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NHK Kōhaku Uta-Gassen

1951 – nowShow1 season77 episodes

Reality
80
GreatGoodWatch score

A nostalgic, heartwarming reality series about show business and history, with standout score.

Good for date night · family movie night · friends night

Skip it if you want something to laugh at · you want dark or edgy material

Where to watch

Set your services

Not streaming in any country yet.

Fingerprint

Not for brutality, scares or big ideas.

Shows with

Story

NHK Kōhaku Uta-Gassen (NHK紅白歌合戦, "NHK Red and White Song Battle"), more commonly known simply as Kōhaku, is an annual New Year's Eve television special held on December 31 every year, and produced by Japanese public broadcaster NHK. It is broadcast live simultaneously on NHK General TV, BS4K, BS8K, and NHK radio (nationally) and internationally on NHK World Premium and some overseas (mainly cable) broadcasters who buy the program. The program divides the most popular music artists of the year into competing teams of red and white. The "red" team or "akagumi" (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).

Feels like

  • Annual Music Tradition
  • Nostalgic Time Capsule
  • Wholesome Family Entertainment
  • Japanese Pop Culture Icon
  • Historical Broadcast Artifact
  • Musical Showcase
  • New Year's Eve Ritual
  • Low-Stakes Competition
  • Cultural Heritage

Cast

24 of 66 · most episodes first

Crew

Music by
Mihara Tsunaki

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

January 3, 1951 · December 31, 2025 · Still running

First aired
January 3, 1951
Latest episode
December 31, 2025
Status
Still running
Length
1 season · 77 episodes
Genres
Reality
Original language
Japanese
Made in
Japan

Q&A

6 questions, like "Is NHK Kōhaku Uta-Gassen worth watching?"

Questions about NHK Kōhaku Uta-Gassen

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Is NHK Kōhaku Uta-Gassen worth watching?

80
GreatGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 80.

Is NHK Kōhaku Uta-Gassen okay for kids?

Yes: the viewing guide lists it for kids.

How long does it take to watch NHK Kōhaku Uta-Gassen?

308 h

About 308 hours: 77 episodes in 1 season of about 240 minutes each since 1951, and it's still in production.

Can I half-watch NHK Kōhaku Uta-Gassen?

Easy watchDemanding

Yes: it's easy to follow, with complexity at only 2 of 10, and the viewing guide calls it good for background watching.

Will I feel good after watching NHK Kōhaku Uta-Gassen?

BleakHopeful

Yes, it's an uplifting series: the title analysis rates it 9 of 10 for wholesome and 7 for hopefulness.

Is NHK Kōhaku Uta-Gassen in English?

Japanese

No, it was made in Japanese.