In a recent post I mentioned a TV show that I really enjoy called「欽ちゃん＆香取慎吾の全日本仮装大賞」 (Kinchan & Shingo Katori’s All-Japan Costume Talent Contest)…(Click here to read it.)
But that show is only on air twice a year.
There are a number of shows that I enjoy watching every week.
Let me introduce you to a few of them…
- 伊藤政則のＲＯＣＫ ＣＩＴＹ (Masa Itoh’s Яock City) 毎週金曜 午後２４時４５分～２５時１５分 (Every Friday night (Saturday AM) at 12:45 – 1:15AM) on TVK Yokohama.
Masa Itoh is a famous heavy metal critic. He works for Burrn! magazine (Click here to see my post about this magazine) and has his own TV that introduces new metal albums and concerts coming to Japan, and shows interviews that Masa Itoh does with musicians, as well as music promotion videos.
Many American and European heavy metal bands list Masa Itoh‘s name in their album liner’s “Thank you” lists.
- テレビチャンピオン (TV Champion) 毎週木曜 午後７時５７分～８時５４分 (Every Thursday at 7:57 – 8:54PM) on TV Tokyo.
Every week they have experts in one field or another (such as chefs, carpenters, artists, etc) compete to see who is the best.
- 走れ！ポストマン (Run! Postman Run!) 毎週日曜 午後10時～ (Every Sunday at 10:00PM) on Tokyo Broadcasting Systems (TBS).
This show has a celebrity act as a postman to try to track down and deliver a letter or gift to someone who has touched the life of that week’s guest but they lost contact for one reason or another.
One week, for example,because of this show a woman whose mother is Japanese and father is American managed to get in contact with her long-lost father who had returned to America when she was young.
- 天才！志村どうぶつ園 (Shimura’s Zoo) 毎週土曜 午後7時～ (Every Saturday at 7:00PM) on Nihon TV (Nittre).
パン君＆ジェームズ (Pan-kun & James)
They show some amazing and interesting animals. Most popular segments include a celebrity help a different animal that has hardship (such as a baby panda whose mother tried to kill when it was born, and became handicapped because of it)…and also the popular パン君＆ジェームズ (“Pan-kun the chimpanzee and his pet bulldog James”) (pictured above) who have many adventures together. Both Pan-kun and James are very intelligent.
Watch this clip of one episode of the adventures ofパン君＆ジェームズ (“Pan-kun and James”):
- 知っとこ！ (Sittoko!) 毎週土曜 午前7時半～９時２５分 (Every Saturday at 7:30-9:25AM) on 毎日放送 (MBS).
It’s a live morning variety show. It always ends with the segment called 「世界の朝ごはん」 (World Breakfast) in which they feature a different city in world and introduce a bit of that city / country’s culture and then they introduce a local newlywed couple and the wife cooks an average breakfast for that city. And then the show’s hosts try some of the featured food.
- サンデージャポン (Sunday Japon) 毎週日曜 午前10時～ (Every Sunday at 10:00AM) on Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS).
A live morning program in which they show and discuss the week’s biggest news stories.
- 奇跡体験！アンビリバボー (Miraculous! Unbelievable!) 毎週木曜 午後7時57分～ (Every Thursday at 7:57PM) on Fuji TV.
This show is on at the same time as 「テレビチャンピオン」 (“TV Champion“) that I mentioned above so I have to always chose to watch one or the other. 😦
This show features stories of people around the world who have survived near-death experiences as well as other surprising or shocking stories. It’s always fun to watch when they show the surveillance-camera footage of robbery attempts by bungling-burglars!
- ナニコレ珍百景 (What the…? A hundred unusual scenes) 毎週水曜 午後7時～8時54分 (Every Wednesday at 7:00 – 8:54PM) on TV Asahi.
They show unusual or strange things things around the country (Japan) that viewers submitted the information about.
- 世界の果てまでイッテＱ！ (To The Ends Of The World) 毎週日曜19時58分～20時54分 (Every Sunday at 7:58 – 8:54PM) on Nihon TV (Nittre).
On this show, a Japanese celebrity accepts a challenge to go to a foreign country and participate in some unusual part of their culture.
Here’s a clip from one episode that I watched when it aired a while back. It has a Japanese comedian named Daisuke Miyagawa travel to England to join in a cheese-rolling festival.
He actually manages to come in second place…but sprains his ankle in the process.
The whole Japanese cast has a laugh at the end because an English newspaper shows his name as Daisuki Miyazawa. (The typo in his first name is funnier than the one in his last…because his name is 大輔 (Daisuke), but the English newspaper wrote Daisuki which is 大好き (love) in Japanese.)
My favorite member of the cast of this show is a comedian called Imoto.
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Do you live in Japan? Have you ever seen any of these shows? I recommend them if you have a chance to watch them.
What types of shows do you like watching? What’s popular in your country?
Tokyo Five 
I can’t believe I forgot to mention 「伊藤政則のＲＯＣＫ ＣＩＴＹ」 (“Masa Itoh’s Яock City“)!
I just added it to the top of this post.
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The trip was only two weeks but we went to Ginkakuji, Himeji Castle, Hiroshima, Nara, Disneyland, the Imperial Palace, Ueno, Japanese school, Roppongi,Shinjuku, Ginza, Tokyo Dome. Forgetting a few other places but the trip was so fun.
I’m looking forward to my next trip to Japan next year, which I will be going with my family. Hopefully I’ll be able make the trip enjoyable since we should have less language problems(hopefully since I see myself continuing the language).
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Oh, you went many places. That’s great!
And you and your family and coming back here next year? So you’ll be the translator!
Do you have photos from your last Japan trip somewhere on your blog?
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I have them on my MSN livespace, but I’ll probably blog the trip when I have time.
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OK. Please tell me the URL to the post when you do.
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Heroes, 24, CSI NY, CSI are some of the TV Shows i love to watch. If its game shows ..well if you do call it game shows I like the Amazing Race.
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I know Heroes.
One of the actors is Japanese…and he speaks in Japanese in the show. Right?
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Yes he is, Masi Oka. Do you watch it over there?
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No, I haven’t watched Heroes. I know about the Japanese actor speaking Japanese in it because they mentioned it on TV here once.
They might show the TV show on cable. I don’t know. I don’t have cable TV.
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My favorite shows right now are:
Lost
Chuck
House
There are other things that I watch but would not be upset if I were to miss an episode.
There is a “Japanese-esque” show that was on last summer and coming back to TV this summer called WIPE-Out. It’s a bunch of people going through crazy obstacle courses. I think it might actually be based off of a Japanese show.
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Lost, Chuck, House…all one-word titles!
They must be (fairly) new shows.
Well, maybe not new…when I came to Japan, The Simpsons was a new TV show in America!
And speaking of American TV shows that are inspired by Japanese TV…America’s Funniest Home Videos, and Star Search were copies of Japanese TV shows.
(Are those two shows even still on the air in America anymore? I grew up watching those shows and other ’70s and ’80s American TV shows like Real People, That’s Incredible!, Dukes Of Hazzard, Knight Rider, Happy Days, Welcome Back Kotter (John Travolta’s first TV show), The Incredible Hulk, etc.)
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Shimura’s zoo seems interesting.
What do you think about ガキの使いやあらへんで and 世界の果てまで行ってQ?
I enjoy watching those two, especially 世界 since they go around the world.
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I looked at your blog…your live in Australia and you like Japanese anime, right?
You can speak Japanese well, can’t you?
About the Japanese TV show 「ダウンタウンのガキの使(つか)いやあらへんで!! 」…the Japanese comedian team Downtown are funny and I occasionally watch that show—but it’s not one of my favorites.
But I do like 「世界(せかい)の果(は)てまでイッテQ!」! I forgot to add that show to this post!
Thanks for reminding me. 😉 I’m gonna add it!
I especially like the comedian, 「イモト」, who appears on that show…she’s funny!
(edit: I just added it).
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I’m last year highschool but only started learning Japanese in Year 8, so that’s my level. I wish my Japanese was better so I can watch more awesome Japanese shows!
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You’re in high school.
What made you decide to study Japanese?
Have you ever been to Japan?
When I was a student in America, the schools I went to never offered any exotic foreign language courses like Japanese. Only French or Spanish. (I chose Spanish).
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Your comment threading doesn’t want to extend.
It’s compulsory in Year 7-8 to do a language other than english in Australia. At our school, in year 7, we were given a ‘taste tester course.’ we did a term of french,german and japanese(wrote everything in romaji however). Then by the end of the year, we were to elect one of the languages to do the following year, and I chose Japanese. Around that time, I watched my first Japanese Anime, Naruto and I enjoyed it, motivating me to learn Japanese. As I continued learning Japanese, I watched more and more Japanese anime. In year 9 and 10, I would learn more Japanese grammar via the internet. The conjugations and grammar in Japanese was interesting, and still is for me. It was after I went to Japan (Tokyo,Kyoto)in 2007 with my class group, that I became more interested in Japanese Culture, reading blogs about Japan and its culture. And here I am, a reader. Love the blog!
My passion for learning the language has led me to wanting to live in Japan ^^! Or at least to be able to use Japanese in daily life, even if it is just for work.
I’d like to know more about how you moved to Japan.
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>Your comment threading doesn’t want to extend.
Yeah, I set it to go only three levels. Maybe I should extend it.
When I was in high school, we were required to take at least two years of a foreign language, as well.
But, as I mentioned, they only offered Spanish or French at my school.
So, you’ve been to Tokyo and Kyoto with your school.
Wow! As I mentioned in an earlier post (https://tokyo5.wordpress.com/2009/05/06/end-of-gw/ ), I never even left Florida (where I grew up) on school trips!
How long was your Japan trip?
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I just finished watching 「奇跡体験！アンビリバボー」 (Miraculous! Unbelievable!).
The last segment was the best one. It was about a woman named Jessica Cox in America born with no arms who drives, flies a small airplane, and does all the daily chores of life by using her feet.
She meets a teenage girl who saved her younger brother in a car accident…but lost her left arm in the process.
The teenage girl was very self-conscious…but Jessica Cox gave her self-confidence.
It was a nice story.
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I love the show with Pan-kun and James! what a cute pair and they must be intelligent to do all the “acting”! The other show where the experts compete sounds like different shows we have here, eg “Hell’s Kitchen”. Have you heard of it? It’s not exactly the same, but they have different people who want to be chefs and have a chance of managing a well known restaurant owned by the main chef, who also judges and elimates one chef every wk. He is really tough on them too, that’s why it is call Hell’s Kitchen. It gets hot in his kitchen! Have you heard of “The Celebrity Apprentice”? Donald Trump’s show-where different celebrities compete to win the most money for their chosen charity. it gets pretty tough too. this season the 2 remaining players are Joan Rivers playing against (supposedly) the world’s best poker player, who is a woman and a very nasty person too. we are routing for Joan to win. I never really liked her until this show. and our favorite is “American Idol”-I know you must have heard of it. I love all the contestants this season, it will be a hard win because they are all so good. my guess is a guy named Adam will win.
t.v. is so addicting but it can be a good way to unwind.
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>I love the show with Pan-kun and James!
Me too.
>“Hell’s Kitchen”. Have you heard of it?
No, I haven’t. Is it fun?
>Have you heard of “The Celebrity Apprentice”? Donald Trump’s show
I know who Donald Trump is, of course. But I don’t know about his TV show.
>our favorite is “American Idol”-
I’ve heard of that show…but haven’t actually watched it.
It seems popular in America.
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I watch them subtitled, although I saw Kimi ga Uso wo Tsuita and Last Friends without subtitles but luckily I can understand most of the Japanese now.
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So you must speak Japanese quite well!
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Only Japan…
I miss Battling Seizure Robots 🙂
Also, I thought of this idea just yesterday: A Japanese reality show where you must bring shame to your entire family.
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>I miss Battling Seizure Robots 🙂
You mean from that episode of The Simpsons when they came to Japan?
>A Japanese reality show where you must bring shame to your entire family.
🙂
I miss your comments. Just a bit cheeky. It’s funny…please comment more often!
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> Indeed I do. Have you seen “In Marge We Trust,” which features the legendary Mr. Sparkle commercial?
>Thanks! I caught your comment on my main blog, and 1) I never knew what it actually read on the Mr. Sparkle box before you told me. 2) I’m pretty sure “Homer Clean” was an intentional pun by the writers, making it one hell of an awesome bilingual bonus.
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> Indeed I do. Have you seen “In Marge We Trust,” which features the legendary Mr. Sparkle commercial?
No, I haven’t. They don’t show The Simpsons here. (They tried to put the show on here years ago…but the humor doesn’t translate well).
>I never knew what it actually read on the Mr. Sparkle box before you told me.
It says 「ミスター・スパーコル」 (“Mister Sparkle“) and Homer is saying 「ハワー・クリーン！」 (“Hower Clean!“)…it’s a typo, it should be 「パワー・クリーン！」 (“Power Clean!“).
>I’m pretty sure “Homer Clean” was an intentional pun
It’d be funny if that’s what it said…but it’s just a typo. They have it “Hower clean”, not “Homer clean!”.
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I loved the clip of the chimp and bulldog–watched the whole thing–what is that white stuff everyone is shaking up in the kitchen/lab? Greetings to all my Tokyo family! XXOOXX
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>I loved the clip of the chimp and bulldog–
Pan-kun and James. I love them too!
I want to see them filming their show somewhere around Tokyo one day!
>watched the whole thing
I watch it every week!
>what is that white stuff everyone is shaking up in the kitchen/lab?
Oh sorry, I actually didn’t even think about people watching it not being able to understand it! 😉
I’m so used to TV being in Japanese…I guess it just seems normal.
It was butter. They were making butter.
That episode in the clip above is “Pan-kun’s first time to encounter various things” (first time to make butter, first time to cross a stream, first time to overcome his fear of water, etc).
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I’ve seen Shimura’s Zoo, very cute and they’re so smart! And TV Champion.
My hub loves Sasuke too, and it’s called Ninja Warrior in the U.S. as well. Also very popular in the States is MXC – Most Extreme Challenge (in Japan it was originally called…..something Takeshi, can’t remember the whole name anymore). Spike TV has taken the show and done hilarious English voice overs, it’s such a funny show on it’s own, but with the comedic voice overs, it’s hysterical!
I love Japanese game shows, always a riot! Especially when you can’t understand anything that’s being said and you just have to guess about what’s going on: “Why are those guys dressed like the Ghost Busters and having a noodle eating contest with full-sized washing machines strapped to their backs?” LOL
I’ve got lots of favorites on Japanese TV, but have no idea what any of them are called! On American TV I love Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, Army Wives, The Office, New Adventures of Old Christine, CSI Miami……..
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>I’ve seen Shimura’s Zoo, very cute and they’re so smart! And TV Champion.
Do you watch them every week?
>My hub loves Sasuke too, and it’s called Ninja Warrior in the U.S. as well.
Is it shown in America? I’ve never seen it when I lived in the U.S.
>Also very popular in the States is MXC – Most Extreme Challenge (in Japan it was originally called…..something Takeshi, can’t remember the whole name anymore).
You mean 「風雲！たけし城」 (It’s hard to translate exactly…”Winds! Takeshi’s Castle“)
>Spike TV
Is that a U.S. TV channel?
>I love Japanese game shows, always a riot!
I guess most foreigners misunderstand the purpose of Japanese game shows.
They’re not usually like U.S. game shows where regular people are trying to win money…the contestants are famous Japanese comedians trying to be funny.
They’re kinda like skits.
Japan does have game-shows when contestants try to win prizes or money.
The contestants are sometimes celebrities and sometimes regular people.
Shows such as 「東京フレンドパーク」 (Tokyo Friend Park), the Japanese version of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire“, and 「ココリコミリオン家族」 (Million (Yen) Family).
I liked that last one,「ココリコミリオン家族」 (Million (Yen) Family), in which a regular Japanese family had to set booby-traps in their home and then hide. A team of celebrities would come into the house and have a half-hour to find the entire family.
If the family stayed hidden, they won ¥1 million.
Sadly, it seems that that show doesn’t air anymore (it used to be on on Tuesday evenings at about 7PM).
>On American TV I love Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, Army Wives, The Office, New Adventures of Old Christine, CSI Miami
I guess it really has been a long time since I’ve watched America TV…I don’t know any of those!
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I just watched one of my favorite TV shows tonight and realized that I didn’t include it on this post.
So I just added it.
It’s 「ナニコレ珍百景」 (What the…?)
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I remember Shimura’s Zoo when I was in Japan it really is a great show
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Yes, I like that show alot.
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Most of what I watch is Japanese TV drama, I’ve seen a bit of other shows but the websites which I know of aren’t very reliable, Pandora TV is a Korean site which has a lot of Japanese shows but for some reason it doesn’t work a lot of the time when I visit it. I found a site where I could watch TV Tokyo direct from Japan but unfortunately it doesn’t seem to work anymore. Oh yeah, that reminds me, we do get Sasuke on TV in England, but it’s called Ninja Warrior and features a horrible British voice over, I wish they’d just keep to the original but such is life. (I’ve never actually seen the original Japanese version though).
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>Most of what I watch is Japanese TV drama
Really? You like the dramas?
Which ones? My daughters watch many different dramas, so I know most of them.
> we do get Sasuke on TV in England
I like that show too.
>but it’s called Ninja Warrior
“Ninja Warrior“!?! 😀
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My most favourite drama is from a few years back, At Home Dad with Abe Hiroshi and Ryoko Shinohara. Apart from that I like First Kiss, Kekkon Dekinai Otoko, Kimi ga Uso wo Tsuita, Seikei Bijin, Koi wa Tatakai, Last Friends, Brother Beat, Attention Please, Good Luck, Gakko Ja… Oshierarenai!, the list goes on lol….
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Older ones. 😉
Do you watch them in Japanese or are they dubbed into English there?
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I actually haven’t seen any of the shows you mentioned but I’ll try to check ’em out this summer. When I was in Japan there were 2 shows which I always tried to watch – Pressure Study and Eigo de Shaberanaito!! Pressure Study was really good for my Japanese practise, at that time though I didn’t know much kanji so the kanji based quizes weren’t very useful, but it was still entertaining to watch. Obviously I don’t need to improve my english haha, but they usually have really interesting guests on eigo de shaberanaito and it’s quite insightful. I saw one episode of London Hearts in Japan which is pretty interesting too, I’ve seen some on the net since I’ve been back in England, I learnt about モテる and イケメン by watching it, hehe.
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You’ve never heard of the shows I mentioned?
They’re all quite famous shows in Japan.
Do you watch Japanese TV online in England?
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