Haraiichi: Iwai's New NACK5 Show Revealed on Radio 'Turn!' Episode 495 – What's Sawa's Dream for His "Own Show"?
Every Thursday night, this addictive radio show, which blasts away the sleepiness, has once again created an incredible atmosphere. It’s 'Haraiichi no Turn!' episode 495. This broadcast wasn't just another "episode 495"; it was a historic turn of events in its own way.
A Shocking "Playing Dumb" Reveal! Iwai Unexpectedly Lands His Own Show
In last week's show, Yuki Iwai mentioned filling in as a guest personality on NACK5. He was casually chatting away about not knowing why he was asked and having fond memories with the station. But as it turns out, that was a complete set-up. Because it's been revealed that starting this April, Iwai will be hosting his very own solo show on NACK5.
The atmosphere in the studio changed instantly, of course. Armed with a "smoking gun" email from a listener, Yu Sawa grilled his partner, who was pretending to know nothing. As Iwai tried to brush it off, saying it was a sudden decision and he was surprised too, Sawa dropped a line that really hit home.
"So that means I could land my own show within a week too, right?"
Despite his long career and hosting numerous programmes, Yu Sawa has never actually had a show with his own name on it. Considering this "sad state of affairs" for Sawa, his relentless pursuit makes perfect sense. If a show called "Yu Sawa's..." ever materialises, what would it even be about? It’s anyone's guess, but if that day comes, Iwai certainly won’t be able to play dumb about it.
Grated Daikon Invades Other Stations? Launch of "All-Daikon Nippon"
Meanwhile, Haraiichi has been developing a series of quirky food-themed segments on the show: seaweed (for high-energy turns), bread (for dynamic 'paan' sounds), and sesame oil salt (for 'goma-abura' radio). This time, they finally chose grated daikon radish as the theme, with a trial run of a new corner called "All-Daikon Nippon".
According to Iwai, he’s become so obsessed that he sometimes just eats grated daikon with rice for a meal. The title is a clear homage to a famous show on another station, and the content is as airy as freshly grated daikon, shaped by listener emails – it’s the signature freewheeling style of 'Turn!'. There’s also apparently an invention corner to think up new ways to grate daikon, a concept that would intrigue even non-"daikon listeners".
Dad Sawa's Crushing Defeat in the Taiyaki Wars
This week's personal anecdote from Sawa is another classic. He came home to find six taiyaki (fish-shaped cakes) – a mix of custard and butter-filled red bean. Hungry, he grabbed one without checking the filling, and it turned out to be custard. He gave some to the kids – all custard too. So that was four custard ones gone in one go.
He nervously asked if it was okay to have so much custard, and food safety-wise, it was fine. But that wasn’t the real issue. There was his wife's anger: "I wanted the custard ones," followed by his daughter's killer blow: "But I really wanted the butter red bean ones." It was an evening where you could practically hear Dad Sawa’s domestic reputation getting scorched alongside the taiyaki.
The Two from "Haraichi": Then and Now
It's surprising to learn that the duo's name comes from Ōaza Haraichi in Ageo City, Saitama Prefecture, where Yuki Iwai and Yu Sawa have been childhood friends since kindergarten. It’s memorable how Sawa once passionately talked about wanting to film a segment there for the show 'Bakkai ☆ Star Ongaeshi', which he hosted.
Sawa’s dream of buying a Harley-Davidson scooter for the "lady at Haraichi Station" who warmly watched them practice their comedy routines back in the day, or his idea to donate a sumo ring to Myōgonji Kindergarten where they first met – these are surely still dreams they hold onto.
What came through in this radio episode was the perfect balance between Iwai, expanding his individual horizons, and Sawa, watching with mixed feelings but turning it all into the biggest laugh. These two are the epitome of "nori-boke life" (playing along and playing dumb), rather than just their "nori-boke manzai" routine.
Iwai, with his own solo show, and Sawa, without one. This 'gap' between them is all part of Haraiichi's 'Turn!' going forward. We'll be tuning in at midnight next week to see what kind of scene unfolds next.
This Week's 'Haraiichi no Turn!' Recap
- Shocking News: Yuki Iwai gets a new solo show on NACK5 starting April. Does this push Yu Sawa's dream of an "owned show" further away?
- New Segment: The grated daikon radio corner "All-Daikon Nippon" has launched (for a limited time?).
- Personal Life: Sawa suffers a major family defeat in a battle over six taiyaki. Iwai loses his "soggy foot" identity, thanks to underfloor heating.
'Haraiichi no Turn!' airs every Thursday at midnight. The after-talk is said to give you the feeling of strolling down a country path after school. Don't miss it.