A new Kids show called “Mitsuketa” or “I found it” has started up on NHK. For some reason, the show’s main theme is… CHAIRS! There are skits of interactions between a real live girl, a giant talking cactus, and a chair. The cactus plays kind of a fatherly role, settling little arguments between the little…
OK, I don’t usually write about Japanese idols or gravure or anything like that, but I think I’ve found one worth writing about. Right not she seems like she wants to do the DVDs and everything, but she is also a talented comedian. I watch most of the comedy shows on tv here in Japan,…
I know, I know, I love these top 10 lists that come out. Even if they don’t mean anything they sure put a little spotlight on Japan for us. This poll is especially fun because if you’ve been here going on fifteen years like some newzjapan bloggers I know, you learned Japanese watching some of…
OK, if you don’t live in Japan and watch a lot of tv you probably have no idea what I’m talking about. If you don’t watch a lot of tv but know some Japanese words you can see the humor in Hello Kitty (a cat) being grouped in with Nezumi Sempai (nezumi meaning mouse). For…
Takahisa Masuda, member of the Japanese singing group NEWS came on an afternoon tv show to show off his super speed and strength by doing over one hundred push-ups in one minute. They made a little stage for him. Prepared some timers and click-counters and devoted some time on the program to shine. After you…
Pika Pika in Japanese describes illumination or something bright. It can also describe a flashing light. It’s another one of the ubiquitous Japanese onomatopoeias (which I happen to love). This is a pretty cool video that was on tv last night. I’m sure a lot of people saw it already, but it’s definitely worth putting…
If you watch wacky Japanese tv, you may have seen Egashira 2:50. Often voted as the most despised tv personality in Japan. He definitely stretches the line between what you can and can’t do on tv and leaves viewers (and I’m sure co-stars and producers) open mouthed. Egashira 2:50 often appears and is put down…
This year, Jero will be one of the featured performers on the annual Red and White Song Battle which is televised on NHK every New Year’s Eve. The show is considered a Japanese tradition (although ratings have been dropping in past years). Jero is an American guy with a Japanese grandmother who grew up loving…
Have you ever watched Japanese tv and wondered, “How much does THAT guy make?” Well, here’s one example of a guy: This is Yoshio Kojima, one of the big strange character type comedians going around. I think he’ll have more staying power than the others because he’s a smart guy (Waseda University grad) and there’s…
The craziest comedy show of the year (and a lot of the runners-up) are on during winter holidays when a lot of people around the archipeligo are at grandma’s house watching tv on an old tv set. It’s the season for singing contests, impersonation battles, manzai comedy shows, and the king of all wackiness, “Downtown…
Here’s a video for the ages… The real Beyonce (with little sister Solange) met her Japanese doppleganger… sort of. Well, a girl that impersonates her… sort of. Anyway the American Beyonce finally met the Japanese Beyonce whose real name is Naomi Watanabe. Check out the video for yourself. The only thing that’s hard to decide…
The show is held every once in a while, your favorite tv personalities, comedians, and even singers (wtf!) compete in a singing contest. It’s one of those classic Japanese tv show type shows with the famous people watching from the stands, singing along, acting amazed at how well the singers sing. Although I don’t really…