Free Announcer Aika Kanda, “What the Halloween Party Gives Us

Only one person brought something special…

The “earliest Halloween party in Japan,” as people call it, is held every year at our house. This year we finished it in mid-September. The five members who attended were the usual Kayoko Okubo & Teruyuki Tsuchida, Ryuichi Kosugi, Eiji Kotoge, and Yuuki Iwai. As usual, they turned off work the day before the party and prepared with all their might.

This year’s seven dishes included figs wrapped in prosciutto ham, four kinds of salad, 50 bacon rolls, one “Kaoru” sausage per person, kiritanpo nabe, curry and rice, and fruit.

I am really not good at cooking. I feel crushed under pressure, and a sudden change in the menu is a no-brainer. So in late August, my husband and I discussed and decided on the details.

However, a week before the event, I got carried away and asked Mr. Iwai, “Is there anything you want me to put on this year’s bacon rolls? He replied, “Figs. He answered, “Figs. I couldn’t help but say, “Figs? I said, “Figs?

In my mind, figs are something you eat at a restaurant. I don’t even know its original form.

But now that I had heard about it, I had to make it happen or the name of the Himura family would be ruined. OK!” I replied, the exact opposite of what was in my heart, and returned home shivering. I immediately searched the Internet to confirm what it looked like and how to peel it. I also called a nearby supermarket and got a guarantee that they sold it. However, since it was so soft, I decided to wrap it with prosciutto instead of bacon and serve it as an appetizer.

The day of the party. This year, we increased the number of balloon decorations and added new hats to the costume items. The indoor and outdoor illumination was perfect. The guests arrived one after the other, all ready to go.

Everyone brought desserts, drinks, and other goodies, but one person brought something special. Two pieces of meat. It was Mr. Iwai. He said he had made roast beef at home after “Poka Poka” and brought it with him. Amazing! everyone cheered. I thought, “Wait a minute! I thought to myself, “I can’t cook roast beef. I can’t cook roast beef. (This guy!　He did a great job!) I was so impatient. But, well, it’s only an amateur’s roast beef. (The seasoning must have been too rough!) ) I cut it up and served it to everyone, and they all said, “Wow!　Delicious! (Really?!). (Really?!). (Really???) I was afraid to take a piece myself, but I found …… how delicious it was!　It was so seriously delicious that it was no exaggeration to say that it was the best roast beef I had ever eaten. In my mind (Mr. Iwai!) ), I couldn’t stop eating and chomping down on my chopsticks. The participants said, “This is the main dish! The participants shouted, “This is the main course!

Hats off to a souvenir with excellent taste.

Mr. Iwai’s rapid progress continues. I buy a lot of salad every year, so I bought this one, too,” he said in his usual matter-of-fact tone, unveiling two bottles of high-end dressing that no one had ever seen before. Everyone cheered, “Wow! They all cheered. No one touched the six bottles of dressing I had purchased at a nearby supermarket, and Mr. Iwai’s salad was quickly consumed. I couldn’t help but ask in a quiet voice, “Where did you buy that? I asked.

I was completely knocked down. Thanks to this, I felt less self-conscious and was able to relax and serve the rest of the dishes.

In no time at all, we were at the end of the show. Everyone danced to Michael Jackson’s famous song “Thriller” with smiles on their faces. A Michael figurine dressed in a Thriller costume, a gift from Tasuku Sawabe for my birthday this year, added to the atmosphere.

How many times have I been to this party? The pressure never goes away, but there is one thing I always feel every time I get together with these people. It is the size of their capacity. They are so kind. No matter how much they drink or how long they talk, it never turns into gossip or criticism of someone or something. Over the years, these people have established themselves in the entertainment industry. They must have overcome various obstacles and rough waves. I feel that there is a kindness in them that they have acquired because of that. Once a year, I touch their souls. I am sure that this gives me high aspirations and goals. The Halloween party gives me something irreplaceable. For that reason, I will continue to hold the party every year (without giving in to the pressure of cooking!). ), I think from the bottom of my heart.

Aika Kanda: Born in 1980 in Kanagawa Prefecture. After graduating from Gakushuin University with a degree in mathematics, she joined NHK as an announcer in 2003, and left NHK in 2012 to become a freelance announcer. Since then, she has been active mainly in variety shows, and currently appears regularly as the main MC of the daytime TV program “Poka Poka” (Fuji Television Network).

Her first book, “Where are you going on the road called Royal Road? is now on sale by popular demand!

From the November 7, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY