Japanese actress Nao Watanabe recently served as a tourism ambassador for Ibaraki Prefecture and introduced the local specialties on the set of the TV program “Taiwanese Surprises.” During the filming, Watanabe and the host Takashi openly admitted to having issues with herniated discs in their lumbar spine. She even revealed the secret behind her hair and entertained the crew with her candid and humorous demeanor.
Interestingly, the shrine’s “Negi” (referring to a shrine official) chimed in, saying, “Actually, me too!” The three of them, all with bad backs, amusingly prayed together for a quick recovery from their spinal disc problems, bringing laughter to everyone involved.
For this filming, host Takashi specially wore clothing from Watanabe’s own fashion brand and prepared souvenirs brought from Taiwan to gift her, leaving Watanabe beaming with joy.
Watanabe shared that she had previously been to Taiwan to film a movie for a month and had seen Japanese hosts on Taiwanese TV programs. She had thought, “Who is this person I keep seeing on TV?” and had hoped to one day appear on that show. She never imagined her dream would suddenly come true. This was Watanabe’s first time participating in a Taiwanese outdoor program, but remarkably, it was filmed in Japan, making her exclaim, “How curious!”
They then visited the Oarai Aquarium, where Watanabe not only toured the facilities and performances but also held a fan meeting, attracting around 550 attendees, including tourists from Taiwan and Taiwanese residents in Japan. The venue was packed, showcasing her immense popularity.
When asked by fans if her bun hairstyle was real, Watanabe candidly revealed that it was actually a wig. She disclosed that her real hair was styled into a small bun, and she simply placed the wig bun on top. She also cheekily disclosed that even her bangs were fake, lifting them to show the audience and jokingly saying, “This is a secret, don’t tell anyone!” showcasing her approachable nature.
Despite filming all day, Watanabe didn’t feel tired; instead, she found shooting “Taiwanese Surprises” outdoors to be fun and enjoyable. She exclaimed, “Since this show has many outdoor shoots, let’s come again next time! Maybe film in locations like Tokyo, let’s go outdoor shooting around Japan!” She even praised Takashi, a Japanese person hosting a Taiwanese outdoor show, for his commendable effort.
Takashi also found Watanabe very friendly and expressed his desire to collaborate with her again in the future.
“Truth be told, I wasn’t nervous at all. It felt like chatting with a friend. She is consistent inside and out, very easy to talk to. She’s a great older sister figure,” Takashi remarked. He hopes to become a bridge for Taiwan-Japan exchanges like Watanabe.