All 9 Snow Man Members Reunite on 'Su no Manma' for the First Time in Six Years
Nippon Cultural Broadcasting announced that all nine members of top-charting J-pop group Snow Man will assemble in the studio for an anniversary broadcast of their flagship program, Fujiya presents Snow Man no Su no Manma. The milestone episode, scheduled to air on January 22, 2026, marks the first time since their pre-debut era that the entire ensemble has gathered behind the microphones together for the weekly broadcast. According to an official bulletin published by livedoor ニュース, the gathering arrives on the exact day the nine-piece act celebrates six years since their joint CD debut.
For half a decade, the late-night program on JOQR radio has operated under a strict rotating pairing structure. Two members take the helm each week to field listener mail, share backstage anecdotes, and sample sweets from long-time title sponsor Fujiya. Bringing all nine performers, Hikaru Iwamoto, Tatsuya Fukazawa, Raul, Shota Watanabe, Koji Mukai, Ryohei Abe, Ren Meguro, Ryota Miyadate, and Daisuke Sakuma, into a single radio booth represents an unprecedented logistical effort, given the group's relentless solo filming schedules across domestic television and cinema.
📌 Key Takeaways:
- The Headline Event: All nine members of Snow Man will host the January 22, 2026 broadcast of Su no Manma together, breaking a six-year streak of two-host pairings.
- The Broadcast Heritage: The show has aired continuously on Nippon Cultural Broadcasting (JOQR 1134kHz / FM 91.6MHz) since October 2019, transitioning through several title iterations before locking in its current Fujiya-backed format.
- The Cultural Scale: Sustaining traditional AM/FM listenership while regularly trending number one worldwide on X (formerly Twitter) highlights how traditional radio remains a core pillar of modern Japanese idol fandom.
From Pre-Debut Experiments to Thursday Night Tradition
Before Snow Man dominated domestic arena tours and million-selling Oricon single charts, they tested their voices on Tokyo airwaves. Nippon Cultural Broadcasting launched the group's initial program in October 2019 under the working title Snow Man no Su. The show was an immediate test of unscripted chemistry. At the time, the agency was preparing the group for their dual major debut alongside SixTONES in January 2020. That initial run featured larger studio configurations as the performers learned how to split talk time, manage commercial cues, and bounce commentary off one another.
Confectionery giant Fujiya stepped forward as the primary corporate sponsor in the autumn of 2020, formally rebranding the 30-minute block as Fujiya presents Snow Man no Su no Manma. The commercial partnership integrated sweet-tasting segments directly into the recording flow, with hosts sampling seasonal cakes, Look chocolates, and Milky confections. The format quickly settled into its signature two-member rotation. By pairing different personalities each week, from the hyperactive banter of Sakuma and Mukai to the reserved, analytical exchanges between Abe and Meguro, the program revealed interpersonal dynamics that rarely made the final cut of slick television music specials.
The Structural Logistical Realities Behind the Six-Year Gap
The core reason for the six-year absence of a full-cast broadcast comes down to simple calendar mathematics. Following their record-setting debut with "D.D." in early 2020, Snow Man evolved into an entertainment industry juggernaut. Ren Meguro's prime-time drama leads, Raul's Paris Fashion Week runway runs, Hikaru Iwamoto's stage musicals, and Ryohei Abe's regular appearances on quiz panels created nine distinct, competing schedules. Securing a studio window where all nine performers could physically gather for an audio-only radio recording proved nearly impossible.
The program coped with these demands by batch-recording episodes. Pairs would step into Bunka Hoso’s Hamamatsucho studios weeks in advance, occasionally conducting remote link-ups during nationwide public health restrictions. While the studio hosted a distinct one-hour special for their fifth anniversary in January 2025 titled Snow Man no Zutto Su no Manma, bringing the entire unit into the regular weekly program slot remained an unfulfilled goal until the 2026 anniversary cycle.
Milestones Across the Su no Manma Production History
The radio program has mirrored the group's meteoric ascent within the Japanese entertainment landscape. Tracking key shifts in the broadcast highlights how an experimental midnight slot matured into one of Bunka Hoso's most prized intellectual properties.
| Broadcast Milestone | Airing Window / Date | Structural Format & Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Snow Man no Su Launch | October 2019 | Initial pre-debut launch; featured changing panel sizes including all-member appearances. |
| Fujiya Title Sponsorship | October 2020 | Rebranded as Su no Manma; established the strict two-member weekly rotation. |
| Fifth Anniversary Special | January 22, 2025 | Standalone 60-minute special program airing at 7:00 PM outside regular slot. |
| Sixth Anniversary Reunion | January 22, 2026 | First 9-member takeover of the standard 9:00 PM Thursday weekly slot in 6 years. |
Why Terrestrial Radio Anchors the Modern Idol Industry
In an era dominated by short-form video algorithms and streaming portals, an audio-only radio broadcast might appear archaic. For Japanese agencies and legacy sponsors, however, AM/FM slots remain indispensable strategic assets. Television appearances enforce rigid time boundaries; variety programs cut guests down to brief reaction shots, while music broadcasts offer little conversational breathing room. Radio strips away visual curation. Audiences listen to natural cadences, spontaneous laughter, and unvarnished vocal reactions.
The phrase su no manma translates colloquially to "just as you are" or "in one’s natural state." The weekly broadcast delivers exactly that promise. Listeners hear Fukazawa navigate audio cues as an experienced MC, listen to Mukai slip effortlessly into Kansai dialect, and catch Miyadate dropping his composed stage persona to tease fellow members. This auditory intimacy builds intense, long-term brand loyalty. When Fujiya promotes a seasonal pastry during the mid-show break, retail outlets regularly report immediate weekend sellouts driven by fans rushing to purchase the exact treat discussed on the airwaves.
Fan Community Sentiment and the Social Media Echo Chamber
When the announcement broke across JOQR's official web portals, domestic social channels registered an immediate surge in engagement. Community discussion across X and Japanese message boards focused heavily on how the broadcast would handle audio mixing for nine vocal tracks within a tight half-hour timeframe. Long-time listeners fondly recalled early 2019 broadcasts, which frequently devolved into chaotic, overlapping cross-talk.
International fans have mobilized around digital streaming workarounds. Because Bunka Hoso broadcasts on Japanese terrestrial airwaves, global audiences rely on platforms like Radiko alongside domestic VPN networks or post-broadcast fan archives to tune in. Online communities have organized real-time listening parties across North America, Southeast Asia, and Europe, reflecting how local radio IP has expanded into an international engagement vehicle despite geoblocking constraints.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: When will the 9-member Snow Man radio episode air?
A1: The broadcast airs on Thursday, January 22, 2026, at 9:00 PM JST on Nippon Cultural Broadcasting (JOQR 1134kHz / FM 91.6MHz).
Q2: Why hasn't all of Snow Man appeared on the show together since their debut?
A2: The regular show format relies on a rotating two-member system to give listeners focused, intimate conversations. Coordinating the schedules of all nine members alongside their extensive individual television, film, and theater commitments made full-cast recordings practically impossible for regular weekly slots.
Q3: Can listeners outside Japan access the broadcast?
A3: Official access is managed through the Radiko streaming service within Japan. International listeners typically require domestic proxy connections or listen through time-shifted web replays authorized in specific regional markets.
Looking Toward Snow Man's Next Era on the Airwaves
The January 22 studio reunion reaffirms that even as Snow Man sells out massive dome tours across Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka, terrestrial radio remains their home base. Bringing all nine performers back to Hamamatsucho for their sixth anniversary honors the platform that supported them long before their chart dominance became an industry given. As the broadcast approaches, the half-hour program stands as a clear indicator that intimate, unvarnished human voices still hold immense power in modern pop culture.
