Shōten

Shōten (笑点) is a Japanese TV comedy programme. It consists of a group of six Japanese rakugo and manzai comedians wearing variously coloured kimono sitting in a row and competing to make the best jokes, on topics suggested by the compere. The person judged to be the most funny, by the compere, gains more and more zabuton (Japanese cushions), until he may be sitting on a stack five, six, or more high. Comedians whose jokes are judged to be not funny, or whose responses are not quick enough, may have one or more zabuton removed and end up sitting on the floor. The zabutons used are allegedly extra-heavy ones weighing four kilogrammes, so even a stack of ten or more will not topple.

The show is also famous for its catchy theme music, which goes "chan chakachakachaka chan chan". This theme music has been continuously broadcast since 1969. The titles are written in edomoji, but were originally written to show an animated smiling face.

The programme has been continuously broadcast on Sunday evenings on Nippon TV since 15 May 1966. It is the second most long running TV show in Japan.