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Sana, the Japanese member of the K-pop girl group TWICE, was 18 years old when she debuted on October 20, 2015. Born on December 29, 1996, in Osaka, Japan, she had not yet turned 19 at the time of TWICE’s official debut with the mini-album The Story Begins and its title track “Like Ooh-Ahh.” She had spent roughly three years as a JYP Entertainment trainee before reaching the stage.
Sana Minatozaki is one of the most recognizable faces in K-pop, known for her bright energy, her role as a sub-vocalist in TWICE, and her later work in the Japanese subunit MISAMO. Fans searching her name often want a simple, accurate answer to one question: how old was she when she finally debuted after years of training?
This article breaks down Sana’s exact age at debut, the years of preparation that led up to it, and the milestones that followed. Every date below is drawn from verified public sources, including TWICE’s official debut records and Sana’s biographical profile, so you can trust the numbers.
How Old Was Sana When She Debuted?
Sana was 18 years old on October 20, 2015, the day TWICE officially debuted. She was born on December 29, 1996, which means her 19th birthday was still more than two months away when the group released its debut mini-album, The Story Begins, led by the single “Like Ooh-Ahh.”
Eighteen is a fairly typical debut age in the K-pop industry, where idols commonly start their careers as trainees in their early-to-mid teens and debut somewhere between 16 and 20. Sana’s case, however, involved an unusually long and difficult road to the stage, which makes her debut age more meaningful when you understand what came before it.
It’s worth noting that South Korea traditionally used a different age-counting system (Korean age, where a baby is considered one year old at birth), which sometimes causes confusion in older fan forums that list Sana as 19 or 20 at debut. Using the standard international age system, which is the global convention today, Sana was unambiguously 18.
Sana’s Birthday and Basic Profile
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Minatozaki Sana (湊﨑紗夏) |
| Stage Name | Sana |
| Date of Birth | December 29, 1996 |
| Birthplace | Tennōji-ku, Osaka, Japan |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Group | TWICE (sub-vocalist), MISAMO |
| Agency | JYP Entertainment |
| Zodiac Sign | Capricorn |
| Blood Type | B |
| Family | Only child |
Sana grew up in Osaka and became interested in performing after watching the rising popularity of Korean girl groups like Girls’ Generation and KARA in Japan. That early fascination with K-pop set her on a path that would take years to reach fruition.
Early Interest in Performing
Before ever setting foot in South Korea, Sana trained at EXPG (Exile Professional Gym) in Osaka starting in 2009, a well-known dance and vocal academy that has produced several Japanese idols. This early training gave her the performance foundation she would later need as a JYP trainee.
TWICE’s Official Debut Date
TWICE debuted as a nine-member group on October 20, 2015, under JYP Entertainment, with the mini-album The Story Begins. The lead single, “Like Ooh-Ahh,” introduced the group’s now-signature bright, youthful concept and quickly built momentum on Korean music charts.
The group’s nine members — Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu — were selected through the 2015 reality survival show Sixteen, which pitted sixteen JYP trainees against one another in singing, dancing, and modeling challenges. Sana was one of the nine trainees who made the final cut.
This debut date matters because it’s the fixed point used to calculate every member’s “debut age,” including Sana’s. Anyone calculating her age at debut needs to measure the gap between December 29, 1996, and October 20, 2015 — which comes out to 18 years and roughly 10 months.
Sana’s Trainee Journey Before Debut
Sana’s road to debut was longer and more complicated than most of her groupmates’. She was scouted by JYP Entertainment while shopping with friends at a mall in Osaka during her final year of middle school, at around age 14. She then traveled to audition and, after passing, moved to South Korea to begin training in 2012.
That means Sana spent approximately three years as a trainee before TWICE’s debut — a substantial stretch even by K-pop standards, where trainee periods can range from several months to many years depending on the company and the individual.
Training Milestones
- 2009–2012: Trained at EXPG in Osaka, Japan, focused on dance and vocals.
- 2012: Scouted by JYP Entertainment and passed the company’s Japan audition; relocated to South Korea as a trainee.
- 2012–2015: Trained under JYP Entertainment, appearing briefly in music videos for other JYP artists, including GOT7 and Junho, during this period.
- 2015: Competed on Sixteen and was selected as a final member of TWICE.
- October 20, 2015: Officially debuted with TWICE at age 18.
This three-year gap between joining JYP and actually debuting illustrates just how uncertain a trainee’s path can be — talent alone doesn’t guarantee a spot on stage, and Sana’s story includes two group projects that never got the chance to debut at all.
Why Sana’s Debut Was Delayed Twice
Sana’s debut with TWICE wasn’t her first attempt to enter the industry. Before Sixteen, she was slated to debut with two different girl groups that were ultimately scrapped — a detail that adds important context to how long her path really was.
The Canceled 6MIX Debut
Sana was originally attached to a planned girl group project informally referred to as 6MIX, intended to debut around 2014. That debut was disrupted following the tragic Sewol ferry disaster in April 2014, a national tragedy in South Korea that led entertainment companies, including JYP, to postpone various promotional activities out of respect for the nationwide period of mourning. Compounding the setback, a key member of the planned lineup left the agency, and the 6MIX project was ultimately abandoned before ever reaching the stage.
From Setback to Sixteen
After these disappointments, Sana continued training instead of debuting, eventually being placed into the Sixteen survival competition in 2015 — the show that would determine the final lineup of TWICE. Competing against fifteen other JYP trainees in categories including vocals, dance, and modeling, Sana secured her place among the nine chosen members.
This history explains why, despite being scouted as a young teenager, Sana didn’t actually debut until age 18 — roughly three years after becoming a trainee, and after at least one earlier debut plan collapsed entirely.
Age Comparison: Sana vs. Other TWICE Members at Debut
Sana’s age at debut sits right in the middle of the group. TWICE has always included a wide age range among its nine members, which became part of its group dynamic and public image.
| Member | Birthdate | Age at TWICE Debut (Oct 20, 2015) |
| Nayeon | September 22, 1995 | 20 |
| Jeongyeon | November 1, 1996 | 18 |
| Momo | November 9, 1996 | 18 |
| Sana | December 29, 1996 | 18 |
| Jihyo | February 1, 1997 | 18 |
| Mina | March 24, 1997 | 18 |
| Dahyun | May 28, 1998 | 17 |
| Chaeyoung | April 23, 1999 | 16 |
| Tzuyu | June 14, 1999 | 16 |
As the table shows, Sana debuted the same age as several groupmates — Jeongyeon, Momo, Jihyo, and Mina were also 18 at the time. Nayeon, the group’s oldest member, was 20, while Tzuyu and Chaeyoung, the youngest, debuted at just 16.
This spread of ages across nine members is fairly typical for large K-pop groups, where companies often balance younger trainees with older, more experienced ones to round out vocal ability, stage presence, and marketability across a wide fan demographic.
Sana’s Career Timeline After Debut
Sana’s career didn’t stop at debut. Over the following years, she became one of TWICE’s most visible members, both within the group and through individual projects.
| Year | Milestone |
| 2015 | Debuted with TWICE at age 18 in The Story Begins |
| 2016 | Returned briefly to Japan to take the University Entrance Qualification Examination; co-hosted Idol Star Athletics Championships |
| 2017 | Co-hosted the KBS Song Festival |
| 2018 | Ranked 17th on Gallup Korea’s annual most-popular-idol poll — the highest ranking a Japanese individual had reached in the poll at that time |
| 2020 | Hosted the JYP/Sony Music reality show Nizi Project: Part 2 |
| 2021 | Became the first TWICE member to release a solo single, a cover of “Sotsugyou” by Kobukuro |
| 2023 | Debuted in the TWICE subunit MISAMO alongside Momo and Mina, releasing the album Masterpiece |
Her steady presence in variety shows, hosting gigs, and solo projects reflects how she grew from an 18-year-old debut member into one of the group’s most established personalities.
Sana’s Age Today and Zodiac Sign
Since Sana was born on December 29, 1996, her current age depends on the date you’re reading this. As of 2026, she is in her late twenties. Her zodiac sign is Capricorn, a sign generally associated with discipline and ambition — traits often highlighted by fans given her multi-year trainee journey before debut.
For anyone tracking her age precisely, the simplest method is to subtract 1996 from the current year, then adjust down by one if the current date falls before December 29.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How old was Sana when she debuted with TWICE? A: Sana was 18 years old. She was born on December 29, 1996, and TWICE debuted on October 20, 2015.
Q: How many years was Sana a trainee before debuting? A: Approximately three years. She joined JYP Entertainment in 2012 and debuted in 2015.
Q: Was Sana the oldest or youngest member of TWICE at debut? A: Neither. Sana was 18, which placed her in the middle of the group’s age range. Nayeon was the oldest at 20, and Tzuyu and Chaeyoung were the youngest at 16.
Q: Did Sana try to debut before TWICE? A: Yes. She was originally set to debut in an earlier group project, informally known as 6MIX, which was ultimately canceled before reaching the stage.
Q: What was Sana’s debut song with TWICE? A: “Like Ooh-Ahh,” the title track from TWICE’s debut mini-album The Story Begins, released October 20, 2015.
Q: How old is Sana now? A: Sana was born December 29, 1996, making her age dependent on the current date — subtract 1996 from the present year, adjusting down by one before her December birthday each year.
Conclusion
Sana was 18 years old when she debuted with TWICE on October 20, 2015 — the outcome of roughly three years of training and at least one earlier debut plan that fell through before she ever reached the stage.
Her story is a useful reminder that a debut age reflects only the final step of what’s often a much longer, more uncertain journey. Understanding that context is what turns a simple age fact into the full picture of how Sana became one of TWICE’s most recognizable members.