Shōten

infobox television
show_name = Shōten
genre = Owarai, Variety show
director = Ken Obata, Jin Obata
starring = Utamaru Katsura (Host)
Koyuza Sanyutei
Koraku Sanyutei
Kikuo Hayashiya
Shota Shunputei
Rakutaro Sanyutei
Taihei Hayashiya
Takao Yamada
theme_music_composer = Hachidai Nakamura
executive_producer = Motoi Umehara
location = Korakuen Hall
runtime = 24 minutes
network = NTV
picture_format = 480i (SDTV)
first_aired = May 15, 1966
last_aired = Present
website = http://www.ntv.co.jp/sho-ten/Shōten (笑点) is a Japanese TV comedy program, continuously broadcast on Sunday evenings on Nippon TV since 15 May 1966, the second-longest running TV show in Japan.

The show gathers a group of six Japanese "rakugo" and "manzai" comedians wearing variously colored kimono sitting in a row, where they compete to make the best jokes, on topics suggested by the host. The person judged to be the most funny, by the host, gains more and more "zabuton" (Japanese cushions), until he may be sitting on a stack five, six, or more high. Comedians whose jokes are judged to be not funny, or whose responses are not quick enough, may have one or more "zabuton" removed and end up sitting on the floor. The "zabutons" used are supposedly extra-heavy ones weighing four kg (9 pounds), so even a stack of ten or more will not topple.

The show is also famous for its catchy theme music written by Hachidai Nakamura. This music has been continuously broadcast since 1969. The titles are written in edomoji, but were originally written to show an animated smiling face.

External links

* [http://www.ntv.co.jp/sho-ten/ Shōten] ja icon