Move over, Arashi! Step aside, Exile! There’s a newer, older boy band in town.
Here at RocketNews24, we like to keep our readers up to date with Japan’s hottest elderly idol groups like Osaka’s Obaaachan and Okinawa’s KBG84.
And now there are some new guys creating a buzz: JI-POP (爺-POP), a more mature “boy” band brought together to help promote tourism in Kochi Prefecture. The “JI” in their name comes from the Japanese word ojisan, meaning “old man” or “grandpa.”
The five members, who together have an average age of 67.4 years old, are all local men from Kochi Prefecture. Let’s take a look their profiles to get better acquainted with these newcomers to the Japanese pop scene:
▼ Norihiro Tanioka, 67 years old. “The City Market Sheriff.”
Check out this cowboy getting his bargain on every third Sunday of the month!
▼ Akira Odaka, 65 years old. “The Town Fisherman Director.”
Also: the cute one. Don’t you just want to pinch those cheeks?
▼ Iwao Yamamoto, 59 years old. “The Manufacturing Association Prez”
A.K.A. “The Bamboo Shoot Phantom.”
▼ Yoshinori Deki, 66 years old. “The Shellfish-Loving Fisherman.”
The shy one. If you try to talk to him, he just clams up.
▼ Hidetada Yamada, 80 years old. “The Marathon-Lover.”
The blue jeans-wearing heartbreaker.
What a line-up! With their wrinkle-free smooth moves and angelic voices from a previous era, JI-POP has been melting hearts of all ages across Japan.
Here is the music video for their debut single “Hooray for Old Age!” with highlights and translations below.
▼ The beginning of the video, setting the dazzling tone for the rest to come.
▼ “JI… JI JI JI JI JI… JI JI JI JI JI-POP!”
Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m already swooning.
▼ “Let us tell you about Kochi Prefecture.”
▼ “One in every three people is over age 65!”
▼ “But everybody’s happy! Kochi Prefecture is full of energy fruits!”
Oh yes guys! Sell that delicious Kochi produce to the tourists!
▼ “Even if we try to stay up late…”
▼ “…we suddenly wake up at 5:30 in the morning.”
▼ “Hooray for old age! Hooray for old age!”
▼ “Hooray for Kochi Prefecture! Hooray for Kochi Prefecture!”
▼ “We have everything we need: the fruits of the sea… the fruits of the mountains…
And the fruits of… you.”
▼ Yes, JI-POP! I want to be your fruit! We all want to be your fruit!
With such distinguished gentlemen and a catchy debut single to boot, JI-POP is almost certainly going to bring Kochi Prefecture some elderly tourist love. They have “energy fruits,” great produce/seafood, and cool old guys, so what’s not to love?
According to the official website, JI-POP is currently searching for videos of people singing and/or dancing along to their song. So if you’re into it, why not give it a try and submit your own version?
Either way, if you didn’t know Kochi Prefecture even existed before today, you certainly do now, all thanks to JI-POP!
Source: JI-POP Official Website via Hachimakiko
Featured/top image:YouTube/admin kochika
Insert Images: JI-POP Official Website, YouTube/admin kochika
Japanese vending machine serves up unique drinks at four Tokyo train stations
Massive manga collaboration bringing 100 years of Shueisha manga to Uniqlo T-shirts【Photos】
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Japanese thug wear from Birth Japan perfect for those breaking bad next year
Which Japanese beef bowl chain’s near-identical demon grater onioroshi ponzu gyudon is the best?
Japanese vending machine serves up unique drinks at four Tokyo train stations
Massive manga collaboration bringing 100 years of Shueisha manga to Uniqlo T-shirts【Photos】
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Japanese thug wear from Birth Japan perfect for those breaking bad next year
Which Japanese beef bowl chain’s near-identical demon grater onioroshi ponzu gyudon is the best?
Godzilla-shaped ice cream on sale in Tokyo near the sight his most adorable rampage
Every weekend is an itasha car show at Akihabara’s UDX parking garage
Immersive ukiyoe exhibition in Osaka adds some scented flair
Japanese business wear brand creates helpful graph to tell you what to wear at work
Tokyo sakura report: Why Shinjuku Gyoen beats Ueno Park for hanami cherry blossom viewing
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
Totoro cream puffs and Catbus cookies are finally available in downtown Tokyo
Majority of Japanese women in survey regret marrying their husband, but that’s only half the story
Giant hotel rooms in Osaka reflect the new non-niche face of travel in Japan.
Japanese women showing rebounding interest in giving Valentine’s Day chocolate【Survey】
Japan’s kid-friendly ski program is now selling Pikachu snowboards for a limited time only
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
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
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
Godzilla-shaped ice cream on sale in Tokyo near the sight his most adorable rampage
Every weekend is an itasha car show at Akihabara’s UDX parking garage
Immersive ukiyoe exhibition in Osaka adds some scented flair
Japanese business wear brand creates helpful graph to tell you what to wear at work
Tokyo sakura report: Why Shinjuku Gyoen beats Ueno Park for hanami cherry blossom viewing
Totoro cream puffs and Catbus cookies are finally available in downtown Tokyo
Japan’s foreign tourist numbers projected to fall for first time in years in 2026
Japan’s Poképark Kanto Pokémon theme park area shows first attraction photos
Leave a Reply