Big Bird in Japan

Big Bird in Japan is a follow-up special to Big Bird in China. Produced in association with NHK, Japan's public broadcaster, and filmed on location in Tokyo and Kyoto, the special debuted in Japan on NHK in the late fall of 1988, and on PBS on January 16, 1989.
Big Bird and Barkley, having previously seen China independently, have signed up for a bus tour of Japan. The officious, hyper-organized guide has the trip organized to the detail, with little intended contact with the Japanese people. Wandering off, the pair are soon abandoned, but find aid from a friendly young woman, whose identity is eventually revealed through Japanese theater. The production included four original songs: "Homesick" and "Going to Kyoto" by Tony Geiss, and "Ichi, Ni, San" and "Moon, Moon" by Carol Hall.
The special was released on VHS in 1991, and on DVD in 2004.
==Notes==
* Brian Muehl returns to perform Barkley in this special, although Fred Garbo had already taken over the role on Sesame Street.
* Big Bird would return to Japan on TV sixteen years later to join the cast of the country's first local co-production.
==Reviews==
==Cast==
* Caroll Spinney as Big Bird
* Brian Muehl as Barkley
* Maiko Kawakami as Kaguya-Hime
:and
*Masayuki Kato as Restaurant Manager 
*Akira Murayama as Mr. Shimizu
*Kumiko Hironaka
*Hikojiro Matsumura as Grandfather
*Fukami Harue as Grandmother 
*Mariko Hirano as Mariko Shimizu
*Akiko Nemoto as Akiko Shimizu
*Yoko Haruta as Tour Guide
*Pat Morita as "Bamboo Princess" Play Narrator (voice)
==Crew==
* Directed by: Jon Stone
* Written by: Jon Stone
* Producer: Sonia Rosario
* Associate Producer: Cher Jung
* Editor: Ilene Merenstein
* Music composed and conducted by: Dick Lieb
* For Jim Henson's Muppets: Kermit Love, Caroly Wilcox, Richard Termine, Connie Peterson, Mark Zeszotek
* Sound Effects: Dick Maitland
* Executive Producer: Jon Stone
==Gallery==
Journaljapan02.jpg|Big Bird and the tour guide.
Journaljapan06.jpg|Big Bird in front of a Japanese bed.
Journaljapan08.jpg|The children's play of "The Bamboo Princess".
Journaljapan07.jpg|Visiting Mount Fuji.
Journaljapan11.jpg|Big Bird and his new Japanese friend.
Journaljapan10.jpg|Big Bird and Barkley are going back home.
==Video releases==
Bigbirdinjapanvhs.jpg|1991Random HouseISBN: 0679820930ISBN: 0738927376
BBinJapanVHS.jpg|2004Sony WonderISBN: 0738927376
Bigbirdinjapan.jpg|2004Sony WonderISBN: 0738927384
Bigbirdinjapan Japan VHS.jpg|Sony
BigBirdinJapanAustralianVHS.jpg|1991VDI
BigBird japan Taiwan VHS.jpg|Ladder Publishing
BB_Japan_HVN_VHS.jpg|Berjaya HVN
Noimage-big.png|Berjaya HVN
==External links==
*Tough Pigs Journal: Japan
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Category:Sesame Street Specials
Category:Sesame Street Video