Japanese netizens have been drawn by the rich culture displayed on the Spring Festival Gala, an annual TV celebration produced and broadcast by the China Media Group (CMG) on Tuesday, according to a producer from Japan's leading video sharing platform, Niconico, which streamed the gala live for the tenth consecutive year.
Kaoru Takahashi, chief producer of Niconico's Creator Relations Department, highlighted the influence of the over-four-hour-long gala among Japanese viewers, noting that the television extravaganza which featured a whole host of both traditional and innovative acts has helped boost cultural exchanges between the peoples of the two nations.
"In Japan, many viewers have never watched the Spring Festival Gala before. After experiencing the gala, they expressed their astonishment, as noted through the comments feature on Niconico. Additionally, comments in Chinese reveal that many Chinese nationals in Japan also tuned in to the event. The scene of citizens from both countries communicating within the same frame left a profound impression. In this regard, the Japanese audience has also offered high praise," said Takahashi.
Broadcast on the eve of the Chinese New Year of the Snake, the variety show was staged at the main venue in Beijing and at four sub-venues across the country, offering insights into the unique regional characteristics of each location.
Takahashi believes the rich cultural feast offered by the gala -- which featured a dazzling array of singing and dancing, opera, comedy sketches, martial arts and other performances -- will help deepen viewers' understandings.
"We hope that the Japanese public can better understand Chinese culture in the future, and we are willing to make efforts in this direction and contribute more in any way as we can. Of course, this year we will be even more proactive in our promotional efforts for the streaming of the gala," he said.
Having been engaged in work related to China for around a decade, Takahashi said he hopes that more Japanese people can learn about Chinese culture, just as he has done.
"I may not be an expert on China, but as I mentioned I was truly astonished the first time I watched the Spring Festival Gala. Throughout my work in this field, I have learned a lot of new things, such as the fact that Chinese liquor tastes great and that China has a rich variety of ways to celebrate the Spring Festival. I have gradually felt a closer connection to China and I believe it would be wonderful if I could convey such feelings to the Japanese audience watching the gala," he said.
Initial data showed that the livestreaming of the gala has drawn over 101,000 viewers on the Niconico platform, and Takahashi expects to carry out further cooperation in the future as interest grows.
"As long as niconico continues to develop its business, I believe we can maintain our collaboration," he said.
The gala, also known as "Chunwan", was first broadcast in 1983 and is seen as a major cultural symbol for Spring Festival celebrations in China.
Recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's most-watched annual TV program, the hours-long television extravaganza attracts over a billion views every year.
Japanese media platform hails China's Spring Festival Gala for boosting cultural exchanges
Japanese media platform hails China's Spring Festival Gala for boosting cultural exchanges
Japanese media platform hails China's Spring Festival Gala for boosting cultural exchanges
