| Alt Name: | 63th Kouhaku Utagassen: Uta de Aitai[1] |
| Runtime: | 1st Half: 100 minutes 2nd Half: 165 minutes |
| Company: | NHK |
| Creator: | Tsumoru Kondo |
| Presenter: | Yumiko Udō |
| Starring: | Arashi Maki Horikita |
| Opentheme: | "Meet the Music" |
| Theme Music Composer: | Kenji Kawai |
| Endtheme: | "Hotaru no Hikari" |
| Composer: | Tsunaki Mihara & The New Bleed |
| Location: | NHK Hall Tokyo, Japan |
| Network: | NHK-G NHK World Premium |
The , referred to from hereon as "Kōhaku", aired December 31, 2012 from NHK Hall in Japan beginning from 7:15 p.m. JST.
On December 18, 2012, NHK announced it will broadcast Kōhaku live using ultra-high-definition television technology from two locations: Tokyo Tower and at NHK's Yokohama station.[2] NHK first used UHDTV for a Kōhaku during its 57th event in 2006.
Debuting or returning artists are in bold.
| White Team | ||||||||||
| Order | Singer/Group | Appearances | Song | Order | Singer/Group | Appearances | Song | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Part | ||||||||||
| 1 | Ayumi Hamasaki | 14 | 2012 A Special Medley | 2 | NYC | 4 | NYC Kōhaku Medley | |||
| 3 | SKE48 | Debut | "Pareo wa Emerald" | 4 | Golden Bomber | Debut | "Memeshikute" | |||
| 6 | Mika Nakashima | 9 | "Hatsukoi" | 5 | AAA | 3 | "777 (We Can Sing a Song!)" | |||
| 8 | Nana Mizuki | 4 | "Bright Stream" | 7 | Sandaime J Soul Brothers | Debut | "Hanabi" | |||
| "Uta de Aitai" Special Project: Dream Stage | ||||||||||
| 10 | Ayako Fuji | 18 | "Wasurenai" | 9 | Funky Monkey Babys | 4 | "Sayonara Janai" | |||
| 12 | Kaori Mizumori | 10 | "Hitori Nagaragawa" | 11 | HY | 2 | "Ichiban Chikaku ni" | |||
| 14 | Koda Kumi | 8 | "Go to the Top" | 13 | Naoto Inti Raymi | Debut | "Brave" | |||
| 16 | Kaori Kozai | 16 | "Sake no Yado" | 15 | Takashi Hosokawa | 36 | "Naniwabushi dayo Jinsei wa" | |||
| 18 | Kana Nishino | 3 | "Go For It! | " | 17 | Porno Graffitti | 11 | "Kageboushi" | ||
| 20 | Natsuko Godai | 19 | "Koi Zange" | 19 | Hiroshi Tachi | 2 | "Arashi o Yobu Otoko" | |||
| 22 | Ayaka | 6 | "Hajimari no Toki" | 21 | Shinichi Mori | 45 | "Fuyu no Riviera" | |||
| "Uta de Aitai" Special Project: Maki Horikita Presents Tōhoku Earthquake Recovery Support Song "Hana wa saku" | ||||||||||
| Second Part | ||||||||||
| 24 | Momoiro Clover Z | Debut | Momoiro Kōhaku da Z! | 23 | Kanjani Eight | Debut | Hatsu Kōhaku! | Zenryoku Zenshin Jajajajān | ! | |
| 26 | Perfume | 5 | "Spring of Life" | 25 | Tokio | 19 | "Kibou" | |||
| 28 | AKB48 | 5 | AKB48 Kōhaku 2012 SP ~Chapter 2~ | 27 | Kobukuro | 7 | "Kami Hikōki" | |||
| 30 | Aiko | 11 | "Kuchibiru" | 29 | Hiromi Go | 25 | "Denjarā☆" | |||
| 32 | Kyary Pamyu Pamyu | Debut | Kōhaku 2012 Kyary Pamyu Pamyu Medley | 31 | Hiroshi Itsuki | 42 | "Yoake no Blues" | |||
| "Uta de Aitai" Special Project: Nippon no Arashi "Furusato"[3] | ||||||||||
| 34 | Saori Yuki | 13 | "Yoake no Skirt" | 33 | Hideaki Tokunaga | 7 | "Ue o Muite Arukou" | |||
| 36 | Yoshimi Tendo | 17 | "Sōran Matsuri-Bushi" | 35 | Kazuyoshi Saito | Debut | "Yasashiku Naritai" | |||
| 37 | Yui | Debut | "Good-bye Days" | 38 | Kiyoshi Hikawa | 13 | "Sakura" | |||
| 39 | Fuyumi Sakamoto | 24 | "Yozakura Oshichi" | 40 | Arashi | 4 | New Year's Eve Medley 2012 | |||
| 42 | Akiko Wada | 36 | "Ai, Todokimasuka" | 41 | Akihiro Miwa | Debut | "Yoitomake no Uta" | |||
| "Uta de Aitai" Special Project Red Team Special Guest: Misia, White Team Special Guest: Eikichi Yazawa | ||||||||||
| 44 | Yuki | Debut | "Prism" | 43 | Exile | 8 | "Rising Sun" | |||
| 46 | Princess Princess | Debut | "Diamonds" | 45 | Masaharu Fukuyama | 5 | "Beautiful Life" | |||
| 47 | Sayuri Ishikawa | 35 | "Amagi-goe" | 48 | Saburō Kitajima | 49 | "Fūsetsu Nagare Tabi" | |||
| 49 | Ikimono-gakari | 5 | "Kaze ga Fuiteiru" | 50 | SMAP | 20 | SMAP 2012'SP | |||
The 63rd event is faced with controversy over the non-existence of acts from South Korea[6] In one source, it is suspected that government-funded NHK avoided inviting Korean acts because of the territorial disputes over Liancourt Rocks between the South Korean and Japanese governments. Sports Chosun reported on a statement made by an NHK representative. "The fact that President Lee Myung Bak has demanded an apology is a great factor. After this incident occurred, there have been more and more hallyu stars who have stated that 'Dokdo is ours.' Considering this, viewers might have ill feelings about the K-pop stars appearing," said the NHK representative.[7]