What is the Japanese New Year's Eve television special in which teams compete by performing songs?

Kōhaku Uta Gassen is the Japanese New Year's Eve television special in which teams compete by performing songs.

The program is produced and broadcast by NHK and is commonly translated as the “Red and White Song Battle.” Performers are divided into a red team of female artists and a white team of male artists, although the presentation and participation rules have developed over time.

The show combines live music, elaborate staging, guest appearances, and year-end ceremony. A panel and the viewing audience help determine the winning team. It traditionally runs on December 31 and has become one of Japan's most prominent annual television events.

The first edition aired in 1951 as a radio program, and the television version followed in 1953. The title refers to the red-and-white division, colors that also have strong symbolic importance in Japanese culture. Kōhaku is sometimes confused with Japanese music award ceremonies, but it is specifically a song-performance competition associated with New Year's Eve.