454:, fans, and even the press standing outside without Hamatsu knowing it. As such, producers were forced to procure a new space far away from the original location. Hamatsu was transported blindfolded, and upon uncovering his eyes, he discovered a similar living space, along with all his previously won possessions. When Hamatsu questioned if he had completed the challenge, he was instead told the change of space was for his new address for "renewed luck". As such, Hamatsu continued writing sweepstake entries, with a large chair and desk becoming his first items acquired in his new place he was kept. However, Hamatsu was moved into yet another space after a long streak of misfortune in his entries. In this new space, Hamatsu's TV set became useful when he later won a
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409:"; the nickname was chosen due to his 30 cm long face that was said to be shaped like a Japanese eggplant, as well as the producers having to cover his genitals with an animated eggplant for the television audience when Hamatsu was standing on camera due to his nudity. Hamatsu believed that he was being recorded and the show would be re-broadcast later once the footage had been gathered. In reality, the experiment was being live-streamed, with footage compiled and re-aired each week, complete with sound effects present at frequent intervals, using new tech to have 24/7 television to show him live using a joystick to cover up his genitals.
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473:(about $ 641 in 2024), Hamatsu closed upon his goal, which he finally achieved with a bag of rice, 335 days after starting. After being informed of his victory, Hamatsu was given back his clothes, blindfolded and taken to a surprise location. Hamatsu happily went along believing he was going to get a special prize for his year of hard work. After they removed Hamatsu's blindfold, he found himself in
500:; these goals were also met in a matter of weeks. When Hamatsu had won enough to return to Japan he was blindfolded, clothed and taken to another apartment in Japan. When the blindfold was removed, he looked around, and instinctively took his clothes off, expecting to continue the challenge. However, the walls of the apartment fell away to reveal that he was actually in a TV studio with a huge
488:(his favorite food) and ride on the park's multiple attractions. However, after finishing, Hamatsu was taken to another apartment. Hamatsu was once again asked to take off his clothes and challenged to enter sweepstakes. Although the producers said that if he did not want to do it, he did not have to, he still agreed. This time, the goal was to win enough money to afford a flight on
429:, as it was his only sort of interaction. Hamatsu never won clothing he could wear (only ladies' underwear that was too small for him to use), nor did he ever win anything to trim his growing facial hair and fingernails. Hamatsu also won other prizes he was unable to use, like movie tickets and a bicycle. However, he soon adapted the latter into a
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At first, Hamatsu was surviving on a few crackers each day given to him by production staff so that he would not starve to death. Eventually, Hamatsu won some sugary drinks from his sweepstakes entries, and the crackers were no longer given to him. Later on, Hamatsu won a bag of rice, but having not
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8,000) in total. Hamatsu started with nothing (including no clothes), was cut off from outside communication and broadcasting, and had nothing to keep him company except the magazines he combed through for sweepstakes entry forms. After spending 335 days to reach
Hamatsu's target, he set the Guinness
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The entire ordeal lasted about 15 months (January 1998–April 1999), during which time
Hamatsu's diaries on his experience of being isolated from the outside world became a bestseller in Japan. The television show broke numerous viewing records during its run, with 17 million viewers tuning in each
433:. When Hamatsu won a television set, he was unable to use it at first, as there was no cable or antenna hookup in the apartment (intentional by the producers out of fear he would discover he was already on TV). Hamatsu would then win a
462:. Hamatsu would end up playing his game for multiple days straight, ultimately forcing himself to stop in order to keep entering sweepstakes, collecting donations & achieve his objectives.
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After the rigors
Hamatsu went through in order to become a famous comedian, Hamatsu was unable to succeed in the variety TV world. Instead, Hamatsu became a local talent in his native
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to return home. However, when
Hamatsu quickly met this goal after several weeks of entering competitions, it was revised multiple times, first to afford a ticket in
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Hamatsu reported being hot and sweaty wearing clothing for the first six months after his ordeal and had difficulty carrying on conversations for a long time.
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By this time, the show had become so popular within
Japanese households, that people were starting to decipher the location of Hamatsu's flat, with
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421:; however, canned and kibble dog food became Hamatsu's primary food source for some time after running out of rice. After winning a
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285:, is a Japanese comedian and media personality. Hamatsu is best known for appearing on the controversial reality television show
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Hamatsu lived in front of the camera, with only the possessions he won via the sweepstakes (save for basic utilities such as
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won any pots or containers with which to heat it, he was forced to eat it raw, but after fashioning a
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heating container with a discarded bag, he was able to cook the rice by placing it next to the lit
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655:"Interview via Online: Fukushima's Famous Actor and Entertainer, Nasubi Active in Various Fields"
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810:"'The Contestant' tells the bizarre story of a Japanese man who lived a real-life 'Truman Show'"
641:"Where is the Contestant's Nasubi Now? All About the Comedian Who Got Trapped in a Reality Show"
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In April 2020, Hamatsu tried persuading people to cooperate with the self-disciplined
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852:"'The Contestant' Review: 1998 Japanese Reality Show Makes for Absurd Entertainment"
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An interview with
Tomoaki Hamatsu, and the story of his experiences on
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world record for the "longest time survived on competition winnings".
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Hamatsu was challenged to stay alone, unclothed, in an apartment for
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from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially
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in a sweepstake, he carried on conversations with it as his
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726:"Nasubi, The Naked Eggplant-Man Who Lived Off Sweepstakes"
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after three aborted attempts in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
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outbreaks by citing his own personal experience with
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707:""The Contestant" is More Than a Cautionary Tale"
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67:about living persons that is unsourced or
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347:Learn how and when to remove this message
138:Learn how and when to remove this message
829:"1年3ヶ月の「監禁」生活を乗り越えた男が語る、コロナ自粛疲れに打ち勝つ極意"
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964:. Episode 529. Chicago. 27 June 2014.
870:"Comedian Nasubi climbs Mount Everest"
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724:Edwards, Nathaniel (7 January 2014).
584:In 2016, Hamatsu successfully scaled
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575:. Hamatsu also appeared in the game
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951:(archived), Quirky Japan Homepage.
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850:Pond, Steve (8 September 2023).
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578:428: Shibuya Scramble
262:, born 3 August 1975)
983:Susunu! Denpa Shōnen
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437:game, a copy of the
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325:improve this article
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1024:Television in Japan
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399:electricity
375:sweepstakes
197:Nationality
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760:Vice Media
627:References
479:Seoul Land
337:April 2024
213:Occupation
178:1975-08-03
98:newspapers
612:game show
545:Fukushima
467:car tires
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189:Fukushima
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882:3 August
856:The Wrap
835:3 August
814:LA Times
793:3 August
765:3 August
735:3 August
665:3 August
607:Za Gaman
592:See also
520:COVID-19
407:eggplant
369:show on
281:Eggplant
232:Office K
216:Comedian
200:Japanese
87:"Nasubi"
76:libelous
975:28 June
934:Twitter
496:, then
395:heating
191:, Japan
112:scholar
930:Nasubi
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403:Nasubi
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253:浜津 智明
229:Agent
119:JSTOR
105:books
43:This
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919:IMDb
884:2022
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767:2022
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