The “73rd NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen” is nearing! The show will air on NHK on December 31 at 7:20 PM JST. There are some changes coming to the show this year though, changes that are actually more of a return to normal.

This year’s Kohaku will return to the new and improved NHK Hall, which recently finished undergoing renovation. The “71st NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen” in 2020 was the last time the show was held in this venue. Also returning this year will be the audience. The show has been held without an audience since “70th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen” in 2019, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The theme of this year’s show is “LOVE & PEACE -Minna de Share!-” This is a reaction to the current state of the world, given the year has been full of anxiety-inducing events, including the pandemic, wars, and natural disasters.

This year’s hosts are Oizumi Yo, Hashimoto Kanna, and NHK announcer Kuwako Kaho. Sho Sakurai will also appear on the show as a special navigator. This is Yo’s third year in a row serving as host, while Kanna and Kaho are making their debut on the show. Sho previously hosted the show as part of Arashi from 2010 – 2014, and then solo in 2018 and 2019.

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