Japanese variety/foodie programs

Don't see a lot of chatter about my favorite JTV format, variety/foodie programs. So I'll begin here:

I remember KIKU-TV here in Hawaii used to broadcast old DOTCH episodes that *everyone* in the office would gush about the following day. I mean, those shows were timeless (save for the SD picture quality and B/C-level Heisei talentos): prepare awesome dishes for the camera in the most irresistible food porn manner. Something is wrong with the universe is this show isn't living on in endless streaming replays.

Anyway, one of the guys I see a lot in variety shows is the ubiquitous Ariyoshi Hiroiki. He hosted a local Hiroshima program from September 2022 that aired in Hawaii as a New Years holiday program. Spoiler alert: kinda meh since all Ariyoshi did was the classic host duty of reacting to the program in a studio, head shot in a corner box on screen.

What actually engaged me for 45 minutes was Ariyoshi's co-host, Nukumi Meru. Man, Meruru is EVERYWHERE! And why not -- she is soooo radiant, just sitting and gigling in a hapi coat. It was worth the 45 minutes just to see her reactions.

https://www.htv.jp/ariyoshihanabi/ 

Another all-time favorite program of mine is MANTEN AOZORA RESTAURANT. Been on for over a decade and still going strong. It used to be on the Nippon Golden Network locally but unfortunately was discontinued during the pandemic. However I'm still able to watch current episodes, thanks to the intarwebs!

The latest episode: 1/13/2024. Frequent guest (his 22nd appearance!) Kaneko Takatoshi joined Daisuke in Kamakura, Kanagawa. It's back to the ocean to catch Kawahagi... At 6:00 AM?!! There's no biz like SHOW BIZ!

I've had Kawahagi before but didn't realize how small it is. But those kind of flatfish have flavor! Don't recall having the liver, which everyone just gushed over here. Prepared the usual ways: Sashimi, nitsuke (not clear how prevalent the bone situation is here), karaage with ankake sauce, and oven baked in foil. The grand kanpai finale: NABE! Some big fillets in there.

https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/1913584j8t1ese20rvoa.html 

Latest Aozora Restaurant episode: 2/24/2024,  Nakatsu, Oita. Another episode in wonderful, frigid temperatures. The guest is Murashige Anna, one of them AKB-ish idols (who can keep track of them all??!). The ingredient is Hidaka Bijin oysters. They're not freakishly huge like from other regions but must taste absolutely wonderful. Pretty basic dishes here: steamed, shiso-wrapped tempura, stir fry with chives (a real winner!), and shumai (!!!). Everyone toasts to a grand oyster rice feast with miso soup.

https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/1913uir3vfty62qottc3.html 

 griff88:

One of my favorite Japanese foodie show is Omoumai Mise where the cameramen (usually new employees of the TV  station) are the ones who interact with local restaurant owners known for extremely cheap price for giant portions. Sometimes the cameramen/directors ended up in hilarious situation such as becoming additional waiters/dishwashers or being generously fed by the owners who treat them like their own children.

Loved Sekkaku Gourmet as well, their food shots are making stomach growling instantly as you said. But sadly my local TV provider pulled the plug of their Japanese channel and I lost my only way to legally watch any Japanese TV programs.

Sekkaku Gurume is still shown locally in Hawaii subtitled on Nippon Golden Network but they've really scaled back and program costs are becoming prohibitive. "Sekkaku" replaced ARIYOSHI KUN NO SHOJIKI SANPO because the latter became too expensive for a local pay cable station to justify -- I guess any Ariyoshi show is a premium product. But now Sekkaku might be gone from NGN because the Japanese A-list guests on the show drive up the price, as well. I mean, what's going on here?!! This ain't the Marvel Cinematic Universe, for crissakes!

Latest episode: 3/23/2024. Jinnai Tomonori returns to the program, this time in Awaji, Hyoko-ken. He was also in Awaji for the show in May 2015, fishing for Sawara. This time the weather was considerably more hospitable.

It's a veggie episode which feels like hit or miss to me, especially when the ingredient is niche. We see arugula being grown in a greenhouse. This type is Selvatica, a kind of wild type with more stems in each leaf. Of course Jinnai and Daisuke begin munching on freshly picked stems -- bitter yum! As a bonus, they also sample French marigold flower buds.

They start with a salad, of course; however the slices of beef they add make me feel like this is a cheat. Other dishes with a homemade Selvatica sauce: hirame with a meuniere sauce, shio yakisoba with shrimp, a nice kakiage with tako. The show kampais with seared beef sushi with the same Selvatica sauce.

https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/1913j5lpdo1b7wtt7fbc.html 

New AOZORA RESTAURANT episode: 4/20/2024. We harvest takenoko in Kyoto with... some comedy duo. They begin the show in Eigamura, a touristy destination I've never checked out.

Off to the forest! The expert sprinkles the land with konbu, katsuobushi, and... maguro blood??! Does this make this brand of takenoko non-vegan? In any case I have no idea how they can find the shoots peeking out from the marsh. I also can't imagine munching on freshly uprooted bark, but hey they're television professionals.

Today's menu: roasted slices with anchovy butter sauce, pepper stir fry with pork, takenoko tsukune meat sticks. The kampai dish is Tenshinhan: a kind of omelet topped with a rich ankake sauce.

https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/1913aivvzb5gfxatb0it.html