Kōhaku Uta Gassen
Logo since the 72nd edition (2022)
Also known asNHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen
Created byTsumoru Kondo
Ending themeHotaru no Hikari
Country of originJapan
Original languageJapanese
No. of episodes74 contests
Production
Production locationsTokyo Takarazuka Theater (1959–1972)
NHK Hall (1973–2020; 2022 onwards)
Tokyo International Forum (2021)
Running time4 hours 30 minutes
Production companyNHK
Original release
NetworkNHK General TV (1953–present)
NHK Radio 1 (1951–present)
NHK World Premium (Worldwide) (1964–present)
ReleaseJanuary 3, 1951 (1951-01-03) –
present

NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen (Japanese: NHK紅白歌合戦, Hepburn: Enu Eichi Kei Kōhaku Uta Gassen, "NHK Red and White Song Battle"[1]), more commonly known simply as Kōhaku, is an annual New Year's Eve television special produced by Japanese public broadcaster NHK. It is broadcast live simultaneously on television and radio, nationally and internationally by the NHK network and by some overseas (mainly cable) broadcasters who buy the program. The show ends shortly before midnight. Before the show began broadcasting on television in late 1953, the show was held on 3 January and only consisted of a radio broadcast.

The program divides the most popular music artists of the year into competing teams of red and white. The "red" team or akagumi (赤組, 紅組) is composed of all female artists (or groups with female vocals), while the "white" team or shirogumi (白組) is all male (or groups with male vocals). At the end of the show, judges and the audience vote to decide which group performed better.[2] The honor of performing on Kōhaku is strictly by invitation, so only the most successful singing acts in the Japanese entertainment industry can perform. In addition to the actual music performances, the costumes, hair-styles, makeup, dancing, and lighting are important. Even today, a performance on Kōhaku is said to be a big highlight in a singer's career because of the show's wide reach.

Song selection process

The songs and performers are examined by a selection committee put together by NHK. The basis for selection are record sales and adaptability to the edition's theme.

At the same time, a demographic survey is conducted regarding the most popular singers for each and what kind of music people want to hear. This and the song selection explain the amalgamation of the musical genres and its artists.

There are, however, exceptions to the process. Momoe Yamaguchi chose to sing her favorite song "Hito Natsu no Keiken" (ひと夏の経験) with its suggestive lyrics during the 25th edition, despite NHK's pick of a different song.

Show

The competitors of the 4th Kōhaku Uta Gassen (1953)

When the show was first broadcast on radio in 1951, each team had a few performers, all of whom would perform within an hour. Since 1989, the program goes on for at least four hours as both teams, each having at least 25 performers, perform their songs.

At the end of the show, the audience and a panel of judges—notable celebrities who may or may not have a connection to the music industry—vote to select the winning team. In the past, the audience vote has been composed of a head count of the venue audience members, who could vote for either team (NHK Hall, which has been the venue for most Kōhaku editions since 1971, can seat 3,000 people). This counted as one vote.

As of the 54th (2003) and 55th editions (2004), viewers who watch the program through ISDB-S on NHK BS Hi-vision could vote by having their own head count in their respective households. Although it was still sketchy to determine in the 55th, the audience vote was counted as two votes: one for the venue audience and one for ISDB-S viewers.

The audience vote(s) are added to those of the judges who each have to vote for one team. The team with the most votes wins.

The above process was done differently for the 56th edition (2005). Instead, the NHK Hall head count, the vote count from cellphone users and the vote count from ISDB-S viewers each counted as one vote. As stated above, the team that got at least two votes won.

In the 57th edition (2006), aside from cellphone and ISDB-S viewers and the NHK Hall audience, 1seg users voted. Its format had been reverted to the ball voting system—from the audience head count and the judges' votes.

From the 58th edition (2007) to the 63rd edition (2012) and again in the 65th (2014), 66th (2015), and 68th (2017) through 70th editions (2019), the winner was determined through an overall head count, all from cellphone, ISDB-S viewers, 1seg users, and the NHK Hall Audience (including guests). Voting reverted temporarily to judges plus audience-unit votes in the 64th edition (2013) and 67th (2016) except that viewing audience votes (from internet, cellphone, digital TV, and 1seg voting) during halftime and end of show would each count as one vote and the NHK Hall head count as another single vote. The 71st edition (2020) featured off-venue voting only as there was no live audience in attendance due to concerns that arose from the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. The 71st edition also saw performances emanating from multiple venues within NHK's studio premises with NHK Hall still the main staging area.

Aside from the performances, there are special performances where certain performers do their act together, the so-called "Ring Show" where performers from both teams take part in a "singing exercise," as well as performances from non-competing artists both in Japan and abroad. At the end of the show, all the performers sing "Hotaru no Hikari" (蛍の光) together. The song is based on the Scottish "Auld Lang Syne" that is commonly sung at New Year parties in the west. In addition, the 50th edition of the show included a "Countdown Special" to welcome the year 2000.

Results

No.DateRed team hostWhite team hostMediatorWinning
team		Overall record
SHOWA ERA
1 3 January 1951Michiko KatōShuuichi FujikuraMasaharu TanabeWhite1-0
2 3 January 1952Kiyoko TangeShuuichi FujikuraMasaharu TanabeWhite2-0
3 2 January 1953Suga HondaTeru MiyataMasayori ShimuraWhite3-0
4 31 December 1953Takiko MizunoeKeizo TakahashiSeigoro KitadeRed3-1
5 31 December 1954Natsue FukujiKeizo TakahashiShōzaburō IshiiRed3-2
6 31 December 1955Teru MiyataKeizo TakahashiShōzaburō IshiiRed3-3
7 31 December 1956Teru MiyataKeizo TakahashiShōzaburō IshiiWhite4-3
8 31 December 1957Takiko MizunoeKeizo TakahashiShōzaburō IshiiRed4-4
9 31 December 1958Tetsuko KuroyanagiKeizo TakahashiShōzaburō IshiiRed4-5
10 31 December 1959Meiko NakamuraKeizo TakahashiShōzaburō IshiiRed4-6
11 31 December 1960Meiko NakamuraKeizo TakahashiShōzaburō IshiiWhite5-6
12 31 December 1961Meiko NakamuraKeizo TakahashiToshiaki HosakaWhite6-6
13 31 December 1962Mitsuko MoriTeru MiyataShōzaburō IshiiWhite7-6
14 31 December 1963Eri ChiemiTeru MiyataShōzaburō IshiiRed7-7
15 31 December 1964Eri ChiemiTeru MiyataShōzaburō IshiiWhite8-7
16 31 December 1965Michiko HayashiTeru MiyataShōzaburō IshiiWhite9-7
17 31 December 1966Peggy HayamaTeru MiyataShōzaburō IshiiRed9-8
18 31 December 1967Yumiko KokonoeTeru MiyataShōzaburō IshiiRed9-9
19 31 December 1968Kiyoko SuizenjiKyu SakamotoTeru MiyataWhite10-9
20 31 December 1969Yukari ItoKyu SakamotoTeru MiyataRed10-10
21 31 December 1970Hibari MisoraTeru MiyataShizuo YamakawaRed10-11
22 31 December 1971Kiyoko SuizenjiTeru MiyataShizuo YamakawaWhite11-11
23 31 December 1972Naomi SagaraTeru MiyataShizuo YamakawaRed11-12
24 31 December 1973Kiyoko SuizenjiTeru MiyataShizuo YamakawaRed11-13
25 31 December 1974Naomi SagaraShizuo YamakawaMasao Domon & Yōzō NakaeRed11-14
26 31 December 1975Naomi SagaraShizuo YamakawaHiroshi AikawaWhite12-14
27 31 December 1976Naomi SagaraShizuo YamakawaHiroshi AikawaRed12-15
28 31 December 1977Naomi SagaraShizuo YamakawaHiroshi AikawaWhite13-15
29 31 December 1978Mitsuko MoriShizuo YamakawaHiroshi AikawaWhite14-15
30 31 December 1979Kiyoko SuizenjiShizuo YamakawaYōzō NakaeRed14-16
31 31 December 1980Tetsuko KuroyanagiShizuo YamakawaYōzō NakaeRed14-17
32 31 December 1981Tetsuko KuroyanagiShizuo YamakawaKeiichi UbukataWhite15-17
33 31 December 1982Tetsuko KuroyanagiShizuo YamakawaKeiichi UbukataRed15-18
34 31 December 1983Tetsuko KuroyanagiKenji SuzukiTamoriWhite16-18
35 31 December 1984Mitsuko MoriKenji SuzukiKeiichi UbukataRed16-19
36 31 December 1985Masako MoriKenji SuzukiMasaho SendaRed16-20
37 31 December 1986Yuki Saito & Yoriko MekataYūzō Kayama & Masaho SendaSeiichi YoshikawaWhite17-20
38 31 December 1987Akiko WadaYūzō KayamaSeiichi YoshikawaRed17-21
39 31 December 1988Akiko WadaYūzō KayamaKeiko SugiuraWhite18-21
HEISEI ERA
40 31 December 1989Yoshiko MitaTetsuya TakedaSadatomo MatsudairaRed18-22
41 31 December 1990Yoshiko MitaToshiyuki NishidaSadatomo MatsudairaWhite19-22
42 31 December 1991Yūko AsanoMasaaki SakaiShizuo YamakawaRed19-23
43 31 December 1992Hikari IshidaMasaaki SakaiShizuo YamakawaWhite20-23
44 31 December 1993Hikari IshidaMasaaki SakaiMiyuki MoritaWhite21-23
45 31 December 1994Emiko KaminumaIchiro FurutachiYasuo MiyakawaRed21-24
46 31 December 1995Emiko KaminumaIchiro FurutachiRyūji Miyamoto & Mitsuyo KusanoWhite22-24
47 31 December 1996Takako MatsuIchiro FurutachiRyūji Miyamoto & Mitsuyo KusanoWhite23-24
48 31 December 1997Akiko WadaMasahiro NakaiRyūji MiyamotoWhite24-24
49 31 December 1998Junko KuboMasahiro NakaiRyūji MiyamotoRed24-25
50 31 December 1999Junko KuboNakamura Kankurō VRyūji MiyamotoWhite25-25
51 31 December 2000Junko KuboMotoya IzumiRyūji MiyamotoRed25-26
52 31 December 2001Yumiko UdoWataru AbeTamio MiyakeWhite26-26
53 31 December 2002Yumiko UdoWataru AbeTamio MiyakeRed26-27
54 31 December 2003Yumiko Udo & Takako ZenbaWataru Abe & Tetsuya TakayamaTōko TakeuchiWhite27-27
55 31 December 2004Fumie OnoWataru AbeMasaaki HorioRed27-28
56 31 December 2005Yukie NakamaKoji Yamamoto*Mino Monta and Motoyo YamaneWhite28-28
57 31 December 2006Yukie NakamaMasahiro NakaiTamio Miyake & Megumi KurosakiWhite29-28
58 31 December 2007Masahiro Nakai**Shōfukutei Tsurube IIKazuya Matsumoto & Miki SumiyoshiWhite30-28
59 31 December 2008Yukie NakamaMasahiro NakaiKazuya MatsumotoWhite31-28
60 31 December 2009Yukie NakamaMasahiro NakaiWataru AbeWhite32-28
61 31 December 2010Nao MatsushitaArashi***Wataru AbeWhite33-28
62 31 December 2011Mao InoueArashiWataru AbeRed33-29
63 31 December 2012Maki HorikitaArashiYumiko UdoWhite34-29
64 31 December 2013Haruka AyaseArashiYumiko UdoWhite35-29
65 31 December 2014Yuriko YoshitakaArashiYumiko UdoWhite36-29
66 31 December 2015Haruka AyaseYoshihiko InoharaTetsuko KuroyanagiRed36-30
67 31 December 2016Kasumi ArimuraMasaki AibaShinichi TakedaRed36-31
68 31 December 2017Kasumi ArimuraKazunari NinomiyaTeruyoshi Uchimura & Maho KuwakoWhite37-31
69 31 December 2018Suzu HiroseSho SakuraiTeruyoshi Uchimura & Maho KuwakoWhite38-31
REIWA ERA
70 31 December 2019Haruka AyaseSho SakuraiTeruyoshi Uchimura & Mayuko WakudaWhite39-31
71 31 December 2020Fumi NikaidoYo OizumiTeruyoshi Uchimura & Maho KuwakoRed39-32
72 31 December 2021Haruna Kawaguchi, Yo Oizumi, and Mayuko Wakuda****Red39-33
73 31 December 2022Kanna Hashimoto, Yo Oizumi, Sho Sakurai and Maho Kuwako[3]White40-33
74 31 December 2023Kanna Hashimoto, Hiroiki Ariyoshi, Minami Hamabe and Kozo TakaseRed40-34
75 31 December 2024TBA
The white team has won 40 of the 74 contests.

* In the 56th edition, the roles of mediator and team host were blurred as all four hosts intermingled with both teams.
** Masahiro Nakai is the first male team host of the Red team since Teru Miyata in the 6th and 7th editions. Red team hosts (even in pairs) are usually female.
*** All five members of Arashi act as one host-unit, although at least one member would appear on stage to take the role.
**** The hosts take a neutral position.

Popularity

Kōhaku was once the most-watched show on Japanese television of the year. One major factor was that New Year's Eve in Japan is a holiday traditionally spent at home (see Ōmisoka). Over the years, the annual event's popularity has declined from an all-time high of an 81.4 rating in 1963 to a low of 30.6 in the Kantō region for the first part of the 2006 event.[4] The 2021 Kōhaku program set a record low for the second portion of the show with a 34.3 viewership rating in the Kantō region.[5] Despite the drop, Kōhaku is consistently the top-rated musical event each year.[6]

Outside Japan, Taiwan also hosts a similar Kōhaku competition, Super Star (超級巨星紅白藝能大賞), which broadcasts on the eve of Chinese New Year. Similar to Kōhaku, the special is held at a live venue, Taipei Arena. Unlike Kōhaku, Super Star does not have gender-affiliated teams and the special is pre-recorded weeks before airing instead of being a live broadcast. The first special premiered on February 13, 2010, the eve of the 2010's Chinese New Year.[7] The most recent special was set to be broadcast on January 21, 2022.

Notable participants

Japanese entertainers

The following is a list of acts with notable contributions to the Japanese entertainment industry, and have a minimum of five appearances on Kōhaku to their credit (appearance numbers in parentheses are as of the 73rd edition):

Pop, Rock, and Other Contemporary

1. Matsuura has also appeared with DEF.DIVA and GAM. However, NHK does not count those appearances towards her count.

Enka

1. Saori Yuki and Sachiko Yasuda are counted as a duet. Solo appearances by either of the two would not count towards the duet count.

Foreigners

Although Kōhaku is made up of mostly Japanese entertainers, foreign artists (artists who are not Japanese nationals) popular in Japan have competed in the program. Special appearances, supporting musicians or other methods of participation where the artist or group's performance was not accounted for in the overall scoring should not be added to this list. Below is a list of artists or groups who have done so, categorized based on the country of origin (Asian or non-Asian) the person or majority of the members in a group are from, along with the editions:

References

  1. ↑ Smith, Alyssa I. (November 16, 2017). "Twice and Daichi Miura among 10 debuts at this year's 'Kohaku'". The Japan Times. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  2. ↑ "NHK sees ratings for 'Kohaku' music show sink to lowest ever". The Japan Times. January 2, 2016. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  3. ↑ "『第73回NHK紅白歌合戦』司会に大泉洋&橋本環奈&櫻井翔&桑子真帆アナ 今年のテーマも発表【司会コメントあり】". Oricon (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 10, 2022. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  4. ↑ "NHK総合「紅白歌合戦」世帯視聴率" (in Japanese). Video Research Ltd. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  5. ↑ "Ratings for NHK's year-end "Kohaku" music show hit record low". Kyodo News. 2 January 2022. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  6. ↑ "視聴率データ｜ビデオリサーチ". videor.co.jp. Archived from the original on 2006-11-30. Retrieved 2006-12-02.
  7. ↑ 葉文正、張瑞振 (2009-10-28). "張小燕 哈林 彈開9年再合體" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 蘋果日報 (台灣). Archived from the original on 2010-02-03. Retrieved 2010-02-17.
  8. ↑ "【紅白】出場歌手決定 初出場はNiziU、ストスノ、瑛人 GReeeeNは特別企画". oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  9. ↑ アグネスラム今現在は？旦那（夫）、 結婚、子供は？初代クラリオンガール・ 来日秘話は？テレビ出演、映画は？歌手デビューは？ [What is Agnes Lum doing now? Does she have a husband, marriage, kids? What's the secret story of the first Clarion Girl coming to Japan? Appearances in film and on television? Singing debut?] (in Japanese). 昭和の芸能人情報館. Archived from the original on September 1, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
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