It has been revealed that the popular variety show "Oja MAP!!" (Fuji TV), hosted by Shingo Katori and Hiroya Yamazaki of "Untouchable", will be making a one-night comeback for the first time in seven years from 6:00 pm on January 4, 2025.
"Oja MAP!!" was an "anything goes" location variety show that was popular for about six years, broadcasting from January 2012 to March 2018. Katori and Yamazaki traveled all over Japan and carried out various location projects, garnering support from a wide range of generations.
This time, the show will be back for the first time in seven years, and the duo "Katori and Zakiyama" will take on the signature project "Oja MAP!!" with a guest. They will visit gourmet spots with a giant jar containing 10 cups of rice, and try to eat all the rice in the jar while using the local specialties they find there as side dishes. Set in Asakusa, Tokyo, where the number of restaurants is rapidly increasing due to inbound tourism, they will go on an unusual journey in search of the "best side dish."
The guests are Yamamoto Koji, Katori's longtime friend who will appear in the January 2025 drama series "Frame of Mind" (Tuesdays 9pm), Koji Yamamoto Ai, who co-stars with Katori in the drama series "Japan's Number One Jerk Salaryman" (Thursdays 10pm), and Nobuko from the comedy trio "Party-chan."
The group is unable to decide on three dishes to order early on - gyoza, shabu-shabu, and tempura - and visits famous restaurants serving pickles, eel, and yakiniku. Katori's wild eating habits, which have amazed viewers since the regular broadcasts, and his free-spirited behavior, such as going off to another restaurant by himself during the shoot and buying food ignoring the rice in the jar, are still alive and well this time.
◇Comments from Shingo Katori and Hiroya Yamazaki (Untouchable)
--How was it filming "Oja MAP!!" for the first time in seven years?
Katori: It was fun. After "Oja MAP!!" ended, I had a strong desire to go for a stroll around the city again, so I was very happy.
Yamazaki: I also had a lot of fun. It's been a long time, but it's strange that I don't feel like it's been that long at all (laughs). The staff members are mostly the same as when I was a regular, and it's not like I've been meeting Katori-san for the first time in seven years. But sometimes I feel nostalgic...there were a lot of emotional moments (laughs). It was a very happy time.
Katori: After a day of filming, I felt that a "relaxed" program like "Oja MAP!!" is really valuable. There are no other programs where you can be as free and relaxed as you want (laughs).
Yamazaki: Katori-san is free to make appointments at restaurants (laughs). Before he even knows if he has made an appointment or not, he just says "OK, okay, everyone, come in, come in" (laughs). Also, he just disappears in the middle of a location shoot. He did that this time too.
Katori: It's "forgiveable" to disappear in the middle of a job (laughs). I'm just trying my best to complete my work (laughs).
Yamazaki: Also, when I see students on a school trip, I can't help but talk to them.
Katori: Well, this is going to be a bit serious, but I want to cherish the time I spend talking to people on the street. For those of us who do this kind of work, being able to talk to them directly, saying things like, "Shingo-chan, I'm always watching you," or "Thank you," is a very valuable experience. I think it's something you can never experience on social media.
--One of the highlights of "Oja MAP!!" is Katori's eating habits, what did you think this time?
Katori: It went pretty well, didn't it?
Yamazaki: Yes, I was eating it, as usual (laughs).
Katori: I was a little worried because it had been seven years since my last performance, but I still managed to do well.
Yamazaki: Katori Shingo, the foodie, was still alive and well (laughs)
--Please tell us your impressions of the guests. First, about Koji Yamamoto.
Katori: I was so happy. When my favorite show "Oja MAP!!" was revived, my favorite Yamamoto-san was going to be a guest.
Yamazaki: It's amazing that two best friends appeared in a Fuji TV drama at the same time. It was a coincidence.
-What is your impression of Tominaga Ai?
Yamazaki-san: She was very friendly and charming. Maybe because she's a model, she tends to be seen as cool, but even in this slightly unusual location shoot, she participated in a fun and positive way, which I was grateful for. Is she like that even in between dramas?
Katori: Yes, that's right. She's always been that way. Even when we talk, she's always honest and cheerful. It's amazing to hear that she has a 19-year-old son. It's rare to find a mother as cool as her.
--Nobuko and Katori performed a skit-like exchange.
Yamazaki: What was that scene all about? (laughs) I couldn't watch it any more. I felt sorry for Tominaga-san, who was sandwiched between Katori-san and Nobuko-chan, with a look on her face like, "What am I being shown?" (laughs)
Katori: Well, I wasn't completely satisfied with the performance, so next time I'd like to do a proper rehearsal. I think it's important to discuss it properly the day before.
Yamazaki: No, no, no, you don't have to do that! But, I guess the fact that such incomprehensible things are born is what's good about variety shows (laughs).
--Finally, please give a message to the viewers who are looking forward to the broadcast.
Yamazaki: First of all, I'd like to say "sorry to have kept you waiting" to those who have been watching "Oja MAP!!" for a long time. "Oja MAP!!" is exactly the same as it was before (laughs), so I hope you'll look forward to it. And for all the young people who are watching "Oja MAP!!" for the first time, please take a look at the exchange between Katori-san and Nobuko-chan. I think the content is geared towards young people (laughs).
Katori: I'll say it again, but I think the biggest appeal of this show is its "looseness." I don't think it's often that you can enjoy watching something so loose. We live in a world where you can't be forgiven if you don't do everything properly. Of course, there are times when you have to do things properly, but in those times, I hope that people can watch this loose show and enjoy themselves without thinking too much.
Yamazaki: Also, I have one request for everyone. After watching today's broadcast, I would like you to send a letter or email to Fuji TV saying, "I want to watch 'Oja MAP!!' again!" Please do so before the schedule change in April (laughs)!
