Hideo Ishizuka of Honjamaka Reveals His Favorite Shows – Here’s What They Have in Common

Hello everyone. The season has arrived when, passing by a convenience store, I find myself reflexively buying oden. This is Hidehiko Ishizuka.

This time, I’d like to write about two of my favorite types of TV shows: gourmet programs and travel shows.

Soothing Travel Shows

First is the well-known “Asa da! Nama de su! Tabi Salad” (Morning Live! Travel Salad, TV Asahi network). Just having Kunikazu Katsumata in the studio brightens up Saturday mornings. I’m even moved by the way he subtly assists guests who aren’t confident in conversation.

This program slowly shows the guest’s journey, making you feel as if you are traveling along. I have appeared on the show a few times myself, and the guests are allowed to visit places they truly want to go and spots that hold special meaning to them.

Unlike programs that only take you to locations prepared by the production team, this show lets you see the guests genuinely enjoying their travels. Additionally, the fact that there are viewer giveaways within the program retains a nice touch of Showa-era television.

Next is “Udo-chan no Tabi shite Gomen” (Sorry for Traveling, Udo-chan, Nagoya TV Broadcasting). Unfortunately, the show ended two years ago, but it was a source of comfort during the COVID-19 pandemic when many of us spent more time watching TV at home.

Based on letters from viewers, the traveler Udo Suzuki travels across the country, mainly in the Tokai region. He speaks politely even to elementary school students he meets along the way, and in restaurants, he respectfully asks the staff about their past struggles and the passion they put into their dishes. At the end, he expresses his gratitude to the town he visited that day through a drawing.

Unlike recent reporters who sometimes speak roughly to get laughs, Udo-san teaches the correct attitude for reporters. He conveys the taste of the products properly, so after watching the show, I often end up looking them up online and buying them. I sincerely hope it will return as “Udo-chan no Tabi shite Gomen II.”

The Common Traits of Kazuki Iio and Kai Ato

The third program is “Kazuki Iio’s Zun Café” (BS TV Tokyo). First of all, I really love the comedian Kazuki Iio. He doesn’t try to stand out too much or hang back too much—he’s a craftsman who reliably makes people laugh. In this show, Iio visits local cafés, interacts with the staff, enjoys the café’s history and signature menu items, and brings out the staff’s genuine personality. This is not something that can be done easily.

Ordinary people get nervous just because a TV crew has come to film. Of course—they may only experience this once in a lifetime, and on top of that, the familiar TV personality Kazuki Iio is visiting their shop.

However, Iio is special; he is extremely skilled at getting close to people. He reminds me of the late Kai Ato. Iio generously performs his glasses gag, which I also love, and through unscripted conversation, he unlocks the door to the other person’s heart. This is what I call Iio Magic.

Even staff members who were nervous at first are smiling by the middle of the program. At the end of the show, Iio writes his thoughts on a coffee cup.

This time, I’ve introduced three of my favorite programs, but no TV show can have a 100% rating. That’s fine—everyone has their own preferences.

However, the programs I personally love always carry a sense of gratitude: gratitude for the ingredients, gratitude for the chefs, gratitude for the café. I want to continue participating in shows that never forget the feeling of gratitude.

From the December 19 and 26, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY”