, more commonly known simply as ''Kōhaku'', is an annual

New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...

television special A television special (often TV special, or rarely television spectacular) is a standalone television show which may also temporarily interrupt episodic programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Some specials provide a full range of ent ...

produced by Japanese public broadcaster

NHK , also known as NHK, is a Japanese public broadcaster. NHK, which has always been known by this romanized initialism in Japanese, is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee. NHK operates two terrestr ...

. 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 is composed of all female artists (or groups with female vocals), while the "white" team or 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. 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 Demography () is the statistical study of populations, especially human beings. Demographic analysis examines and measures the dimensions and dynamics of populations; it can cover whole societies or groups defined by criteria such as edu ...

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 Amalgamation is the process of combining or uniting multiple entities into one form. Amalgamation, amalgam, and other derivatives may refer to: Mathematics and science * Amalgam (chemistry), the combination of mercury with another metal **Pan am ...

of the

musical genres This is a list of music genres and styles. Music can be described in terms of many music genre, genres and styles. Classifications are often arbitrary, and may be disputed and closely related forms often overlap. Larger genres and styles comprise ...

and its

artist An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse refers to a practitioner in the visual arts only. However, th ...

s. There are, however, exceptions to the process.

Momoe Yamaguchi , known by her maiden name , is a Japanese former singer, actress, and idol whose career lasted from 1972 to 1980. Often simply referred to by her given name "Momoe," Yamaguchi is one of the most successful singers in Japanese music, releasing 32 ...

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

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 The NHK Hall is a concert hall located at the NHK Broadcasting Center, the main headquarters of Japan's Public broadcasting, public broadcaster NHK. The hall is the main venue for the NHK Symphony Orchestra, but it has also played host to other e ...

, 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 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. 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

* 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 —or —is a Japanese traditional celebration on the last day of the year. Traditionally, it was held on the final day of the 12th lunar month. With Japan's switch to using the Gregorian calendar at the beginning of the Meiji era, December 31 ( ...

). 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 The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. In a common definition, the region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba and Kanagawa. Slight ...

for the first part of the 2006 event. 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. Despite the drop, ''Kōhaku'' is consistently the top-rated musical event each year. 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 Eve (; ; ar, حَوَّاء, Ḥawwāʾ; el, Εὕα, Heúa; la, Eva, Heva; Syriac: romanized: ) is a figure in the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. According to the origin story, "Creation myths are symbolic stories describing how the ...

Chinese New Year Chinese New Year is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a New Year, new year on the traditional lunisolar calendar, lunisolar and solar Chinese calendar. In Sinophone, Chinese and other East Asian cultures, the festival is commonly r ...

. Similar to ''Kōhaku'', the special is held at a live venue,

Taipei Arena The Taipei Arena () is a multi-purpose stadium located in Songshan, Taipei, Taiwan, and it is operated by the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC). Built in 2005, the large multi-purpose stadium can accommodate major international sport ev ...

. Unlike ''Kōhaku'', ''Super Star'' does not have gender-affiliated teams and the special is pre-taped hours 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. The most recent special was broadcast on February 11, 2020.

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

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Official Hige Dandism , commonly abbreviated , is a Japanese pop band formed in Shimane, Japan in 2012 by Satoshi Fujihara (lead vocals, piano), Daisuke Ozasa (lead guitar, backing vocals), Makoto Narazaki (bass, saxophone, backing vocals) and Masaki Matsuura (drums, ...

(Official髭男dism) (3) *

Perfume Perfume (, ; french: parfum) is a mixture of fragrant essential oils or aroma compounds (fragrances), fixatives and solvents, usually in liquid form, used to give the human body, animals, food, objects, and living-spaces an agreeable scent. Th ...

(15) *

Porno Graffitti , also known as , are a Japanese rock band from Onomichi (formerly Innoshima), Hiroshima Prefecture. The band got their name from the album ''Pornograffitti'' by the band Extreme. They currently record under the SME Records label and their ...

(ポルノグラフィティ) (11) *

Rumiko Koyanagi , formerly known as during her Takarazuka Revue days, is a Japanese actress and singer. She began her career as a member of Takarazuka Revue. She won the award for best new artist at the 13th Japan Record Awards and won the Japan Music Award in ...

(小柳ルミ子) (18) * Ryokuoushoku Shakai (緑黄色社会) (1) * Ryōko Moriyama (森山良子) (10) *

Saori Minami (Real Name: Akemi Shinoyama (篠山明美), née, Akemi Uchima (内間明美); Christian Name: Cynthia) is a Japanese retired J-pop singer-songwriter. She was born in Okinawa on July 2, 1954. In the 1970s, and for a brief 6 years from 19911997 ...

(南沙織) (8) *

Sandaime J Soul Brothers , formerly simply J Soul Brothers and stylized as Sandaime J Soul Brothers from Exile Tribe, are a J-pop vocal and dance group formed by Exile ex-leader and producer Hiroyuki Igarashi in Japan in 1991. Sandaime J Soul Brothers are managed by Hiroy ...

(7) *

Sakurazaka46 , formerly , is a Japanese idol girl group produced by Yasushi Akimoto. The group was created on August 21, 2015, becoming Nogizaka46's first sister group under the Sakamichi Series. Following the resignation of group's center Yurina Hirate an ...

(櫻坂46) (2) * Saucy Dog (1) *

Seiko Matsuda , known professionally as , is a Japanese pop singer and songwriter, known for being one of the most popular Japanese idols of the 1980s. Since then, she is still actively releasing new singles and albums, doing annual summer concert tours, win ...

(松田聖子) (22) * Sekai no Owari (6) *

Sexy Zone Sexy Zone is a five-member Japanese boy band managed by Johnny & Associates, consisting of Shori Sato, Kento Nakajima, Marius Yo, Fuma Kikuchi and Sou Matsushima. When they debuted their group age average was 14.6. In 2013 they appeared in Kouh ...

(6) *

Shinji Tanimura is a Japanese singer-songwriter. Career Tanimura set up the musical group Alice together with Takao Horiuchi in 1971 and released his first extended play musical album in the following year. Alice produced its first album two years later. Du ...

(谷村新司) (16) *

Shizuka Kudo , known by her maiden name , is a Japanese singer, actress and former idol, born in Hamura, Tokyo, Japan. She was a member of Onyanko Club between May 1986 and September 1987 and went on to have a successful solo career with 11 number-one hits. ...

(工藤静香) (8) *

Shonentai was a three-member Japanese idol group under the talent agency Johnny & Associates. They debuted on December 12, 1985. The group lead an annual musical ''Playzone'' from 1986 to 2008 for about 957 performances with a total attendance of over 1 ...

(8) * SixTONES (3) *

SMAP SMAP was a Japanese boy band, composed of Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Goro Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, and Shingo Katori. The group was created in 1988 by music producer Johnny Kitagawa, founder of Johnny & Associates, originally as a six-pi ...

(23) *

Snow Man Snow Man is a Japanese idol boy band formed by Johnny & Associates in 2012. The group was previously a sub-unit of Johnny & Associates' pre-debut trainee group, Johnny's Jr. The group's activities focused on acrobats and stage play. Along with ...

(2) * Superfly (6) *

T.M.Revolution is a Japanese musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, voice artist, radio personality, and businessman. He performs under the stage name T.M.Revolution (TMR), which stands for , stemming from the famous '80s pop electronic band TM ...

(5) * Tokio (24) *

Tomomi Kahara born on August 17, 1974 in Tokyo), is a Japanese pop singer. She is famous for working with Tetsuya Komuro who gave her much success in the 1990s, which led to her deep dip in popularity after 1999, the year in which she released her first no ...

(華原朋美) (5) *

Toshihiko Tahara is a Japanese idol singer, and solo vocalist, affiliated with Johnny & Associates. In the 1980s he had a number of number 1 singles in Japan. He was awarded a Japan Music Award in 1983 for the song . He was part of the Tanokin Trio. Biogra ...

(田原俊彦) (7) * Vaundy (1) *

W-inds is a Japanese pop boy band managed by Vision Factory and signed to the Pony Canyon label since 2000. The group consists of Ryohei Chiba and Keita Tachibana; Ryuichi Ogata left the group in 2020. Tachibana is the lead singer of the group, while ...

(6) *

X Japan was a Japanese rock band from Chiba, formed in 1982 by drummer and pianist Yoshiki and lead vocalist Toshi. Starting as a predominantly power/speed metal band with heavy symphonic elements, they later gravitated towards a progressive soun ...

(8) *

Yo Hitoto is a Japanese-Taiwanese pop singer. Her mother is Japanese and her father is Taiwanese. She can speak three languages: Japanese, English, and Mandarin. Tae Hitoto is her older sister. Her name Hitoto is not her real surname, it is her mother's ...

(一青窈) (5) *

Yōko Oginome , real name , is a former pop idol, actress and voice actress, who gained popularity in the mid-1980s. Her fans often call her Oginome-chan. She is represented by the talent management firm Rising Production. Career Oginome spent most of her ...

(荻野目洋子) (5) *

Yūzō Kayama is a Japanese popular musician, singer-songwriter and actor. Life and career Son of mid-twentieth century film star Ken Uehara,and actress Yoko Kozakura, ( ja) Kayama graduated from Keio University. Yuzo Kayama signed with Toho and made hi ...

(加山雄三) (17) *

Yuzu Yuzu (''Citrus junos'', from Japanese or ) is a citrus fruit and plant in the family Rutaceae of East Asian origin. Yuzu has been cultivated mainly in East Asia, though recently also in New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Italy, and France. I ...

(ゆず) (13) 1. Matsuura has also appeared with

DEF.DIVA Def.Diva (often stylized as DEF.DIVA) was a "special group" formed in 2005 from the Hello! Project idol umbrella, and consisted of Aya Matsuura, Maki Goto, Natsumi Abe and Rika Ishikawa. The band's name is an abbreviation of the phrase "Defin ...

and GAM. However, NHK does not count those appearances towards her count.

Enka

* Aki Yashiro (八代亜紀) (23) * Akira Kobayashi (小林旭) (7) * Aya Shimazu (島津亜矢) (5) *

Ayako Fuji (real name , née ), born May 10, 1961, is a Japanese enka singer. She is signed onto Sony Music Japan. Born in Kakunodate, Akita, Fuji graduated from Akita Prefectural Kakunodate South High School.Chiyoko Shimakura (島倉千代子) (35) *

Frank Nagai Frank Nagai (フランク永井; March 18, 1932 – October 27, 2008) was a Japanese singer. Known for his attractive baritone voice. His real name was Kiyoto Nagai (永井清人 ''Nagai Kiyoto''). Life Frank Nagai was born in Matsuyama, Mi ...

(フランク永井) (26) *

Fuyumi Sakamoto is a Japanese female enka singer under EMI Music Japan. Career Having won a singing contest in early 1986, and after receiving about 11 months of vocal training, Sakamoto debuted as an enka recording singer with the single "Abare Daiko" in March ...

(坂本冬美) (34) * George Yamamoto (山本譲二) (11) *

Harumi Miyako , born Harumi Kitamura (, ''Kitamura Harumi'') in Kyoto, is a Japanese ''enka'' singer. She made her debut in 1964. Her popularity has lasted: she makes frequent appearances in the annual television spectacular ''Kōhaku Uta Gassen'' and has ac ...

(都はるみ) (29) *

Haruo Minami , (born ; July 19, 1923 – April 14, 2001) was an enka singer in postwar Japan. Early life He was born Bunji Kitazume (北詰文司 ''Kitazume Bunji'') in Nagaoka, Niigata, Japan. Career In 1939, at the age of 16, Bunji debuted as a performer ...

(三波春夫) (50) *

Hibari Misora was a Japanese singer, actress and cultural icon. She received a Medal of Honor for her contributions to music and for improving the welfare of the public, and was the first woman to receive the People's Honour Award, which was conferred posth ...

(美空ひばり) (18) * Hideo Murata (村田英雄) (27) *

Hiroshi Itsuki is a Japanese singer and composer. As of 1987, he had sold 20 million singles and 4 million LP albums. Itsuki is usually regarded as an ''enka'' singer, but he has also released a cover version of Southern All Stars' J-pop song "Tsunami". Care ...

(五木ひろし) (48) *

Hiroshi Miyama is a Japanese enka singer. His real name is . Miyama's voice gives people a sense of security and vitality ανδ is called . Discography Studio albums Compilation albums Cover albums Singles Videography Filmography Television NHK K ...

(三山ひろし) (8) * Ichirō Toba (鳥羽一郎) (20) *

Kaori Kozai is a Japanese '' enka'' singer.Keys to Japan: its language and its people 1993 "Such singers are referred to as "Endoru" (Enka + idol). Beautiful singers like Ayako Fuji, Kaori Kozai, Fuyumi Sakamoto, and Yoko Nagayama are examples of Endoru. The ...

(香西かおり) (19) *

Kaori Mizumori (born 31 August 1973, Kita, Tokyo) is a Japanese enka singer with Tokuma Japan Communications is a publisher in Japan, headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. The company was established in 1954 by Yasuyoshi Tokuma in Minato, Tokyo. The company’ ...

(水森かおり) (20) *

Keiko Fuji (5 July 1951 – 22 August 2013), known primarily by the stage name was a Japanese singer and actress. She had success in Japan in the 1960s and 1970s with her ballad-type songs. She was married on-and-off with Utada Teruzane, and was the ...

(藤圭子) (5) *

Kenichi Mikawa is a Japanese singer and TV personality, known for his outspoken views and style. Mikawa was born in Suwa, Nagano as . He recorded a number of hit songs as a male ''enka'' singer in the 1960s and 1970s. The most well-known of his songs include ...

(美川憲一) (26) * Kiyoko Suizenji (水前寺清子) (22) *

Kiyoshi Hikawa is a Japanese enka singer who was born on September 6, 1977 in Minami-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.Hikawa Kiyoshi: Pro ...

(氷川きよし) (19) *

Kiyoshi Maekawa (born ) is a Japanese singer and tarento. He is best known as the first lead vocalist of Hiroshi Uchiyamada and Cool Five, which was formed in 1967 and debuted in 1969 with the Japan Record Award-winning song "Nagasaki wa Kyō mo Ame Datta". ...

(前川清) (18) * Masako Mori (森昌子) (15) *

Masao Sen is a Japanese Enka singer and businessman, of Iwate Prefecture, known for the song 'Kitaguni no Haru' ('North Country Spring'). He is affiliated with the talent agency NoReason Inc. Career In 1977, he released his greatest hit, 'Kitaguni no ...

(千昌夫) (19) *

Mina Aoe , professionally known as , was a Japanese female ''enka'' singer who had a series of popular hits in the late 1960s and continued charting late into her career. With her distinctive husky voice, she acquired the nickname "Queen of the Blues" ...

(青江三奈) (18) * Mitsuko Nakamura (中村美律子) (15) *

Miyuki Kawanaka is a Japanese enka singer. Her singing career spanned over four decades. She married Katsuo Yamada in 1991. Early life Kawanaka was born Kimiko Kawanaka in Yonago, Tottori. At a young age, she moved to Suita, Osaka where she grew up. In 197 ...

(川中美幸) (24) *

Naomi Chiaki is a Japanese singer and actress who worked from the late 1960s to the early 1990s. Chiaki made her debut as a singer in 1969, and released her breakthrough single "Yottsu no Onegai" in the following year. "Kassai", a song which has been common ...

(ちあきなおみ) (9) *

Natsuko Godai , (born 18 December 1961), of Tokyo, Japan, is a Japanese enka singer. Career In 1982, under the alias "Hiromi Hoshi", she debuted with "Koi no Ienakiko" ('恋の家なき子'), released by New Century Records. In April 1985, she used the ...

(伍代夏子) (22) *

Rimi Natsukawa is a Japanese singer. She is best known for her 2001 single "Nada Sōsō." Childhood Natsukawa was born in Ishigaki, the largest city in the Yaeyama Islands chain. From a young age she enjoyed singing, and wanted to be a singer after hearin ...

(夏川りみ) (6) *

Ryoko Shinohara Ryōko or Ryouko is a Japanese female given name. The meanings of Ryoko vary depending on which Kanji is used to write the name. Possible writings * 涼子 – "refreshing, child" * 亮子 – "helpful, child" * 良子 – "good, child" * 諒子 ...

(篠原涼子) (2) *

Saburō Kitajima is a Japanese enka singer, lyricist, actor and composer. Background He was born Minoru Ōno (大野穣), in Shiriuchi, Hokkaidō, to a fisherman. He was very poor due to the effects of World War II, and was forced to work while he studied. ...

(北島三郎) (50) *

Sachiko Kobayashi , born in Niigata, Japan, is a female Japanese enka singer and occasional voice actress and voice provider of VOCALOID 4 Sachiko developed by YAMAHA co. She previously worked alongside the Pokémon Company, under the alias " Garura Kobayashi". ...

(小林幸子) (33) * Saori Yuki and Sachiko Yasuda (11)¹ *

Sayuri Ishikawa is a Japanese enka singer who made her professional debut in 1973. With a career nearing five decades, she is one of the most-recognized and successful enka singers in history. Ishikawa is a popular contestant on the annual NHK ''Kōhaku Uta Gas ...

(石川さゆり) (45) *

Shinichi Mori known professionally as is a Japanese male enka singer and composer, who also sings folk and pop music. He has sold more than 90 million records, making him one of the best selling Japanese musicians. Mori has been married and divorced twi ...

(森進一) (48) *

(工藤静香) (9) *

Takao Horiuchi is a Japanese pop and enka singer. He won a 1990 Japan Record Award is a major music awards show, held annually in Japan that recognizes outstanding achievements in the Japan Composer's Association. Until 2005, the show aired on New Year's Ev ...

(堀内孝雄) (17) *

Takashi Hosokawa , born 細川貴志 (Hosokawa Takashi) on 15 June 1950, Makkari, Hokkaidō, Makkari, Abuta District, Hokkaidō, Abuta District, Hokkaidō, Japan) is a Japanese ''enka'' singer. In 1975, he debuted with the song "Kokoro Nokori". Hosokawa immedi ...

(細川たかし) (39) * Uta (1) *

Yōko Nagayama is a Japanese ''enka'' singer, former J-pop singer, and actress. Early life Nagayama was born in Tokyo. At the age of four, she began attending min'yo group singing lessons with her father. Although she originally went because she enjoyed ...

(長山洋子) (14) *

Yoshimi Tendo , better known as , is a Japanese enka is a Japanese music genre considered to resemble traditional Japanese music stylistically. Modern ''enka'', however, is a relatively recent musical form, which adopts a more traditional musical style in ...

(天童よしみ) (27) * Yutaka Yamakawa (山川豊) (11) 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:

Asian

South Korea *

(53rd through 58th) *

Cho Yong-Pil Cho Yong-pil (; born March 21, 1950) is a South Korean singer who is considered one of the most influential figures in Korean popular music. He debuted as a member of the rock band Atkins in 1968 and made his solo debut with the hit single "Co ...

(38th through 41st) *

Girls' Generation Girls' Generation (), also known as SNSD, is a South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment. The group is composed of eight members: Taeyeon, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona, and Seohyun. Originally a nine-piece ensembl ...

(62nd) * Ive (73rd) *

Kara Kara or KARA may refer to: Geography Localities * Kara, Chad, a sub-prefecture * Kára, Hungary, a village * Kara, Uttar Pradesh, India, a township * Kara, Iran, a village in Lorestan Province * Kara, Republic of Dagestan, a rural locality in Da ...

(62nd) * Kye Eun-sook (39th through 45th) *

Lee Jung Hyun Lee Jung-hyun (born February 7, 1980), also known by her occasional stage name Ava, is a South Korean pop singer and actress. She was first recognized for her acting abilities with award-winning role in her first film and has been solidified as ...

(55th) *

Le Sserafim Le Sserafim ( ; ; stylized in all caps) is a South Korean girl group formed by Source Music and Hybe Corporation. The group consists of five members: Sakura, Kim Chae-won, Huh Yun-jin, Kazuha and Hong Eun-chae. Originally a sextet, Kim Ga-ram ...

(73rd) * Patti Kim (40th) * Ryu (55th) *

TVXQ TVXQ (stylized as TVXQ!), an initialism for Tong Vfang Xien Qi (), is a South Korean male pop duo consisting of U-Know Yunho and Max Changmin. They are known as in Japanese releases, and are sometimes referred to as DBSK, an abbreviation of ...

(59th, 60th, and 62nd) *

Twice Twice (; Japanese: トゥワイス, Hepburn: ''To~uwaisu''; commonly stylized as TWICE) is a South Korean girl group formed by JYP Entertainment. The group is composed of nine members: Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaey ...

(68th, 69th, 70th and 73rd) * Yonja Kim (40th, 45th, and 52nd) Taiwan *

Vivian Hsu Vivian Hsu ( Atayal: ; ; born March 19, 1975) is a Taiwanese singer and actress. Hsu rose to prominence in Japan, where she made her first appearance in 1995 and has become a highly recognized celebrity with her countless appearances in media dur ...

(49th) * Chiu Pin-han of AKB48 Team TP (70th) *

Judy Ongg Judy Ongg (; born 24 January 1950) is a Taiwanese-Japanese singer, actress, author, and woodblock-print artist. Born in Taipei, she graduated from Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan, and after which, she became a naturalized Japanese citizen. ...

(30th and 31st) * Ouyang Feifei (23rd, 24th, and 42nd) *

Teresa Teng Teng Li-Chun (; 29 January 1953 – 8 May 1995), commonly known as Teresa Teng, was a Taiwanese singer, actress, musician and philanthropist. Referred to by some as " Asia's eternal queen of pop," Teng became a cultural icon for her contributio ...

(36th, 37th, and 42nd) Philippines *

Smokey Mountain ''Smokey Mountain'' was the term coined for a large landfill once located in Tondo, Manila. History ''Smokey Mountain'' operated for more than 50 years, consisting of over two million metric tons of waste. The flammable substances on decompos ...

(42nd) * Abby Trinidad of

MNL48 MNL48 (read as ''M.N.L. Forty-eight'') is a Filipino idol girl group based in Manila, Philippines. Formed in 2018, they are the fourth international sister group of AKB48, after Indonesia's JKT48, China's SNH48 (''former''), and Thailand's B ...

(70th) *

Gary Valenciano Edgardo Jose Santiago Valenciano (, born August 6, 1964), also known as Gary V., is a Filipino singer-songwriter, dancer, musician, actor, music producer and television host. Valenciano has released 39 albums, and won the Awit Award for "Bes ...

(41st) Hong Kong *

Agnes Chan Agnes Meiling Kaneko Chan (; Japanese: 金子陳美齢, ''Kaneko Chan Meirin'') is a Hong-Kong-born Japanese singer, television personality, university professor, essayist and novelist. Since 1998, Chan has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador a ...

(24th through 26th) *

Alan Tam Alan Tam Wing-lun MH (; born 23 August 1950) is a Hong Kong singer and actor. He played a major role in developing the Cantopop scene in the 1980s as he was known for singing romantic ballads with modern arrangements. From 1983 to 1987, Alan Tam ...

(40th) Thailand *

BNK48 BNK48 (read ''B.N.K. Forty-eight'') is a Thai idol girl group and the third international sister group of Japan's AKB48, following Indonesia's JKT48 and China's SNH48 (''former''). After holding its first audition in mid-2016 and announcing i ...

(69th as a whole and 70th through Pimrapat "Mobile" Phadungwatanachok) * Sita Teeradechsakul of

CGM48 CGM48 (read ''C.G.M. Forty-eight'') is a Thai Teen idol, idol girl group. It is the first domestic sister group of the Thai idol group BNK48, and the eighth international AKB48 Group, sister group of AKB48, after Indonesia's JKT48, China's SNH48 ...

(70th) China * Liu Nian of

AKB48 Team SH AKB48 Team SH (also known as 冲吧少女组合/Chong Ba Shaonu Zuhe) is a Chinese idol group based in Shanghai, China and an official sister group of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48. It was established in 2018 after the dissolution of AKB ...

(70th) *

Twelve Girls Band 12 Girls Band (, sometimes abbreviated to 女樂 or 女乐) are an all female Chinese musical group that initially consisted of twelve members before the addition of a thirteenth. Twelve Girls Band use traditional Chinese instruments to play both ...

(54th) Other * Khushi "Glory" Dua of

DEL48 DEL48 (read D.E.L. Forty-Eight) was an Indian idol group whose name is derived from its based city in New Delhi, India. They are the ninth international sister group of AKB48, after Indonesia's JKT48, China's SNH48 (''former''), Thailand's ...

(India, 70th) *

JKT48 JKT48 (read as "J. K. T. forty-eight") is an Indonesian-Japanese Japanese idol, idol girl group whose name is derived from its based city of Jakarta and the Japanese idol group AKB48. Formed in 2011, the group is the first AKB48 sister group outs ...

(Indonesia, 62nd as a whole and 70th through Shani Indira Natio) *

Dick Lee Richard Lee Peng Boon (born 24 August 1956) is a Singaporean singer-songwriter, playwright and film director. Early life Lee was born to a Peranakan father, Lee Kip Lee, (who wrote for ''The Straits Times'') and his wife , Elizabeth Tan. He was th ...

Lim Hyung-joo Lim Hyung Joo (born 7 May 1986) is a South Korean operatic pop (popera) tenor and classical crossover singer. He has sold more than 1.2 million (1,200,000) records worldwide, including over 1 million (1,000,000) in South Korea, and his total d ...

, Xu Ke, and Amin (Singapore, South Korea, and China respectively, 56th) *

Oyunaa D. Oyuntulhuur ( mn, Д. Оюунтүлхүүр, born 10 November 1975) better known by the stage name Oyunaa (), is a Mongolian singer based in Japan. Oyunaa won the Grand Prix at the World Children's Music Festival in Tokyo in 1989. In 1996, Oyun ...

(Mongolia, 41st) * Trần Cát Tường ("Anna") of

SGO48 SGO48 (read ''S.G.O. Forty-Eight'') was a Vietnamese idol girl group based in Saigon, officially known as Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. They were the seventh international sister group of AKB48, after Indonesia's JKT48, China's SNH48 (''former'') ...

(Vietnam, 70th)

Non-Asian

United States *

Leah Dizon Leah Donna Dizon (born September 24, 1986) is an American singer, model and media personality.Chris Hart (64th and 65th) *

Jero Jerome Charles White Jr. (born September 4, 1981), better known by his stage name , is an American enka singer of African-American and Japanese descent who is the first black enka singer in Japanese music history. In 2018, Jero announced that ...

(59th and 60th) *

Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton (born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years. Her album ''She's So Unusual'' (1983) was the first debut album by a female artist to achi ...

(41st) *

John Ken Nuzzo John Ken Nuzzo (ジョン・健・ヌッツォ; born 5 May 1966) is an American tenor of Japanese origin. Biography John Ken (born in Tokyo), has a Japanese mother and an American father. He moved to the United States and made his debut in Bach ...

(53rd and 55th) *

James Shigeta James Saburo Shigeta ( ja, 繁田三郎) (June 17, 1929 – July 28, 2014) was an American actor of Japanese descent. He was noted for his roles in '' The Crimson Kimono'' (1959), '' Walk Like a Dragon'' (1960), ''Flower Drum Song'' (1961), ...

(8th and 9th) *

Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...

(41st) *

The Ventures The Ventures are an American instrumental rock band formed in Tacoma, Washington, in 1958, by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle. The band, which was a quartet for most of its existence, helped to popularize the electric guitar across the world during the ...

(42nd) *

Alyson Williams Alyson Williams (born May 11, 1962) is an R&B singer who had a string of hit singles in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Some notable tracks include "Just Call My Name", "Sleep Talk", "My Love Is So Raw" and "I Need Your Lovin". Career The daugh ...

(41st) *

Andy Williams Howard Andrew Williams (December 3, 1927 – September 25, 2012) was an American singer. He recorded 43 albums in his career, of which 15 have been gold certified and three platinum certified. He was also nominated for six Grammy Awards. He hos ...

(42nd) Other *

Sarah Brightman Sarah Brightman (born 14 August 1960) is an English classical crossover soprano singer, actress and dancer. Brightman began her career as a member of the dance troupe Hot Gossip and released several disco singles as a solo performer. In 1981, ...

(United Kingdom, 42nd and 69th) *

Alfredo Casero Alfredo Casero (born 12 November 1962) is an Argentine musician, actor and comedian. Casero began studying acting with Norman Briski in 1987. Soon after he started working in the underground humour scene of Buenos Aires. In 1992 he created, a ...

(Argentina, 53rd) *

Alexander Gradsky Alexander Borisovich Gradsky (russian: Алекса́ндр Бори́сович Гра́дский; born Alexander Borisovich Fradkin, 3 November 1949 – 28 November 2021) was a Russian rock singer, bard, multi-instrumentalist and composer. H ...

(Russia, 41st) * Márcia (Brazil, 41st) *

Laima Vaikule Laima Vaikule (born 31 March 1954) is a Latvian actress, singer, director, and choreographer, best known in Europe and in the former USSR for such popular hits as "Vernisage" and "Charlie," among other songs. Biography Vaikule was born on 31 Mar ...

(Latvia, 42nd) *

Rosanna Zambon Rosanna Zambon (born July 3, 1950, in Schio, Italy) is an Italian singer. Biography She is best known for her work in Japan with the duo Hide & Rosanna. She subsequently became a TV personality with her own Italian cuisine show. Discography *� ...

(Italy, 21st and 22nd)

References

External links

Kōhaku Uta Gassen Official Page (Japanese)NHK Kōhaku on the NHK Digital Museum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kohaku Uta Gassen NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen Music competitions in Japan Japanese music television series Japanese television specials 1953 Japanese television series debuts New Year's television specials Annual television shows 1950s Japanese television series Music festivals in Japan Japanese radio programs 1951 radio programme debuts