It was announced on October 16th that Fuji TV's long-running TV program "Kuishinbo! Banzai," which began airing in 1975, will be drawing to a close after 50 years of history. The program has been on hiatus since January 26th, but will resume broadcasting from 5:25 pm on October 26th, concluding with a special program on November 22nd at 1:30 pm.
On the October 26th broadcast, the show will visit the home of a former staff member who was the show's cameraman for 32 years in Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture. Standing in front of the newly harvested rice that he started growing after retirement, Shuzo Matsuoka, who has appeared on the show more than 1,000 times, takes a bite with tears in his eyes.
On November 2nd, we will visit a long-established kamaboko shop that continues to take on new challenges, and introduce Kagoshima's local dish, "tsukeage." On November Getsuku, we will visit a black vinegar specialty restaurant in Fukuyama-cho, Kirishima City, the birthplace of black vinegar, and enjoy special dishes made with black vinegar that boasts a long history of traditional flavor and artisanal techniques. On November 16th, we will enjoy a unique shabu-shabu dish made in a large pot at a hotel that has been in business for over 100 years.
The final special episode on November 22nd will feature the culinary journeys of past gourmets who have a connection to the program. They will introduce "tastes they'll never forget," such as their most delicious dishes and memorable dishes. Matsuoka will revisit the dishes that were turning points in his own 25-year gourmet life.
"Kuishinbo! Banzai" is a program that explores local cuisine, specialties, and local specialties from all over Japan, with the theme of "good taste, good travel, good encounters," and explores the history, culture, and lifestyles of the people there, seeking "the joy of eating" and "the joy of meeting people." As of November 16, when the regular broadcast ends, the total number of episodes has reached 6,599 (regular broadcasts from June 30, 1975 to November 16, 2025).
◇ Past gourmets (titles omitted)
1st: Watanabe Fumio June 30, 1975 - July 3, 1977 515 times in total (2 years) 2nd: Ryuzaki Masaru July 4, 1977 - December 31, 1978 390 times in total (1.5 years) 3rd: Tomotake Masanori January 1, 1979 - December 31, 1981 794 times in total (3 years) 4th: Shishido Joe January 1, 1982 - December 30, 1983 509 times in total (2 years) 5th: Kawazu Yusuke January 4, 1984 - December 30, 1984 228 times in total (1 year) 6th: Umemiya Tatsuo January 1, 1985 - December 30, 1987 623 times in total (3 years) 7th generation: Murano Takenori January 3, 1988 - December 30, 1990, 617 times in total (3 years, Takenori at the time) 8th generation: Takuro Tatsumi January 6, 1991 - December 29, 1993, 606 times in total (3 years) 9th generation: Yamashita Shinji January 4, 1994 - December 30, 1997, 782 times in total (4 years) 10th generation: Shishido Kai January 4, 1998 - December 27, 1999, 284 times in total (2 years) 11th generation: Matsuoka Shuzo January 10, 2000 - January 19, 2025, 1,247 times in total (25 years)
