Tokyo, March 18, 2025 — A brand new daily children’s show is coming up on NHK this spring. 

Premiering on April 2nd at 7:00am, The Wakey Show is aimed at elementary school kids before they head off to school. The main character, Wakey, who is a DJ, and his puppet friends will deliver bits of fun and music each day to make the children’s lives a little brighter. Drawing from the diverse educational content of NHK’s educational TV channel, this 20-minute edutainment show will open the children’s door to knowledge through games, exercises, dance, music, food, fashion, comical skits, manga and more. 
It is the first time in years that NHK launches a new daily program for children.

NHK Educational Corporation’s Masakazu Sato, Producer of The Wakey Show comments: “In Japan, 7:00am is a valuable time when the entire family is together in front of the TV. By sharing with the children interesting insights from various fields every day, we hope to convey and nurture a sense of appreciation for the world that we live in." 

The Wakeys are a team of 6 members. In addition to the main character, Wakey, there are four puppet characters who each have a field of expertise and one musician. The puppets and the puppeteers represent one character – a new style of puppetry – that enables the characters to sing, dance, move more freely like even do comical skits etc.
 

Partnering with Sesame Workshop, the global nonprofit behind Sesame Street, the program will have a weekly segment featuring Elmo. "Elmo's Like It Rap" will invite children across Japan to share who they are, what they like, and what they’re proud of through the power of rap. Sato explains: “We’re excited to be working with the Sesame Workshop to introduce Elmo’s Like It Rap, a segment designed to foster children’s emotional well-being. By using rap — a style so popular among kids today — we hope to encourage children to be open about their feelings.” 
This will be the first time in 22 years that original Sesame Street content will appear as a regular program on NHK.

Manabu Nagaoka, VP & General Manager, Sesame Street Japan, comments “As societal and academic pressures on Japanese children continue to grow, it is increasingly important to foster environments that strengthen emotional health, self-esteem, and resilience. By giving children a platform to express themselves and share their feelings, Elmo’s Like It Rap helps build children’s confidence, reduce stress by encouraging them to express themselves, and encourage positive communication.” 

NHK enjoys a long history of collaboration with the Sesame Workshop. The globally beloved children’s series Sesame Street aired on NHK from 1971-2003, and in 2020, Sesame Street specials like Elmo’s Playdate Äi0were enjoyed by NHK viewers. More recently in 2024, the two collaborated on the music video“We Belong” featuring Midories, the popular children’s group, to promote social development goals. Additionally, NHK and Sesame Workshop teamed up with Japan Committee for UNICEF on the joint campaign “For Every Child” to help nurture a better future for every child. 

About Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop is the global nonprofit behind Sesame Street and so much more. For over 50 years, we have worked at the intersection of education, media, and research, creating joyful experiences that enrich minds and expand hearts, all in service of empowering each generation to build a better world. Our beloved characters, iconic shows, outreach in communities, and more bring playful early learning to families in more than 150 countries and advance our mission to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. 
Learn more at www.sesame.org and follow Sesame Workshop on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X.

About NHK Educational Corporation
NHK Educational Corporation, an affiliate of NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), is a leading producer of educational content, creating around 10,000 TV and radio programs for NHK every year. The company also develops a wide range of content—including video, events, products, and character licensing—across areas such as early childhood education, school curriculum, language learning, arts and culture, science, cooking, hobbies, and health. By collaborating with corporations and educational institutions, NHK Educational contributes to society in meaningful ways.
For more information, please visit https://www.nhk-ed.co.jp/corporate/english/

About NHK
NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) is Japan’s sole public service media organization. Funded by receiving fees from Japanese households, it has a reputation for impartial, high-quality programs including news, documentaries, children’s and educational programs, music, entertainment, culture, animation, and drama. Known as the pioneer of HD broadcast, NHK now actively produces programs in 4K and 8K.
For more information about NHK, please visit www.nhk.or.jp/corporateinfo/

NHK Program List / Contact
https://japan-programcatalog.com/en/company/NHK

For further information: NHK Press Office 
Fumina Koike (koike.f-ge@nhk.or.jp)