Hiroshi Sekiguchi starts BS Asahi’s first title program! The setting is “Oya Soichi Bunko,” a rare magazine library in the world. Introducing “raw information” from 149 years of Japanese magazines. Super valuable magazines are appearing one after ano

BS Asahi Co., Ltd. press release (2024.09.27) BS Asahi Co., Ltd. Hiroshi Sekiguchi starts BS Asahi’s first title program! The setting is “Oya Soichi Bunko,” a rare magazine library in the world. Introducing “raw information” from 149 years of Japanese magazines. Super valuable magazines are appearing one after another! Doors to memory open through magazines!! New program “Hiroshi Sekiguchi’s magazine memories” [BS Asahi] Starts on Saturday, October 12, 2024 Broadcast every Saturday from 4:00 to 4:30 1st and 2nd guest: Hisako Manda / 3rd and 4th guest: Masanori Ishii
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(MC) Hiroshi Sekiguchi ■Hiroshi Sekiguchi examines changes in the way of life and values ​​of the Japanese people from 149 years of Japanese magazines!  Hiroshi Sekiguchi will have his first regular program on BS Asahi. “We asked 100 people a quiz”, “Hiroshi Sekiguchi’s Tokyo Friend Park”, “Wakuwaku Animal Land”, “Do you think you know?!”, “Which Cooking Show”… From the 1970s to the present, there are countless programs hosted by Sekiguchi that have been extremely popular. Furthermore, for 36 and a half years, he served as general host of the news program “Sunday Morning,” which started in 1987. Sekiguchi is starting a new program called “Hiroshi Sekiguchi’s Memories of Magazines”. As the title suggests, this program will focus on magazines.  Magazines continued to be the mainstream media from the Showa era to the Heisei era. Much of the “contemporary information” of the Showa and Heisei eras is only found in magazines, and it can be said to be a treasure trove of valuable “raw information from those times” that cannot be found even when searching on the internet. The program is set in the Oya Soichi Bunko (Setagaya Ward, Tokyo), which is a rare “magazine library” in the world and currently holds most of the magazines published in Japan for 149 years. We will discuss one topic thoroughly each time. Sekiguchi and the guests looked through magazines and talked about how the topics were introduced in magazines of each era, adding his own memories and experiences. By digging into the “current Japan” that magazines have conveyed, and which was left unwritten because of that time, we may be able to uncover the roots and origins of what is currently popular. Sekiguchi and his guests will explore the “essence” of things. ■What are your memories of coffee shops in Sekiguchi? The secret story of his wife Sachiko Nishida’s famous songs is also revealed!  The first recording, held in late September, included Hisako Manda, the guest from the first and second episodes, and Masanori Ishii, the guest from the third and fourth episodes. It seems that not only Sekiguchi, but also Manda and Ishii were very attracted to the “Oya Soichi Bunko”, which they visited for the first time. By the way, this is the first time that this library, which was created based on a magazine left behind by Soichi Oya, who was famous as a journalist in the Showa era, will be used as a recording site for a regular program. It is a well-known story that TV program staff used this library to collect various information at a time when the Internet was not yet available. This program will reveal what kind of place “Oya Soichi Bunko” is, which is inseparable from television.  
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/112870/119/112870-119-ac0ebb8432e27ec288b960b392865eab-3900×2602.jpg In the first and second installments, Hiroshi Sekiguchi and guest Hisako Manda unravel articles related to makeup from 149 years of magazines.  In Parts 1 and 2, we will look at “makeup” with Hisako Manda. There is a ranking that shows what kinds of articles have appeared in Japanese magazines over the 149-year period from 1875 to March 2024, and makeup ranks first. The program featured the magazine “Fuzoku Gaho” (published in 1891/Meiji 24), which is thought to be the first magazine in Japan to write about makeup. I’m going to read a very valuable magazine.  In addition, we will introduce an article about when Manda was chosen to represent Japan in Miss Universe at the age of 19, and an advertisement page for cosmetics that Manda has continued to appear in for over 30 years. Manda was very happy with this special time, as it felt like he was “face to face” with his younger self. The program also introduces an article written about cosmetics sales ladies. It turns out that there is someone who is currently 101 years old and still active today! We will connect remotely with this woman who lives in Fukushima Prefecture and listen to her talk about sales.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/112870/119/112870-119-11e62c44f90a6133a0a2d73d977fe3d7-3900×2602.jpg The guest for the 3rd and 4th episode is Masanori Ishii, one of the entertainment industry’s best coffee shop lovers. Together with Hiroshi Sekiguchi, we unravel the history of Japanese coffee shops through magazines.  Masanori Ishii’s guest topic in the third and fourth episodes is “coffee shops.” Currently, “Jun Kissa” is not only popular among young people as a symbol of “Showa retro” but also attracts attention from foreign tourists. We will follow the history of such uniquely evolved Japanese coffee shops through magazine articles. Ishii appeared on the book-themed information variety show “Honpara!”, which was hosted by Sekiguchi. Sekiguchido Shoten” (2000-2001, TV Asahi), and said with a smile that she was more than happy to be co-starring again in a magazine-themed program. Furthermore, Ishii is famous for being one of the entertainment industry’s biggest coffee shop lovers. In the program, we will be showing off a wide range of information about the coffee shop and serving the best coffee brewed in Sekiguchi flannel drip.
 Meanwhile, Sekiguchi, who has been going to various coffee shops since he was a young man, was reading a magazine article when he suddenly remembered those days. The door opened to Sekiguchi’s own memories, saying, “Come to think of it, back then, we did something like this at a coffee shop,” and “I sang with the customers at the “Kasei Cafe.”” In addition, in the corner where you can listen to hit songs related to coffee shops, you will hear Japan’s leading “coffee song”, “Coffee Rumba” sung by Sekiguchi’s wife, Sachiko Nishida. Then, there is also a scene where Sekiguchi reveals the secret story of the recording.  The evolution of Japanese coffee shops is quite unique, and we also introduce an article about maniac coffee shops called “special cafes.” “Building Cafe”, “Beauty Cafe”, “Telephone Cafe”, and even “Shower Cafe”! There’s also a slightly exciting coffee shop… This is a must-see for coffee shop fans, as it provides a complete overview of the history of Japanese coffee shops.  After the recording, guests Manda and Ishii both said, “It was a very valuable opportunity. Please invite us as guests again.” I commented that I would like you to visit. Sekiguchi also said, “When I open the magazine, it’s like nostalgic things come flooding out.The atmosphere of the place instantly takes me back to that era.”It seems that he felt a great response from the first recording. What kind of miscellaneous memories do you touch on each program? For those who view it, it may be a time to awaken memories that are dormant within themselves.  Please look forward to BS Asahi’s new program “Hiroshi Sekiguchi’s Magazine Memories” featuring Hiroshi Sekiguchi this fall! Hiroshi Sekiguchi comment “We had a lot of fun recording it. I hope it’s a fun program for everyone who watches it. When you pick up a magazine, you can bring back all kinds of things. When you open a magazine, nostalgic things come flooding back to you.” So, I was transported back to that era in an
instant.During the recording, I was reminded of a lot of things in small ways. This is a place that I would like to see preserved.I hope that it will continue to survive. Once, when I was commuting to Kyoto for work, I bought FOCUS, a weekly photography magazine that had just been launched at Tokyo Station, and arrived in Kyoto just as I was finishing reading it. At first, the photos were very fashionable, and I was left with the impression that a magazine like this was even available in Japan. Soichi Oya, the founder of Soichi Oya Bunko, once said that magazines are weeds. I do think that magazines have the strength of a weed. Everyone who watches the program can feel the power of magazines that capture that era with the power of a weed, and through the articles introduced, you can feel nostalgic and think, “That’s certainly what happened in that era.” I would be happy if you could remember it.” Hisako Manda (1st and 2nd guest) Comments “This time I learned a lot of things I didn’t know, and every time I read the article, I felt a deep sense of depth.When I met Mr. Sekiguchi for the first time in a long time, where did that sense of security come from?His voice was so pleasant, it was like an alpha wave.” This time, I visited “Oya Soichi Bunko” for the first time, and I felt that it was a good collaboration between Mr. Sekiguchi and the historical magazine. I would be happy if you could call me. During the recording, the magazine that I was featured in appeared, and I could tell what he was thinking at the time from what he said from time to time, and although it was about myself, it was very
interesting. Nowadays, you can watch nostalgic videos online, but the feeling of nostalgia when you actually pick up or read a magazine is completely different. I hope everyone who watches the program feels the same way. “Oya Soichi Bunko” is a very attractive place, and perhaps more people will visit it in the future. I’m sure you’ll have a great time.” Masanori Ishii (3rd and 4th guest) Comments “I was very happy to be invited as a guest on Mr. Sekiguchi’s program, who was very helpful to me when I was young, and to be able to talk about things that I usually talk about with my coffee-loving friends. There were a lot of stories, and Mr. Sekiguchi, who was actually watching and listening to them, was able to share his memories, which made it feel even more real.In terms of coffee shops, Nagoya has undergone a unique evolution compared to the rest of the country. I believe it’s my turn to talk about coffee shops in Nagoya (lol). It’s easy to pull up information on the internet, but when you open a magazine, it feels like the atmosphere of that time is trapped, and what you convey is different. There may be some people in the younger generation who don’t read magazines, but I’m from the generation that got their information from magazines, so I wanted to read them again. I keep books, but I tend to get rid of magazines. Magazines are more representative of the times, so it might be better to keep them.” Program overview [Program name] “Hiroshi Sekiguchi’s Memories of Magazines” [Broadcast date and time] Starts on Saturday, October 12, 2024 Broadcast every Saturday from 4:00 to 4:30 [Broadcast station] BS Asahi [CAST] Hiroshi Sekiguchi [Guest] October 12th and 19th Hisiko Manda ／ October 26th and November 2nd Masanori Ishii [Production] BS Asahi, IVS TV production [Producer] Yukiko Oki (BS Asahi), Tadahiko Nagao (IVS TV production) [Copyright] When using program photos, please indicate “(C)BS Asahi”. [Official website] https://www.bs-asahi.co.jp/magazine_memory/