. So, I talked to my sister about wanting to start social media, and she immediately agreed.

――What did you think at that time?

Saho　To be honest, there was a part of me that I thought it was a negative point not to be able to hear. But there are many parts of my sister that I feel are never like that. Mone has better observation and expressiveness than others, and she has a really rich vocabulary. She can express things with sign language and facial expressions that I can’t put into words. I remember being genuinely moved when I saw the speech contest.
When I was a high school student, I was impressed by the sign language of Kentaro Hayase (Deaf Bicycle Japan Representative, Filmmaker, Sign Language Director) and participated in a workshop held in Tokyo on my own from Fukuoka. When I actually saw the sign language of Kentaro Hayase live, I was shocked that there were people who could enjoy expressing sign language so expressively and beautifully. I also feel that Mone’s sign language has a positive connection to it. So, when I heard that she wanted to dispel the negative image of deaf, I could strongly sympathize with her. Some people may feel something by seeing her innate brightness and her true charm. To that end, I wanted to do something I could do.

――When you actually started streaming, what were your impressions and viewers’ reactions?

Saho　To be honest, I didn’t think it would last this far when I first started (laughs).

Mone　Yes (laughs). We first started streaming videos in 2020, but at that time I was still alone and streaming on TikTok. A year later, the two of us started streaming, but at that time we didn’t have any followers at all. Furthermore, one year later, in May 2022, the two of us posted GReeeeN’s “A-I-U-E-Ongaku” in the form of a “sign language song” with finger spelling. Then the number of views grew increasingly, and it exceeded an unexpected 1 million views! I was very surprised…

Saho　Truly! But there was a backstory to this, and we actually had a big fight before filming that video (laughs). I am singing a cappella in the video we posted, but it wasn’t supposed to be that way at first. We were trying to use the sound source properly, but on the day, we found out that we couldn’t use it… We both didn’t check it out beforehand. Neither was really at fault, but the situation became bad with things like “We can’t use the sound source…”, “What are we going to do?”, and if we were arguing about this and that, we didn’t feel like filming at all… But we had decided to film today, and since I majored in music until university, we settled down by singing a cappella.

――So there was such a story behind that smile (laughs).

Saho　That’s right. It felt like we both were forced to smile and make the film (laughs). Of course, I didn’t practice singing, but I only had a one-shot chance to film as we had a fight. It received so much response that honestly, I thought, “What!?” That video led to a rapid increase in followers, and I started receiving many requests such as “I want you to use sign language for customer service.” That’s when I decided on the name “Land Hey” and started Instagram.
Now I change my clothes to match the theme and the mood of the song, but when I was doing “A-I-U-E-Ongaku”, I didn’t have that kind of commitment, and I dressed roughly like a family uniform (laughs). It was just “my true self”. Still, there is still no one that exceeds the number of views of that video, so we never know.

 

Is Land Hey for both of you?

――What do you value in your daily communication?

Mone　 I always value making it easy for everyone to understand. When it comes to video streaming, there are many audio languages. Therefore, by adding my sister’s voice and subtitles to my sign language, I make it easier for both those who cannot hear and those who can hear it to make it easier to convey. We are thinking of a variety of projects that can be enjoyed by both children and adults, such as the introduction of sign language words that can be used in daily life, sign language songs, and dialogues between sisters.

――Do you think about the project together?

Saho　Basically, we discuss together, but I always get advice from my mother. In that sense, my mother is also a big presence to be called a “member of Land Hey”. Although she doesn’t show up, she specifically points out our ideas that we should do more of this. If it’s just the two of us, our thoughts will inevitably be biased, so my mother’s perspective as an objective viewer is very helpful. There are times when we disagree and get into fights (laughs). But in the end, I think I can’t do without my mother, so my mother’s support is indispensable. What about you Mone?

Mone　Yes, that’s right. While we want to do it on our own, we still have to have a mother. We once tried to do it alone without our mother, but it didn’t go well at all… We stopped posting, and we were just wondering what to do. In the end, we apologized to our mother and asked her to continue to cooperate.

――What kind of mother is she?

Mone　Like Ms. Shimada Tamayo! (laughs)

Saho　Shimada Tamayo！（laughs） I feel she is a little different, but she is so bright and has outlandish ideas. It’s like, “What!?” She’s a pretty interesting person. If I were to compare her to someone, it might be like the female version of Shuzo Matsuoka. It would be a little hot if we were together (laughs).

――She is a passionate person!

Saho　That’s right. Ever since my sister started attending the kindergarten department of the school for the deaf, I have been working on a picture diary every day. Even during Obon, New Year’s, or getting the flu, she never takes a day off. I was repeating “memorizing through writing”. First of all, she wanted me to learn the correct writing in Japanese, so she had me draw illustrations all by hand. I still have dozens of picture diaries at home.
Also, when I see my mother coming to Tokyo and enjoying herself as an SI for “Dialogue in Silence”, I think “how to communicate” is important.

Mone　Not only my mother but also my father gives me various opinions, and the whole family supports me. When we disagree, we all discuss it thoroughly. By the way, the guitar player who sometimes joins in our sign language songs is my older brother. That’s why Land Hey’s activities can’t be talked about without the cooperation of my family. I am also really grateful to my sister for always recording her voice even though she is busy. Recently, she has been recording in the bathroom…

Saho　Yes, it’s my workspace (laughs). My child is still small, so recently I have been locked in the bathroom and recording the sound so as not to wake my child up when going to sleep. By the way, the reason I started voicing my sister in the video was because I voiced my grandparents, who had difficulty seeing subtitles.

 

Solid and optimistic person

――I think you two are often together, but what do you feel about each other?

Mone　I’ve never told my sister (laughs), but I think that I’m able to do the activities I have now because of my sister. For example, if something painful happens or fails, my parents will worry about it. But my sister is really bright, or rather, she is a person who takes things positively and turns them into laughter. Even when I couldn’t go to school, she gave me a surprising way of encouragement by saying, “It’s a good experience because if you ever appear in a movie, now you can understand the feeling of a sad role!

Saho　Did I really say such a mean thing!? (laughs)

Mone　You did（laughs） On the other hand, I tend to worry about what to do if I fail, so she says, “If a problem arises, you can think about it at that time.” I’m always saved by her. My sister is also strong in actual performance, and even at the event, she quickly switches to the moment it starts and finishes it without difficulty. Even when the actual performance starts, I drag on my nervousness and anxiety…

Saho　It’s true that Mone gets more nervous than me. I might be eating something until just before the performance (laughs)

Mone　If you look at it negatively, she might have an easy-going character (laughs), but thanks to such an older sister, I have been able to overcome some painful things.

――What do you think, Saho？

Saho　No, on the other hand, I used to think that my sister had a brighter personality… (laughs) But in a word, she is a really solid person. I’m a little out of place, but my sister seems to have a motto of “don’t bother people”. Even if I get a job, she thinks about where to go, how much time they need, and ultimately, “Let’s leave your child here.” In addition, if this is delayed, it will cause trouble to that person and this person, and she is really considerate of those around me, so I am really helped every time. I’ve been optimistic and carefree in the belief that things would work out, so my sister often scolds me (laughs).

――What kind of things makes her angry?

Saho　For example, when we were communicating on LINE and we had a lot of fun conversations until then, she suddenly asks me in honorifics, “By the way, did you record your voice (in the video)?” (laughs) Even if I tell her that I will do it by this day, there are times when I am a little late. But my sister remembers it well and when I reply, “Oh my god! I’m sorry, I can’t take my hands off my child for a while,” she said with a single stroke, “That’s not an excuse!” (laughs) I’m scared because if I say it back, it can come back in multiples…

―― I see （laughs） Do you often fight?

Mone　Fights have been a daily occurrence since I was a child. I had a light fight this morning (laughs). But it usually takes a few minutes. Even if it gets bad, they will naturally switch to other topics and make up quickly. Also, we both have a personality that forgets when we sleep, so I don’t think it turns into a big fight (laughs).

Saho　That’s right. After some time, we quickly forget about each other, and the next day we receive a LINE message saying, “Good morning!” as if nothing had happened. In the end, I think that she’s a cute person (laughs).

――I’m sure it’s because you are different from each other that you keep your balance, and you have a wonderful relationship because you’re sisters.

Saho　That’s right. If this were someone else, I think we would hold back and stay on each other’s feet, but on the contrary, we can say to each other because we are sisters. Whether it’s the quality of the video or the sign language, we don’t hesitate to do that. Sometimes my mother joins and have a three-way battle (laughs). But after all, we are a family, so it’s a great relief to know that they won’t leave, no matter what I say. That’s why I don’t lose what I think is “different”, but in the end, my sister refutes it (bitter laugh).

 

Toward a society where you can say “it’s fine” instead of crying

――Do you have any impressions or events that have left an impression on you through your activities so far?

Mone　There are many people I was able to meet thanks to this activity, including people of all ages and from various backgrounds. I feel that I am really blessed with the encounters I had made at that time, and I feel that I am growing through my activities, so I am really glad that I am continuing.
What impressed me was when I worked with my sister as a sign language commentator for the Japan Deaf Athletics Championships last year. Until then, I had participated in the “Sign Language Announcer Training Program ” sponsored by the All Japan Federation of the Deaf, where I was able to learn how to convey and attract sign language, and the number of sports-related jobs gradually increased because of that training. That’s when I received the job as a sign language commentator.
Announcers study word choice and speech in order to read the news. In the same way, sign language has expressions that are suitable for official occasions such as live commentary. Since it was my first time making a live commentary, I practiced sign language expressions in front of the mirror every morning and night with the theme of “Word of today”. It was a good opportunity to hone my expression, and it was a very learning experience.
Originally, I was not very good at standing in front of people, but I wanted as many people as possible to know that there is a place to play an active role even if I can’t hear it, so I took on the challenge. As a result, I think it led to great growth for myself.

Saho　 I will never forget when I participated in an apparel brand event at MUJI in Fukuoka in 2022. There were people who came all the way from Tokyo and Hiroshima to meet me. The supportive comments on social media are really encouraging, but it was really emotional that they came all the way to meet us. Some people brought a large white board and pen and wrote messages so that my sister could understand them, and the event was overflowing with everyone’s kindness. My friends who have learned simple sign language also came to the venue. From the perspective of people who can hear, I don’t think there are many opportunities to encounter sign language on a daily basis. But for my sister, it is an important “language”. Therefore, I would be happy if as many people as possible could know that sign language is as “familiar” to spoken language.

――What do you want to convey through your activities?

Mone　I want people who watch our videos for the first time not to feel “it looks difficult” or “pitiful” if they can’t hear, but rather I want them to have so much fun that you forget about all that. When they found out that I couldn’t hear, my parents cried. Of course, that is unavoidable, but I want a society where when you find out that your child will not be able to hear, you will think, “It’s completely fine!” Of course, there are difficult times when you cannot hear, but it is the same for both deaf and hearing people. That’s why we want to convey through our activities that “not being able to hear is not a negative thing.”

――The range of activities is steadily expanding, but please tell us if you have any goals for the future.

Saho　Of course, the two of us will continue to work together, but my sister is the main character, and I think of myself as “someone who walks together from a little behind”. As you can see from the video, there are surely many people who are empowered by my sister’s positive mindset. I want to increase the number of people like that, so I want to continue my activities in a way that pushes my sister’s back. Also, I would like to learn sign language more deeply in order to convey the joy and importance of sign language to many people in the future. Since my child was born, I don’t have time to go to workshops and events alone like I used to, so I’m studying with books. But rather than reading books dozens of times, I can acquire it naturally by actually interacting with deaf people and participating in sign language events. So, my personal goal is to somehow increase such opportunities.

Mone　I’m currently challenging for the Miss Japan contest. The East Japan District Tournament was held in August, and I was selected as one of the seven finalists. The main tournament will be held in January 2026, so I am now focusing all my efforts on preparing for it. Not only do I want to convey the possibilities of sign language through the challenge of Miss Japan, but I also hope to create an opportunity for people who cannot hear to think, “I want to give it a try.”

 

The Deaflympics as an important opportunity

――Thank you very much for all the stories! Finally, please tell us your thoughts on the Deaflympics to be held in November.

Saho　Over the past few years, through my work in deaf track and field and deaf football, I have been able to see the extraordinary efforts of deaf athletes up close. If I can, I would be really happy if I could convey the wonderfulness of my sister’s sign language and my voice at the Deaflympics.
Also, there is great excitement about the Deaflympics being held in Tokyo, but I honestly wonder what will happen after that. That’s why I want to use the Deaflympics as a good opportunity to make people feel familiar with sign language. I would like to continue to convey it in a frank way in our own way.

Mone　I think my sister is really right. I am also a little worried about after the Deaflympics are over. The 100th commemorative Tokyo Games. It would be a waste if the enthusiasm cooled down due to a momentary excitement. I hope that through the Deaflympics, many people will feel hope. And so that you can know about the existence of deaf sports and the success of deaf athletes and look forward to the next tournament.
Our activities at Land Hey have been connected by the thoughts and support of so many people. That’s why I would like to hold the baton firmly and not forget to be grateful and continue to connect it to the future.

Land Hey
Younger sister, Mone Hirashima / Born in Fukuoka in 2003
Older sister, Saho Hirashima / Born in Fukuoka in 1998
Sister duo

Moe, a sister who was born deaf, and Saho, an older sister who is a hearing person, started working as “Land Hey” in May 2022. In order to “make sign language, which is an essential language for deaf people, feel more familiar,”they will distribute videos introducing sign language on TikTok and Instagram. In addition, in 2024, they worked as a sign language commentator at the Japan Deaf Athletics Championships (Moe, younger sister, sign language commentator and Saho, older sister as the interpreter). In April 2025, they steadily expanded their range of activities, such as reporting on pitches in sign language at the Deaf Football Men’s Japan National Team Exhibition Match. In August, they also announced their appointment as a “Deaf Football Supporter”.
Moe, the younger sister, is an active university student majoring in creative design at the Department of General Design at the University of Technology of Tsukuba. In August 2025, she was selected as a finalist for the “58th Miss Japan Contest 2026” and will compete in the main tournament in January next year.
Saho, the older sister, majored in music until university and served as a Fukuoka Goodwill Ambassador from 2019 to 2021. In addition to her current activities at Land Hey, she also serves as a flute and piano instructor.

IG：signlanguage_0404

text by Hiromi Hiraki
photographs by Uta Mukuo