Strong Personalities, No Holding Back: Three Osaka Men Stroll Through Retro Takatsuki

This street-walking location program features outspoken, highly distinctive older men beloved by Osaka locals. Comedian Messenger Kuroda, known for his talk skills and down-to-earth sensibility, walks through Osaka’s colorful neighborhoods with two guest “ossan.” What kind of chemistry will emerge when “three ossan” meet the streets of Osaka? The cast includes Tamotsu Kuroda of Messenger, Hozumi Hasegawa, and Toru Hashimoto. This episode is set in Takatsuki City. While new attractions such as the commercial facility Takatsuki Green Place, opened in 2025, and the Kansai Shogi Hall, relocated from Osaka’s Fukushima Ward, are bringing fresh energy to the city, places like Matsuzakaya Takatsuki and Akutagawa Shopping Street still retain a strong Showa-era atmosphere. Messenger Kuroda, Hozumi Hasegawa, and Toru Hashimoto set out to explore Takatsuki’s retro spots. The shoot begins at Sky Land, the only rooftop amusement park in Kansai, located at Matsuzakaya Takatsuki. As Kuroda and Hashimoto walk around chatting about how they hope places like this will remain, they spot former boxing world champion Hozumi Hasegawa playing an arcade game. Kuroda and Hasegawa have often appeared together on other programs. Since they are at a retro amusement park, they face off in the nostalgic game Wani Wani Panic. How will this “reflex battle” turn out between quick-witted Kuroda and former world boxing champion Hasegawa? The three men continue strolling through Akutagawa Shopping Street, where many retro shops remain, enjoying snacks such as croquettes along the way. Then Hashimoto suggests, “Since Mr. Hasegawa is here as our guest, don’t you want to see some boxing?” The group visits Sports Boxing Gym a-style, where Hasegawa demonstrates mitt work with gym representative Yojiro Horikoshi. Watching from nearby, Kuroda is startled by the thunderous sound of the punches and exclaims, “That’s scary!” Horikoshi, who receives the punches, is also overwhelmed by the former world champion’s power, saying, “The speed and sharpness are different. The force of the finishing blow is incredible.” Hasegawa then asks Kuroda to hold the mitts. Frightened, Kuroda protests, “That’s terrifying! If he misses even a little, I’ll die on the spot!” but still climbs into the ring. After receiving instructions, Kuroda tries taking Hasegawa’s punches. From there, he also attempts punching himself. Though hesitant and saying, “I can’t do this!” he unusually shows some motivation. With Hasegawa teaching him the proper form, Kuroda throws punches and, unexpectedly, receives praise, looking visibly pleased. Hashimoto then steps into the ring. It turns out he has a little boxing experience, prompting Kuroda to mutter, “That’s unfair.” When Hashimoto shows his mitt work against Hasegawa, he is praised enthusiastically: “Strong! You’re really good!” Seeing Hashimoto happily say, “That makes me happy,” Kuroda grumbles, “This doesn’t feel good.” After the mitt-work experience, the conversation digs into what led Hasegawa to start boxing. Influenced by his father, a former professional boxer, he began boxing in second grade. Although he later stepped away from the sport, he resumed it in his second year of high school, prompted by meeting the woman who is now his wife. He also shares the surprising story that his purse for his debut fight was “eight tickets worth 5,000 yen each.” After working up a sweat, the three stop by +Home, a restaurant in Akutagawa Shopping Street specializing in egg-over-rice and obanzai side dishes. While waiting for the daily lunch, the topic turns to Hasegawa’s intense weight-cutting stories. Before his fourth professional fight, he realized one week before the match that he had forgotten to cut weight and was eight kilograms over. He reveals the astonishing story of how he lost weight using a certain dagashi snack, leaving Kuroda shocked: “There’s no way you can get through that!” Hasegawa also reveals that a conversation with current undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue was one of the factors behind his retirement. He also recounts how his manager encouraged him by saying, “If you retire now, you can get 30 million yen from commercials.” However, he jokes, “So far, no commercials have come. It’s been nine years…” making Kuroda and Hashimoto burst out laughing. Next, the group heads to Tomita Danchi. The housing complex has a structure commonly seen in the Showa era, known as a “getabaki danchi,” with residences on the upper floors and shops on the lower floors. On the first floor, they visit Adachi Nojo, a sake brewery. There, visitors can enjoy an unusual drink called “craft sake,” whose background is apparently tied to Japan’s Liquor Tax Act. Hashimoto may even lose his temper at a certain person over it. As they taste craft sake, the conversation shifts to the truth behind Hasegawa’s overseas ambitions. Although Hasegawa never fought abroad, during his active career he continued defending his title with that stage in mind. Why was he ultimately unable to make it happen?