ABEMA, the new future of television, began streaming episode #5 of 'Masahiro Higashide's Camping Detox' (produced by Asahi Broadcasting Television) on Friday, June 5, 2026, at 6:00 PM.

'Masahiro Higashide's Camping Detox' is a program featuring actor Masahiro Higashide, who moved to the deep mountains five years ago to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, as he invites entertainers struggling in the harsh city to his campsite for a two-day, one-night camping life. The program captures the entire reality of camping life, including the hours of hiking up rugged mountain paths to reach the site, the spectacular scenery that awaits, and sleeping outside, aiming to provide a 'mental detox' for guests amidst the vast nature.

For this original episode #5, available exclusively on ABEMA, guests Kosuke Minowa, an editor and businessman, and Yoichi Watanabe, a war photographer, appeared.

"Egosurfing every 15 minutes": Kosuke Minowa reveals the reality of the information society and his unexpected work style

Due to the rain forecast, the trio gave up on camping in the mountains. Instead, they began their discussion under the eaves of an old folk house Higashide is renting. When asked about their connection, Minowa revealed an unexpected first encounter, stating, "I like Higashide's YouTube channel and visited his place in the mountains once privately."

Regarding the mountain environment without cell service, Minowa noted, "When I come to places like this, there is no signal, which I think is great... but," and confessed his daily habit: "I egosurf every 15 minutes." He explained, "It's not that I'm worried or anything. It's just a hand habit," revealing the reality of the information society for modern people. On the topic of work styles, Minowa disclosed, "I only work about 15 days a month, and I don't schedule work for the rest of the time." He shared, "People might say, 'Minowa can't get his schedule filled because he's just playing around,' so I try not to talk about it too much," showing his true feelings behind his busy image.

Yoichi Watanabe confesses: "My heart broke" in traumatic war zone experience Masahiro Higashide reflects on modern Japan's contradictions: "We are blessed, but..."

Later, after butchering a deer Higashide hunted the previous day, the three headed to an open-air bath surrounded by nature, where the conversation turned deeper. When Higashide asked about Japan's stiffness, Watanabe quietly said, "Whenever I return to Japan from a conflict zone, I always feel that Japan is a 'dreamland.' It's a miracle country where you can do what you want freely."

In response, Higashide voiced a strong doubt about the contradictions of a wealthy country: "I always think Japan is blessed. But on the other hand, when I hear about 20,000 suicides, I wonder, 'What is this?'"

As they tasted the venison for lunch, the discussion turned to Watanabe's experiences in war zones. When Watanabe mentioned, "In my 34 years of war reporting, the major turning point was the Iraq War at age 30," Higashide gently asked, "If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine, but... was it that you learned the bottom of humanity? Was it crueler or more political than the conflict zones you had seen before?"

To this, Watanabe shared his traumatic memory: "My own children were being killed as a matter of course. When the people who took those lives were drinking coffee or smoking cigarettes while laughing right in front of me... even if I knew I 'shouldn't do it' if a weapon was placed before me, my mind and body would fall apart when pushed to the limit..." He described the collapse of humanity in extreme conditions that he witnessed on the front lines of conflict zones. When asked by Higashide, "Why didn't your heart break?", Watanabe weighed the question heavily and replied, "It did break," and then spoke about 'a certain feeling' that kept him going in the war zone.

'Masahiro Higashide's Camping Detox' Program Overview

Program URL: https://abema.tv/video/title/534-20 Episode #5 Streaming Date: Friday, June 5, 2026, from 6:00 PM Episode #5 Streaming URL: https://abema.tv/video/episode/534-20_s1_p5 Cast: Masahiro Higashide #5-6 Guests: Kosuke Minowa, Yoichi Watanabe

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