Nozomi Ohashi performs at the Red and White Singing Contest on Wednesday night.

Nozomi Ohashi shines as little star of 59th Red and White Singing Contest

Thursday 01st January, 01:37 PM JST

TOKYO —

Nozomi Ohashi, 9, became the youngest person to perform at NHK’s Red and White Singing Contest when she took to the stage on Wednesday night to perform her popular theme song “Ponyo.” In another first for NHK’s New Year’s Eve show, Ohashi stood between hosts Masahiro Nakai and Yukie Nakama and declared the show open – the first time a performer and not a host or special guest has done so.

Her theme song with Takaaki Fujioka and Naoya Fujimaki for Hayao Miyazaki’s animated film, “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea,” has sold more than half a million copies. Fujioka was unable to take to the stage due to an illness, and so Ohashi and Fujimaki performed as a duo. Ohashi’s grandparents watched on from the audience, and her mother watched and waited for her return at a nearby hotel.

When Ohashi got backstage, she cheekily shouted “kaisan!” – mimicking the father from comedian Hiroshi Tamura’s best seller “Homeless Junior High School Student” - and declaring the group disbanded. Their performance on Wednesday night was the last time they will perform in Japan. Fujimaki broke into tears and Ohashi asked him why he was crying. She extended her hand to Fujimaki and they shook hands, bringing tears to many of the staff in attendance.

Ohashi is scheduled to be in Taiwan with Fujioka and Fujimaki from the 10th to the 12th of this month, to promote the opening of “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea” there on Jan 23.

15 Comments

smithinjapan at 04:07 PM JST - 1st January

Yet another reason NHK will never get my money.
Nessie at 04:57 PM JST - 1st January

Never heard the song cuz I don't watch TV, so I went to Youtube to hear it. Pretty lame, I'm sorry to say. Actually, that's exactly why I don't watch TV.
Betting at 05:34 PM JST - 1st January

Well, songs like that will always be a matter of personal taste. Japanese people, generally speaking, love them and it seems that most other people don't (me included), nuff said.
Sammi33 at 12:17 AM JST - 2nd January

Hey, why hate on a 9 year old? It's a theme song for a children's movie (One that is sure to be a timeless classic too, it's a very well done work by Miyazaki Hayao) so of course it's going to be silly and catchy. The girl herself is very cute and charismatic too.
Betting at 12:37 AM JST - 2nd January

There is no hate, it's just that people don't like the song here. You're saying we must like the song because it is sung by some cute, cute, cute, cute, cute 9 year old girl? Yes, we know she's cute because everyone in Japan says so. And I'm sure it'll be timeless classic for Japanese people, but that is all.

It would be greatly appreciated that people could understand that not everyone in the entire world is going to be a fan of cute, cute, cute, cute, cute, cute nine year old girls. And how can anyone use the word "charismatic" for a rather quiet nine year old is beyond me (she doesn't exactly set the stage nor interviews alight).
The_Pope at 11:59 AM JST - 2nd January

After 23 years here, I still cannot see the reason for such a silly show. They parade singers out (many who have been in mothballs all year) to sing. I think Americans (and Europeans) would get bored with such programming in a heartbeat -- along with all the dim-witted game shows, quiz shows and travel shows.
bakabaka at 12:50 PM JST - 2nd January

.... I had to suffer as my wife had the damn show on the box..... I asked her if she really liked all the crap music and songs, and she said she was just waiting to hear one song!... 3 hours of mind-numbingly bad singing to listen to one song!! If there is one country that can typify the notion that TV is an opiate, Japan is it.
bakabaka at 12:52 PM JST - 2nd January

anyway, who would name their daughter after a shinkasen ?
Richard_the_First at 01:33 PM JST - 2nd January

The whole show should be scrapped, but that's not NHK's way. It is an embarrassment in this day and age, but then again Japanese programming in its entirety is. Laughable, yet the perfect bubble that is Japan to the locals hides this from them. Let them live in their perpetual dream state, and sing along to the subtitled lyrics whilst watching said shite song contest, and gorge themselves on ANOTHER variety show about food, with half wit talents on hand to honour us with fascinating close ups of their faces, while uttering their well versed 'sugoi' or 'oishii'....and all for OUR viewing pleasure. They really are too kind.
Sammi33 at 09:57 PM JST - 2nd January

I personally think the Kouhaku is a fun way to end a year. Some of the performances were REALLY good, and some of them were well, crap (Perfume's obvious lipsyncing, which was reportedly chosen over Hello! Project this year) and Nozomi added a new record to it, all is good. When I was in America the new year's eve programming wasn't spectacular either. People should be having parties with that as the background music, that's why.
NeoJamal at 10:48 AM JST - 3rd January

Kohaku has really turned into a trainwreck since the mid 90s.
onewrldoneppl at 01:35 PM JST - 3rd January

i googled fujiokafujimaki (the older gentlemen who perform alongside ms oohashi) and found that one of them was able to partake of the kohaku utagasen because he had fallen ill. i wish him well, and a speedy recovery @ this time. as well, i won't hate on a song performed by a child WHICH is intended for children. would some of the posters also like to hate on the theme song for SESAME STREET while they're @ it?
blue_monday at 07:44 PM JST - 3rd January

At least they let a singer sing who has wonky teeth.
presto345 at 06:25 PM JST - 4th January

Ohashi did very well and I am sure lots and lots of children, and adults as well had to smile when they watched her. I always have to chuckle when I read the rambling nonsense opinions here about NHK and TV in Japan. And even the people who claim they do not watch TV find it necessary to get a word in. I side with Sammi. It's a good show (Kohaku) which is enjoyed by millions of people every year. If you don't like it, don't watch it and shut up.
da1suk1day0 at 08:03 AM JST - 17th January

Perfume wasn't lip-synching. No one EVER lip-synchs on Kouhaku, even H!P never did that. That's just how Perfume's song actually sounds.

@Bakabaka: Nozomi also means "wish", fyi. @The Pope: I think you've been in a mothball all year to think THEY'VE been in mothballs all year. Have you ever seen a Japanese Music release schedule? Most artists release at least two singles a year, and some as much as six or seven. They also release albums almost annually, compared to American artists, who release albums every two years or so, and may be one song every year.

And to those that didn't see the actual performance, it was VERY moving. The tribute was probably the best Kouhaku medley I've seen. To be honest, I really think this was one of the best Kouhakus I've seen in a while.

So before you say they're "not talented", or most Japanese programming is "boring", you have to think that what the norm is in Japan (this music) isn't in the Western areas. Techno and pop trump club hits. Frankly, many of the Japanese people I talk to are more interested in the alternative or rock Western scene than what IS popular here. And I'm assuming many haven't watched a Japanese drama. Especially something like "1 Litre of Tears" or "Hana Yori Dango". There's more to Japan than variety shows.