The World Of Japanese Comedy – Rakugo
Japan has many forms of live theatrical entertainment. Kabuki exists for a high-culture, theatrical experience, and Taishu Engeki exists for an accessible theatrical experience for the whole family. However, beyond traditional theatre, is Japan’s live comedy entertainment – Rakugo . However, Rakugo is not comparable to the English stand-up comedy.
The Rakugo performer, “rakugo master” is actually seated during the entire comedy performance. The master, using only a Japanese fan, a hand towel, body language, and voice acting skills, shares diverse stories and voice acting skills to represent various characters within a story. The master skillfully uses various personas, words, gestures, and tones to weave between the different characters in each story, allowing the audience to immerse in the story, and imagine the characters being portrayed. You can compare it to a live sitcom, with 1 seated person playing the role of all the characters.
History
Japanese comedy originated during Japan’s 9th and 10th century (roughly Year 800-1000), from Buddhist monks telling stories in order to teach moral lessons. These stories were originally called “setsuwa”, but during the Edo Period (1603-1868), it came to be what we know today as “rakugo”. Similar to how Kabuki became Taishu Engeki in order to entertain the masses, Setsuwa became Rakugo, a more widely accessible and understandable form of storytelling to entertain regular people in Japan. In the 18th century, dedicated comedy and performance theatres opened in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. As each region has their own dialect, they also developed their own unique style of storytelling and comedic delivery. Tokyo style is faster, while Kyoto and Osaka’s Kansai style is more expressive and flexible.
Katsura Sunshine, Rakugo Comedian
Experiencing Rakugo, in Japanese or English
Similar to Kabuki, or Taishu Engeki performances, Japanese language is required to fully enjoy Rakugo. As rakugo is exclusively the Japanese style of live comedy, the storytelling is only in Japanese language. However, many shows offer English support such as subtitles projected onto a screen, a provided tablet, or offer a specialized smartphone application for translation.
However, since 2011, a fully English-speaking rakugo master has risen to fame, “Katsura Sunshine”. A Canadian-born man, who has mastered the japanese art form of Rakugo. He has travelled the world delivering Rakugo comedy, but primarily performs in New York, and Japan. Living in Osaka, Japan for over 25 years, he is fluent in Japanese as well as English and French. Katsura Sunshine often performs in English at the hall next to the Mokubakan theatre, at the “Asakusa Mokubatei”.
If comedy is more your style of entertainment, check out Katsura Sunshine when he visits the Asakusa theatre, almost every month!
Look at his tickets and schedule for Tokyo here:
https://www.rakugo.lol/tokyo
Written & Published by Liam Hallin