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The story
TV Osaka’s travel program “Otona Tabi Aruki Tabi” (Adult Travel, Walking Journey) will end with its October 3 broadcast. Actor Kunihiko Mitamura, 72, has hosted the long-running show since January 2009 — 17 years and 9 months — touring around western Japan, and TV Osaka has given only “scheduling reasons” as the explanation for its end. On 5ch, reactions ranged from people who never even knew the show existed, to surprise that 72-year-old Mitamura drinks plenty of sake without ever seeming drunk, to speculation that sponsor JR West might be pulling out.
It was learned on the 31st that TV Osaka’s long-running program “Otona Tabi Aruki Tabi” (Saturdays, 6:30 p.m.), hosted by actor Kunihiko Mitamura (72) and centered on travels through western Japan, will end with its October 3 broadcast.
The popular show launched in January 2009 and is now closing the book on its history after 17 years and 9 months. The station has disclosed no reason for ending it beyond citing “scheduling reasons.”
Speaking to this paper, Mitamura offered his thanks, saying, “Thank you for watching for 18 years.” Reflecting on the many people he met while filming on location, he added, “There really were so many wonderful encounters, and I enjoyed myself the whole way through.” Looking ahead, he closed with, “I believe my ties with the people of Osaka will keep going, so I hope for your continued support.”
Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here
What people said
It's Hide-san from Hissatsu, right?（the assassin character Mitamura played in the classic drama "Hissatsu Shigotonin"）
Mom's the idol, right?
He's just a one-hit-wonder actor (72), idiot.
They should at least make it with the same energy as Fukuoka's TV Q, which practically wipes out the bus trip and other Saturday specials altogether.
TV Osaka, a TV Tokyo affiliate, doesn't simulcast TV Tokyo's shows from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. on Saturdays — but independent stations like TV Wakayama, Nara TV, and Biwako Broadcasting do simulcast TV Tokyo programming starting at 6:30 p.m. on Saturdays.
TV Osaka runs its own programming past 7 p.m. too, so even with Mitamura's show ending, they still won't switch to simulcasting TV Tokyo.
I like Hide(-san), so I wish I'd watched it.
You can watch it on YouTube.
Come on, even on TV Mitamura clearly looks like a lean, well-built actor lol
Shinji Yamashita, who I often see at the driving range, also has an amazing build and looks sharp, so of course Mitamura would too.
The use of "meen" (an old-fashioned spelling of "main") really gives away the reporter's age.
Was this handwritten?
These days you'd think an IME or editor would flag that.
Wasn't that Kaku-san?（referencing Ibuki's role as Kakusan in the samurai drama "Mito Komon"）
Wasn't he the one who napped alongside him in the dressing room?
Mito, Owari, and Kii, maybe?（a nod to the Tokugawa "Gosanke" branch families from "Mito Komon"）
Hope it's not a health issue.
He still knocks back that first cup with plenty of gusto, drinks a lot.
Knowing Mitamura's personality, if there were personal circumstances I think he'd let us know in a comment.
Every episode my wife and I watch and talk about how many minutes in he takes his first cup.
On fast days he's drinking it right in the opening.
Ah, good to hear.
Guess I just happened to catch an episode where he was drinking less.
Well, doing location travel shoots at 72 must be rough though.
He probably can't take on much other work with this schedule.
It's actually a popular show —
you don't keep something running for 18 years on vested interests alone.
He's an old-school career actor, so he's probably just got a strong tolerance for alcohol.
People from Niigata have a reputation for holding their liquor well.
Wait, this is his son?
Damn, he's good-looking.
Is the show ending because JR is pulling out, or not?
The 7 p.m. "Ossanpo" and one other show in that slot are both popular, so I don't think they'll get swapped out.
If there's no replacement, they could just expand Ossanpo to start at 18:30 instead.
Not saying it's impossible, but I think things stay as they are for now.
If TV Tokyo forced a change to the local slot there's a slim chance, but they probably don't have that kind of leverage.
It's a Kansai UHF channel —
this is TV Osaka we're talking about.
You think they've got the budget for that?
The show's probably ending because JR is dropping sponsorship — the ratings themselves haven't been bad.
Looks like they barely make it as far as Kanazawa — basically nothing in eastern Japan.
Re: #159
That's because the show's sponsor is JR West.
So even in places that are easier to reach via Kintetsu or Nankai lines, the on-screen map gives directions via JR West.
Though lately they've started including private-rail routes too.
Background and Key Points of This Discussion
“Otona Tabi Aruki Tabi” is a local program produced by TV Osaka, a TV Tokyo affiliate. Thread posters point out that while fellow affiliates TV Wakayama, Nara TV, and Biwako Broadcasting all simulcast TV Tokyo’s programming in the same Saturday 6:30 p.m. slot, TV Osaka alone has kept running its own independent lineup. The fact that the show’s on-screen maps directed viewers via JR West stations even in places closer to Kintetsu or Nankai lines was because JR West had long been the sponsor — which has fed the theory that “maybe it’s ending because JR is dropping sponsorship.” However, TV Osaka has only cited “scheduling reasons” for the end, and the official announcement gives no indication of whether the sponsor’s withdrawal was the direct cause. Some posters also noted that ratings hadn’t been bad, so the concrete reasons behind the show’s ending remain unclear.
*This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (Geisports Sokuho+) thread “[Kansai] Kunihiko Mitamura’s long-running travel show ends October 3 — closing the book after 18 years with “the wonderful encounters were fun”.”
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