Kasou Taisho, or All Japan Kasoh (Costume) Grand Prix, is a semi-annual televised contest in which amateur groups or individuals perform short skits which are rated by a panel of judges.
Many of the skits make extensive use of kurogo: stagehands dressed in all black to imply they are “invisible” to the audience while they move around props or actors on stage. This allows performers to create clever illusions and “fake” special effects, such as in the classic “Matrix Ping Pong” skit, which you can see above.
Having been on the air for more than 30 years, the show no doubt has an extensive library of short, funny video clips—or as we call it these days, internet crack. And finally figuring out that crack sells, Kasou Taisho has posted nearly 100 of their finest skits from over the years for your viewing pleasure on YouTube.
We hope you weren’t planning on doing anything productive over the next half hour…
The videos can be found in full on the Kasou Taisho YouTube channel, but we’ve posted a few of our favorite below for your convenient viewing pleasure. Enjoy!
▼ Stomach Mogul Skiing
▼ Steal the Mona Lisa!
▼ The Astonishing Karate Dojo
▼ And Then There Was a Mess
▼ Go! Off-road Car (my personal favorite)
▼ Whirlwind
▼ Steam Locomotive
▼ Underwater Scenery From the Goggles
▼ Salvador Dali
▼ Usain Bolt
▼ Penguin Panic
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What’s up with the “mosquito buzz” noise at Shibuya Station?
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Japanese convenience store gives away free ice cream with creative ad at Shinjuku Station
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Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
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Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
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No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Japan is so hungry for workers it used up its five-year visa quota in record time
And now, a video of the voice of Dragon Ball’s Goku meeting the Emperor and Empress of Japan
7-Eleven Japan’s cooked-in-store takoyaki is here! How does it fare against the street food king?
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Shibuya’s Hachiko Family public art installation will be permanently removed, not relocated
Japan’s favorite popsicle is changing the way it tastes and feels for first time in over 20 years
Drink a beer at Tokyo Station for 12 cents a day
Right now, this amazing Japanese park is bathed in beautiful blue from 4.5 million flowers【Video】
“World’s most beautiful Starbucks” gets a makeover in Japan, but is it still beautiful?
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Studio Ghibli adds new anime character puppet socks to its merchandise store in Japan
Takoyaki makers surprisingly good at grilling meat for yakiniku too
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