NHK announces lineup for 'Kohaku Uta Gassen' on New Year's Eve
Entertainment ( 51 )
TOKYO —
NHK has announced the lineup for its popular New Year’s Eve program “Kohaku Uta Gassen” (Red and White Song Contest). Surprise guests this year are Seiko Matsuda and her daughter Sayaka Kanda. Three Korean groups will be taking part—KARA and Girls Generation on the Red (women’s) team, and Tohoshinki on the White (men’s) team.
The youngest participants are Mana Ashida (Red) and Fuku Suzuki (white), both 7.
Other members of the Red team include Akiko Wada, making her 35th appearance, Sayuri Yoshinaga (34), Sachiko Kobayashi (33), along with AKB48, Kumi Koda, Ayumi Hamasaki, Perfume and Angela Aki, among others. Lining up for the men are Saburo Kitajima, making his 48th appearance, Shinichi Mori (44), Hiroshi Itsuki (41), Takashi Hosokawa (35), as well as SMAP, Arashi, Exile, TOKIO, Kiyoshi Hikawa and Masaharu Fukuyama, and so on.
Though it has lost some of its luster in the past 10 years, “Kohaku Uta Gassen” is still considered the most prestigious TV music program to be invited to appear on.
Actress Mao Inoue and Arashi will co-host the program which will be aired from 7:15 p.m. on Dec 31. The tone is expected to be a little more somber than in previous years out of respect for the victims of the March 11 disaster.
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51 Comments
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-5
some14some
This program will survive despite poor show ratings. why? because NHK is Mighty State Media.
3
Serrano
I'm looking foward to seeing Seiko, Sayaka, and, of course, AKB48!
1
papigiulio
meh I'll be tuned into Gaki no Tsukai. Cannot wait :D
3
plasticmonkey
All songs will be in minor key. All performers will wear sackcloth and ash, and will replace their usual dance routines with self-flagellation.
3
oginome
Love how Namie Amuro snubs her invitation to perform every year... I don't blame her either.
2
spudmanreincarnated
Just a state sponsored yawn fest, can't stand the copycat production every year.
5
Godan
Can someone explain how this is a "surprise"?
0
MaboDofuIsSpicy
This show is why I either fly out of here, or go to a temple and ring a bell.
1
Goals0
some14some - You may not like it but there are no problems with the audience ratings: http://www.tokyograph.com/news/61st-kouhaku-uta-gassen-ratings-announced/
2
davidattokyo
Apparently Sheena Ringo will appear this year for the first time. So the girls team should win, 1-0.
0
Gurukun
Godan, gave you a thumbs up on that one. I'd like to hear the "Suprise" reason too.
3
Bartholomew Harte
As a long time fan of Enka as well as Minyo I look foward to this show every year, this has a good mix of Old & New Music and after all the turmoil Japan needs a positive infusion to rally in the New Year!!
0
Godan
Many thanks, Gurukun.
0
DenTok2009
Re: Surprise guests - Matsuda Seiko & Kanda Sayaka The last time I caught Kohaku was early 80's or maybe late 70's. So bear that in mind with my stab at why they are surprise guests. Maybe they are more like hisashiburi singers? When was the last time they were on? I think if Mii-chan & Kei-chan (the Pink Lady duo) were the surprise guests, well I would be surprised! hee, hee.. But why let the surprise out? Ah, so viewers who wouldn't tune in would tune in!
-1
Ivan Coughanoffalot
It always amazes me how the verb "to celebrate" in Japanese has the apparent meaning of "to sit in silence, watching predictable dross on TV, whilst eating bland food". New Year's Eve? Fantastic? What shall we do? Oh, we are married, so we must watch this show all sodding night and convince ourselves it is entertaining. Heaven forfend we enjoy ourselves.
This is one tedious ordeal, on the most important night of the year for these people. Then they'll queue for hours to throw money at gods they don't believe in and count the hours untyil they go back to work.
Dear god, this is soulless.
3
Gurukun
If Yamaguchi Momoe made a suprise appearance....now that would be a Surprise!
-3
cactusJack
If this show was so great, you would think it would come out on a blue-ray DVD or something, but alas, it is not so great.
-1
Konami Fukaya
Why do Korean groups perform in the program?? I thought Japanese only can perform there.
2
DenTok2009
so right Gurukun! Yamaguchi Momoe would be a surprise and I might even go to a hotel or somewhere to catch Kohaku! (I don't have a tv and don't yearn for any Japanese programs and I will not purchase cable or satellite to view American/British shows much as I miss them.)
0
LoveNot
Because they can perform only in Japan. Let us be realistic, Japan is the only place in the world that can tolerate such kind of "music" and enormous lack of talent,
2
spudmanreincarnated
I'll be hiking up a mountain to usher in the rise rise with hot sake and cold feet. TV....MEH!
2
It"S ME
I will only watch Wada Akiko if she is in there.
That lady can sing and got a great voice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6Rr8kTDqoM
1
TorafusuTorasan
I wonder what kind of quirky seven minute "toire no kamisama"-style song we can expect this year?
I liked the big feature that JT ran about that song a few months ago, half a year after the 2010 Kohaku Utagassen.
I thought the toilet god song and the Kuwata Keisuke song that ended with him trying to lick the dancer's face were the highlights last year. Some of the stage sets and choreography for the big pop groups and the enka singers were OK.
1
oikawa
Seiko Matsuda? Smap? AKB48? Ayumi Hamasaki? Kumi Koda? You're having me on! Even Nostadamus could never have predicted this line-up.
0
Patrick Smash
I think I'll be busy that evening.
0
Ivan Coughanoffalot
I think I will sit alone in a dark room, with a bottle of brandy, wondering when my formerly-intelligent wife was replaced by the cyborg which laps this inanity up as though it's manna from the entertainment gods.
1
Juan Carlos Barbosa Padilla
Not be surprised to have korean groups in this event... if you read on Wikipedia, australian singers and, even Sting, participated on this event. Just the only surprise I could expect is that a girl group tries to do something shameful to pull rating... like that coreography with "strippers"....
0
MaboDofuIsSpicy
Plus up for you Ivan. My Ex used to watch that show too, so I made sure I was out. And no thanks for the bland noodles that evening.
0
Gary Kirkpatrick
SNSD will make the evening bearable! Although the rigged voting may have the male team winning again!
0
billyshears
What's surprising about this show (and separates it from all the rest) is that the contestants don't have to eat anything.
1
Farmboy
Well, it used to be a good show if you liked enka. Now it's a bad show if you like enka. I don't think much of the younger performers, with some exceptions, mostly because they don't fit the show, and I don't think non traditional, non-enka stuff really belongs there. The old show was well-put-together, had good sets, good coordination, and a sense of tradition, whether you liked the content or not. If they had kept the old style, they could have milked another twenty years out of the this show. Now I just don't know.... They're trying for a younger audience, but it isn't working.
1
calm down
Much more talent here than over at the Grammys (Foos excluded)..
0
choiwaruoyaji
I think Kohaku is quite entertaining, but it's best as a background soundtrack to your New Year's Eve celebrations, not as the main feature (if you're staying at home that is).
So while your playing games, having nice drinks and snacks, letting off party crackers, reminiscing about the past year, looking at the year's photos etc etc then it's nice to have on in the background to dip into now and then.
Actually, last year I thought it was going to be cr#p but then a song about the toilet saved it! ;-)
0
LH10
i love Kohaku Uta Gassen|! but can i watch this live stream somewhere? T.T
0
TimeiClic
I will be spending NYE laid with my bird, watching hours and hours of UK TV on my massive telly, safe in the knowledge that neither she or I have any interest in Japanese TV whatsoever. My TV is merely a second monitor for my computer, being fed by Playstation Media Server, through my PS3. I would recommend anybody who values their sanity to do the exact same thing.
0
wherewaterflos
Gurukun - Momo Chan would make it memorable...ahh.
-1
Serrano
Masaharu Fukuyama can sing.
0
Patrick Hattman
I miss New Year's in Japan and all the fun, but not the Kohaku program.
0
choiwaruoyaji
I kind of don't agree with this. I think it ultimately feels strange and depressing to be sitting in the middle of Japan watching British TV.
I think it's better (if you're going to watch any TV) to watch mainly Japanese TV... it improves your Japanese, gives a bit of insight into Japan, somehow makes you feel a bit more at home here and gives you something to talk about with Japanese friends, coworkers, etc.
0
Samantha Ueno
I thought NHK said they wouldn't let any acts with ties to yakuza perform this year?
0
Seiharinokaze
Well, I don't mind Yoshinaga Sayuri singing, say, "Yuki-arumono" on the stage, maybe not a bad song for this year. Getting a bit tired of Ishikawa Sayuri's "Tsugarukaikyo" every year. And I would be surprised if Fuji Keiko appears on the stage with her daughter Utada Hikaru as the singing match for Maekawa Kiyoshi instead of the conversation piece of Seiko, Sayaka and Go Hiromi. I like flumpool's main vocalist's voice that sounds unaffected and strong like Fujiwara Motowo's. But I prefer Megaryu to Funky Monkey Babies. FMB's song lyrics sound rather preachy.
0
DutchHusband
I love the calm after Kohaku. The next program is about the worshipers at temples/shrines. It's worth bearing the noise of Kohaku.
2
Elbuda Mexicano
Spock! Beam me up! Spock this is Captain mexicano! I do not want to suffer and watch this NHK crap again on another incredibly BORING Japanese style new years eve here on the J islands! Yum! Yum! Toshikoshi soba??
2
gubijin
NHK will probably announce during the show, "We are seen by the world." Yeah, but at what price? With the yen so high, whoever wants it will be paying top $? yen? for this. Or, they may be giving some countries they really want to be seen in, a break. KBS on the other hand, comes in free if you bundle some cable services together. NHK World broadcasts entirely in English, but boring because nothing controversial, just singing praises of Japan. Again it's this "We don't want to be seen. Our goods are superior." syndrome vs. Korea's "We want to be seen by the world."
0
Chiemi Arakaki
I heard Dream come true won't sing in Kohaku uta gassen. What happen to them? Since few years ago, it getting dicrease famous group in Kohaku uta gassen, isn't it? So I don't expect it so much. I think it's better that making k-pop tv program. I guess there are many viewer include me lol
1
d06aya
I want everyone to watch the song “Marumo” by Mana Ashida and Fuku Suzuki. They are so cute!! And I think they are most activity children this year. There is a rumor that Lady Gaga will appear as surprise guests. Maybe it is not truth but we will cheer up if she will come. And this time many Korean singers will appear. But they have a big sing event like “Kohaku Uta Gassen” in Korea too. I think they will appear the event in Korea and the concert will be televise live across the Japan. What do you think? Anyway I am looking forward to watch this program.
0
Samantha Ueno
Kitajima Saburo, Hosokawa Takashi, Kobayashi Sachiko, EXILE, Nakai, Wada Akiko, ALL have known yakuza connections that seem to have been conveniently forgotten and or swept under the rug. What happened to the boryokudan haijojorei that NHK pledged to obey in October? Did they think everyone would forget? I really like and respect artists like Kitajima Saburo, and Wada Akiko, but NHK needs to stop being so hypocritical and actually follow through what it promises.
0
ratpack
So the only differences between this and the usual weekly/fortnightly singing TV programs they inundate the masses with is that it has a surprise guest; has a new year countdown and it is on until later in the night.(said with sarcasm)
0
CrystalRose
I want to see Masaharu Fukuyama!! <3 NHK aggravates me sometimes, though. I'm thinking of watching something else this year.
1
MRSMR
Lady Gaga?! Wow. I will definitely watch that show if she is coming!!! Kohaku utagassen is the TV show which everybody can enjoy with its entire family member because it is not just for younger age like most of music TV shows now. Various ages’ singers will be performing. And also, several Korean singers will appear the show this year! I love Korean girls’ singer groups!! So excited!! :)
1
Nessie
They would've asked Ken Hirai, but they're not sure what team he's playing on.
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