66th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen
Also known as	66th Kouhaku Utagassen: That's Japan! That's Kouhaku!
Created by	Tsumoru Kondo
Presented by	Tetsuko Kuroyanagi Yumiko Udō
Starring	Haruka Ayase Yoshihiko Inohara
Opening theme	"That's Oomisoka" Yuki Hayashi
Ending theme	"Hotaru no Hikari"
Composer	Tsunaki Mihara
Production
Executive producer	Yuji Itano
Production locations	NHK Hall Tokyo, Japan
Running time	1st Half: 100 minutes 2nd Half: 165 minutes
Production company	NHK
Original release
Network	NHK-G NHK World Premium TV Japan (US)
Release	December 31, 2015 (2015-12-31)

The 66th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen (第66回NHK紅白歌合戦) was the 66th edition of NHK's Kōhaku Uta Gassen, held on December 31, 2015, live from NHK Hall from 19:15 (JST) to 23:45 (JST), with a 5-minute break for latest news. This is the 27th Heisei Era edition. Broadcasting time was announced on September 16.^[1] The 2015 Broadcast marks the 65th anniversary of Kouhaku Utagassen which started in 1951. The red team won this event, beating out the white team with a final score of 356,832 to 346,929.

Yuji Itano, NHK Broadcasting General-Director, revealed on September 16 that the 66th Kouhaku will air on December 31, starting from 19:15 JST and ending at 23:45 JST, with a 5-minute break for news. On Japan, the broadcast is made by NHK-G and Radio 1, and worldwide by NHK World Premium (Note that airs between 10:15 and 14:45 UTC). Kouhaku airs worldwide since 1998. Viewers outside Japan can watch the Kouhaku on NHK World Premium, at 10:15 UTC airing on a same time with NHK-G.

On November 26, captains and announcers, along with performers were revealed, and this year's theme is "That's Nippon! That's Kōhaku!".

Songs which artists will perform are revealed on December 21, and performance order was announced on Christmas Eve. On December 25, the judges were revealed. Rehearsals took place on 29 and 30 December. On December 31, the festival was broadcast live, culminating in the victory of Akagumi (breaking a sequence of Shirogumi's 3 consecutive wins); Haruka Ayase received the championship flag from the hands of the judge Masato Sakai. This was the first victory of Akagumi since 2011.

With the 2015 victory, Akagumi accumulated 30 wins, while Shirogumi continues with 36 victories.

This Kōhaku is also notable for being the last Kōhaku by former AKB48 general captain and Team A Member Minami Takahashi 1 year prior to her graduation.

• Red Team Captain: Haruka Ayase
• White Team Captain: Yoshihiko Inohara (V6)
• Host: Tetsuko Kuroyanagi & Yumiko Udō

• Announcer, NHK Radio 1: Yuka Kubota
• PR, Commentary: Bananaman

• Kasumi Arimura (actress), starred in Flying Colors
• Nahoko Uehashi (writer), representative work, Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit
• Yo Oizumi (actor)
• Masato Sakai (actor), will star in Sanada Maru
• Tao Tsuchiya (actress), starred in Mare
• George Tokoro (comedian)
• Masami Nagasawa (actress)
• Yuzuru Hanyu (figure skater)
• Naoki Matayoshi (comedian and writer), won the Akutagawa Prize
• Hiromi Miyake (weightlifter)

This year there were 51 artists in total, 25 for the red team and white team at 26. 10 artists performed for the first time.

SPECIAL GUESTS

• Misia
• Sachiko Kobayashi
• Darth Vader, Stormtroopers, R2-D2, C-3PO, BB-8 (from Star Wars)
• Mickey & Minnie Mouse
• Asa ga Kita cast
• Princess Tenko (on AKB48's performance)
• Atsuko Maeda (Former AKB48 member)
• Yuko Oshima (Former AKB48 member)
• King Cream Soda (on Anime Kouhaku)
• Kotono Mitsuishi (Sailor Moon voice actress)
• Rika Matsumoto (Ash Ketchum voice actress and former member from JAM Project)
• Ikue Ōtani (Pikachu voice actress)
• Takanori Nishikawa (From T.M.Revolution, not participating on this Kouhaku)

RED TEAM

Ayaka, Nana Mizuki, Momoiro Clover Z, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, SKE48, HKT48, Kaori Kozai, Sayaka Kanda, Miyuki Nakajima, Hiroko Yakushimaru, May J., Yoshino Nanjou^[2]

WHITE TEAM

Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi, T.M.Revolution, Chris Hart, Kouhei Fukuda, Pornograffiti.

It was announced on December 24. Go Hiromi and Sakurako Ohara were the first artists to perform. The finalistas (Ootori) were Masahiko Kondo and Seiko Matsuda. Two artists performed live from a remote location: Masaharu Fukuyama (from Pacific Convention Plaza) and Bump of Chicken (from Makuhari Messe). This was the last appearance of Shinichi Mori (who announced his honorable retirement from Kouhaku).^[3] AAA, for being a mixed musical group, served again in Akagumi.

Songs Performed on Medleys

• Masaharu Fukuyama "I Am A HERO", "Niji", "Hello", "Sakurazaka"
• Arashi: "Sakura", "Ai wo Sakebe"
• AKB48: "Aitakatta", "Flying Get", "Heavy Rotation", "Koisuru Fortune Cookie"
• Exile: "24karats Gold Soul", "Rising Sun"
• V6: "Music For The People", "Ai Nanda"
• X Japan: "Forever Love", "Born to Be Free"
• SMAP: "Triangle", "Otherside"
• Mariko Takahashi: "Goban Machi no Mari e", "Momoiro Toiki"

• Produced by: NHK Enterprise
• Executive Producer: Yuji Itano
• AKB48 SHOW Producer: Masashi Nishi
• AKB48 SHOW Director: Tomoko Matsuda
• Original Concept: Tsumoru Kondo
• Music Producer: Tsunaki Mihara (The New Breed)
• "Hotaru no Hikari" Conductor: Maasaki Hirao
• "Moonlight Densetsu" performers: Mayu Watanabe, Sakura Miyawaki, Haruka Kodama, Haruka Shimazaki, Anna Iriyama (AKB48)

Every year, representatives of each of the two teams in Kōhaku are announced between the 1st and 15 October, and the artists who will participate are disclosed in late November. However, this year, according to some news portals and Japanese newspapers reported, NHK had to delay the announcement of representatives after Tamori, renowned Japanese TV host, refused participation in Kōhaku. In response, NHK started searching for another representative. Rumors began to surface that Yoshihiko Inohara (V6) would serve as Tamori's replacement. Both representatives and participating artists were announced on November 26, the day the line-up is traditionally revealed.^[6]

Haruka Ayase received the Championship Flag from guest judge Masato Sakai.