National Living Treasure Ichiryusai Teisui visited Europe for the first time last month to introduce a traditional type of comic storytelling known as "kodan" to audiences there.
Teisui, named after the legendary kodan storyteller Ichiryusai Teizan VII (1907-1966), is generally considered Japan's greatest kodan artist. He performed last month at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels.
Kodan is an art form dating back to the 17th century. Popular themes are the exploits of warriors, accounts of wars and tales of vengeance.