Takashi Wakasugi

Takashi Wakasugi
若杉 昂志
Born1988 or 1989 (age 36–37)
Japan
Alma materDoshisha University
Occupation
  • Comedian
Years active2019–present

Takashi "Waka" Wakasugi (born 1988 or 1989;[1] Japanese: 若杉 昂志, Hepburn: Wakasugi Takashi) is a Japanese comedian who performs in both Australia and Japan.[2]

Wakasugi attended Doshisha University in Japan. During his studies there in 2012, Wakasugi studied abroad at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, where he first performed stand-up in English.[2] Having previously worked for a time as a backpacking farmworker across Australia,[3] Wakasugi moved there in 2019, where his love of comedy and desire to further practice English resulted in him deciding to pursue stand-up full-time.[4][5]

In 2021, Wakasugi presented his stand-up show Farm Backpacker (Subclass 417) at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF).[3] His show Stay Home Stay, about his experience in Perth during the COVID-19 pandemic, premiered in 2022.[6][7] At the 2023 MICF, Wakasugi won the Director's Choice Award for his show Japanese Worry.[8][9]

Wakasugi presented Japanese Aussie at the 2024 MICF,[5][8] and he performed his show Welcome to Japan at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival in 2023 and at Edinburgh Fringe in 2024.[10][11][12][13] In 2025, Wakasugi staged Comedy Samurai in Perth and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.[14][15]

In 2018, Wakasugi was a guest on Tonightly with Tom Ballard, and he was a performer on Thank God You're Here in 2024.[16] Wakasugi also appeared on the fourth season of Taskmaster Australia, broadcast in 2025, where he placed second.[17][1] He appeared as himself on episodes of The Cheap Seats, Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee, and The Cook Up with Adam Liaw in 2025.[18]

References

  1. 1 2 Petkoska, Zoria (9 October 2025). "A Japanese comedian walks into an Aussie bar … and stays there". The Japan Times.
  2. 1 2 "日本人の感性を活かしながら西欧と日本の文化をネタに コメディアン若杉 昂志さん". Gekkan NZ (in Japanese). April 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  3. 1 2 Rajkhowa, Arjun (6 April 2021). "Comedy review: Farm Backpacker (Subclass 417) by Takashi Wakasugi, MICF". ArtsHub AU. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  4. ↑ Baker, Nick; Whitfeld, Anna (1 September 2022). "What is Japanese humour and why is it so misunderstood?". Late Night Live. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  5. 1 2 Bennett, Steve (19 April 2024). "Takashi Wakasugi: Japanese Aussie". Chortle. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  6. ↑ "Takashi Wakasugi: Stay Home Stay". TimeOut. 12 April 2022. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  7. ↑ "日本人コメディアン Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2022出演のご案内". Japanese Society of Melbourne (in Japanese). 22 March 2022. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  8. 1 2 Weldon, Bec (29 January 2024). "A comedic love letter to Australia: 'Japanese Aussie' Takashi Wakasugi brings all-new comedy to Fringe World". X-Press Magazine. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  9. ↑ "Awards". Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  10. ↑ Morgan, Rhys (13 August 2024). "Takashi Wakasugi @ Assembly George Square Studios". The Skinny. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  11. ↑ Girdwood, Andrew (4 August 2024). "Review: Takashi Wakasugi – Welcome to Japan, Fringe 2024". Edinburgh Reviews. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  12. ↑ "Everyone we saw at the NZ International Comedy Festival 2023, part two". The Spinoff. 26 May 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  13. ↑ Bingham, Ron (20 August 2024). "Takashi Wakasugi: Welcome to Japan". Squirrel Comedy. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  14. ↑ Wijekumar, Vyshnavee (2025-03-28). "Takashi Wakasugi | Comedy Samurai". The Age. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  15. ↑ Weldon, Bec (2025-02-07). "Takashi Wakasugi sharpens his sword, and tongue, for new Fringe show Comedy Samurai". X-Press Magazine. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  16. ↑ Ryan, Aaron (25 September 2024). "Tonight | Thank God You're Here on 10 welcomes Melanie Bracewell". TV Central. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  17. ↑ "Taskmaster Australia Season 4 review: a well-tuned commitment to comedy | ScreenHub Australia - Film & Television Jobs, News, Reviews & Screen Industry Data". www.screenhub.com.au. 27 March 2025. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  18. ↑ Oba, Yumi (6 May 2025). "The Cook Up with Adam Liaw: Flavours of Japan with Japanese guests". SBS. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
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