Japanese tend to be known for their shyness and stoic demeanor. But as Japanese companies increasingly think more globally, workers are feeling the need to communicate and express themselves clearly in front of people of various nationalities. As a result, some are turning to traditional ...
The Japanese tradition of rakugo (comedic storytelling) depends largely on a quick wit and a way with words. So when storyteller Hayashiya Kanpei became speech-impaired due to a stroke, the challenge he faced getting back on stage was a momentous one. Kanpei, 67, and his ...
Comic Shinoharu Tatekawa hopes to win over some new fans this month when he performs a rakugo set in English. The 39-year-old knows firsthand that even locals who are unfamiliar with the traditional Japanese form of comedy can find it a bit old-fashioned. Unlike many ...
Rakugo comic storyteller Tatekawa Shinosuke and novelist Natsuo Kirino are among 755 people and 15 groups receiving this fall's medals of honor for distinguished performances and contributions to society, the government said Monday. Along with Shinosuke and Kirino, Kyoto University professor Mitsuo Sawamoto, 63, and ...
Japanese rakugo comic storyteller Katsura Takemaru was reminded of his boyhood in Osaka in the 1960s when he visited Thailand for the first time in 2007. Katsura, 57, was so intrigued by Thailand that he began learning the Thai language to become better acquainted with ...
Japanese rakugo classic comic storyteller Katsura Beicho died of pneumonia on Thursday evening, his office said. He was 89. Beicho, whose real name was Kiyoshi Nakagawa, was honored by the government as a living national treasure in 1996 and was awarded the Order of Culture ...
Renowned "rakugo" (comic story) raconteur Yanagiya Sankyo has been honored for his commitment to spreading appreciation of the Japanese language among foreigners in Japan and overseas. He received a 2014 Japan Foundation Award, which honors people or groups who help deepen international friendship over the ...
Rakugo, a traditional form of comic storytelling in Japan, deals with anecdotes about human nature. Described as a "performance of imagination," it is usually done on an empty stage with the artist kneeling on a large cushion and acting out the roles of all ...
A master of the traditional Japanese art of storytelling known as "rakugo" is embarking on his first tour of Europe, where he will perform his "sit-down" comedy with subtitles to show audiences how Japan laughs. Shunputei Ichinosuke, 35, is taking on Europe with female apprentice ...
