The 76th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen: Guest Judges Announced!
Get ready for the year-end musical tradition! The 76th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen is scheduled to be broadcast on December 31, 2025, from 7:20 PM on NHK General and other channels. In exciting news, the guest judges for this edition have been revealed, and among them is the iconic voice actress Nozawa Masako!
Logo for The 76th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen
A Milestone Edition: Celebrating 100 Years of Broadcasting
This year’s Kohaku Uta Gassen marks a significant milestone as it concludes 100 years of broadcasting in Japan, which began with radio in 1925. With the theme “Connecting, Connected, New Year’s Eve,” the program carries the wish that “wonderful music will continue to connect us for the next 100 years as well.”
In a year marked by natural disasters, prolonged inflation, and ongoing conflicts abroad, the world faces various divisions even 80 years after the war. In such times, the Kohaku Uta Gassen aims to be a program that “transcends and connects across eras, generations, genders, languages, and racial barriers.” On the special day that wraps up the year, the show promises to deliver the strongest and most spectacular stage to everyone in Japan and around the world, uniting people through music.
Meet the Guest Judges
The victory between the Red and White teams will be decided by votes from “viewer judges,” “venue judges” at the NHK Hall, and seven “guest judges” appearing on the program. Each group—viewer, venue, and guest judges—awards one point to the team with more votes, and the team securing two or more points wins. This time, voice actress Nozawa Masako has been announced as one of the guest judges.
Nozawa Masako, born in 1936 in Tokyo, made her film debut as a child actor at the age of three and has been active as a voice actress since the earliest days of domestic anime. She is known for her roles in numerous works such as Gegege no Kitarou, Inakappe Taishou, Dokonjou Gaeru, and Ginga Tetsudou 999, supporting the history of 100 years of broadcasting.
In the Doragon Boru series, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, she has voiced Son Goku, Son Gohan, and Son Goten. This year, she was also selected as a Person of Cultural Merit for the first time as a voice actress, a memorable achievement. Her comments during the program are sure to be a highlight. Other guest judges include professional wheelchair tennis player Oda Kaito, actors Takaishi Akari, Nakano Taiga, Matsushima Nanako, professional soccer player Miura Kazuyoshi, and literary critic Miyake Kaho.
Guest Judge Photos
Here are some photos of the guest judges:
Nozawa Masako (Voice Actress)
Nakano Taiga (Actor)
Miura Kazuyoshi (Professional Soccer Player)
Miyake Kaho (Literary Critic)
Oda Kaito (Professional Wheelchair Tennis Player)
Matsushima Nanako (Actor)
Takaishi Akari (Actor)
Broadcast Information and Guest Judges
The 76th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen, featuring voice actress Nozawa Masako as a guest judge, will be broadcast on December 31 from 7:20 PM on NHK General and other channels.
Here is the full list of guest judges in alphabetical order:
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Oda Kaito | Professional Wheelchair Tennis Player |
| Takaishi Akari | Actor |
| Nakano Taiga | Actor |
| Nozawa Masako | Voice Actress |
| Matsushima Nanako | Actor |
| Miura Kazuyoshi | Professional Soccer Player |
| Miyake Kaho | Literary Critic |
Broadcast schedule: December 31 (Wednesday) 7:20 PM to 11:45 PM *with intermittent news
Channels: NHK General, BSP4K, BS8K, Radio First / NHK ONE, Rajiru★Rajiru
By Nakase Koutarou
_
