Minamikawa, a comedian,
Going on a business trip to Kagoshima with Outdoor Products.

We arrived at Kagoshima Airport about two hours from Haneda Airport. While we were waiting in the arrival lobby, a tall man with an eye-catching appearance arrived. He is Mr. Minamikawa, the star of the show, standing 184 cm tall and weighing 75 kg. He is carrying an "Outdoor Products" Boston bag on his shoulder.

Sorry for the wait!"

Mr. Minamikawa may look tough and unapproachable, but his personality is strangely friendly and approachable. As proof of this, as soon as he leaves the lobby, he attracts the attention of many people and is often asked to take their picture. His polite response to each request, "No problem at all," is also impressive.

Kagoshima Airport is an international airport with scheduled flights to major domestic cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, as well as flights to Seoul and Shanghai. The Eames shell chairs in the departure lobby on the second floor are one of the airport's specialties. The observation deck offers a distant view of the Kirishima mountain range.

From variety to investment shows, Minamikawa is in demand from terrestrial broadcasting to distribution. Even on this day, he was so busy that he had to make a day trip for work, even though he was coming from Tokyo. That's why he can't afford to waste time traveling.

When I travel, I read books, manga, sleep, listen to the radio, or write in my diary. So I always have a gadget and a book in my bag, and I also have a lot of other things in my bag. Is this an Outdoor Products bag? It's really good. It has a wide opening, so I can find what I'm looking for in one shot. It has plenty of capacity, and I can easily carry enough stuff for two days and one night.

On the way to the city. Minamikawa-san checks the contents of her bag. In the bag, there are three cases for glasses. She always carries three pairs of glasses with her.

Two good ones and one cheap one. The reason is that I have good eyesight and often forget my glasses. I carry them as a spare. Also, I sometimes have to strain my body. When I do, I replace my glasses with cheap ones. Comedians take me for a fool when I say this (laughs), but I can't help it. They are very important to me.

With the view of Satsuma, Kagoshima City is finally approaching. Checking the script, we are all ready to go.

A building in the Tenmonkan district, known as the busiest shopping area in Southern Kyushu. This is where we will be working today. My co-star is our friend and ally, Higashi Bukuro.

This program has been going on for about two years, and it's fun to go to various places. I think I have traveled around Japan. But I still think it's scary. I think I am on the edge, and in this day and age, you never know what might become a problem. In fact, I'm walking a tightrope.

While we encourage you to find out what kind of program it is, Minamikawa-san switches off with a snap once the recording begins. He is attentive to the performers and staff, never makes anyone feel uncomfortable, and has a keen sense of humor.

In the past, he gained popularity by jumping around, such as being a character lost to Korean back-up dancers or not feeling pain in Systema. On the other hand, what has made him popular now is his genuine strength on the ground. He says that the various things he cultivated during his unfavorable years have become his sustenance.

I am grateful, but I think my current state is quite special. I guess you could say I'm in a state where I've taken Mario's star. I feel that this is my last chance. If this doesn't work out, I don't think I'll be able to do it anymore. However, I haven't had a job for about 20 years, so I just want to go back to those days.

Having experienced both the sour and sweet sides of the entertainment industry, Mr. Minamikawa is calm and objective about the current situation. Just because you are ranked in the "breakthrough comedian" list does not change anything. He will continue to be the missing piece in the field today.