It all started with a visit to a mansion… Before I knew it, “Wow!” had become my catchphrase: “Field Work and Me” by Hidehiko Ishizuka of “Honjama-ka”

I Learned a Lot from Visiting a Mansion

Hello, everyone. I’m Hidehiko Ishizuka—the guy who planted seeds in a planter back in winter, watered them every day, and thought, “Finally, sprouts are coming up and leaves are growing,” only to discover they were actually weeds. This time, I’d like to write about my experiences with location shoots.

We started out as a comedy duo called “Honjama-ka” in 1989 and focused mainly on skits, but around the time I turned 34, I began taking on solo work as well.

My partner, Megumi (Toshiaki, 61), is a gifted talker who shines on talk shows and radio. I was idly wondering, “What can I do?” when my manager brought me a job.It was a segment on a morning talk show where I visited and filmed at luxurious mansions. Without even thinking about whether it suited me, I just gave it my all.

Many of the homeowners were company presidents or chairmen. Some had massive entrance gates, long walkways from the gate to the front door, incredibly high ceilings in the entryway, sliding doors covered entirely in gold leaf, or would even pick me up at the station in a Lamborghini. Some even had sushi counters…There were so many things that made me go, “Wow!” that before I knew it, “Wow!” had become my catchphrase.

On one location shoot, I blurted out “Wow!” the moment I opened the front door, but since there wasn’t anything particularly unusual there, I panicked and tried to cover it up by saying, “Those are some nice slippers.”

Through these visits to mansions, I learned the importance of “drawing out the homeowner’s unique tastes” and “finding the good points of the place I’m visiting.” This is a mindset I’ve continued to cherish even after becoming a food reporter.

As a side note, I discovered a pattern while filming these luxury home visits. About 80% of the mansions had a statue of Hotei. Whether it was by the gate, in the entranceway, or in the tokonoma, and regardless of size, Hotei was often present. Naturally, I immediately invited Hotei into my own home.

“If You See Water, Jump In”: Ishizuka’s Filming Style

People’s actions are always being watched by someone. Since I started visiting mansions, I’ve been invited to appear on food and travel shows because people say, “Ishizuka’s dining scenes are so lively.”

In my food shoots, I place more emphasis on bringing out the charm of the person who made the dish and the effort that went into its creation than on the food itself.

Influenced by advice from a senior colleague at my agency—”Get attacked by animals” and “If you see water, jump in”—I’ve ended up with octopus and shrimp on my face, and falling into the sea while on a fishing boat (laughs). For some reason, my segments never end up being simple reports; they always turn into a show.

One day, while filming a fishing trip on a fishing boat, a fisherman said to me, “Ishi-chan, the current is strong here, so you’d better not fall in.”He knew me very well. A female talent who co-starred with me on a shoot where we caught sweetfish by hand in a river whispered in my ear, “I’ll hold the mic for you.” She knew my on-location style very well.

I like studio recordings, but I absolutely love location shoots. I get to see scenery from all over the country and hear heartfelt words from all kinds of people. Location shoots are fun.

Once, I told a group of elementary school students, “Everyone, please become a food reporter.” I explained that if they did, they would “find and respect the good qualities in each person around them, and bullying would disappear from schools.”

To the producers of food shows who are okay with me putting a squid on my face: I’m waiting for your offers.

From the June 5 & 12, 2026 combined issue of *FRIDAY*