Art Aug 4, 2019
Spectral sightings at Zenshoan Temple
by Alex Martin
Tokyo's Yanaka district ghosts are back to haunt the public via rakugo storyteller Sanyutei Encho's collection of spooky paintings.
National | Regional voices: Chubu Jan 3, 2019
Japanese kamikiri performer's elaborate pieces draw interest from readers of Nagoya newspaper
Hayashiya Niraku is a 51-year-old practitioner of kamikiri, a Japanese performance art that involves cutting silhouette images out of a plain piece of paper based on requests from the audience. Adding to the challenge, artists create their pieces without drawing an outline beforehand. His performances, ...
National / Politics Nov 20, 2018
Some members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, including Lower House member Shinjiro Koizumi, one of the most popular politicians in Japan, launched a caucus on Tuesday to enjoy and learn from rakugo sit-down comic storytelling shows. The caucus comprising rakugo fan LDP members is ...
National Jul 3, 2018
Rakugo comic storyteller Katsura Utamaru, known for his superb skill in telling classic humorous stories, died Monday of a lung illness, an association of rakugo storytellers said. He was 81. Utamaru, whose real name was Iwao Shiina, was also popular outside of rakugo, and was ...
Business Feb 6, 2018
Young operators turn to social media to revive Tokyo's sento neighborhood bathhouses
Younger operators of sento (public bathhouses) in Tokyo are breathing new life into the facilities, which have long helped residents in communities feel refreshed and relaxed. There are fewer sento these days because more people have baths at home. But some operators have achieved a ...
National Dec 27, 2017
Tokyo's Kabutocho financial district gets creative in bid to revive its quiet streets
by Alex Martin
It's a Monday night in late November and Ryutei Ichiya, a kimono-clad 34-year-old rakugo comic raconteur, is performing a skit in front of a crowd of over 100. Sitting on a red zabuton (floor cushion) perched on an elevated platform, Ichiya animatedly navigates between different ...
Stage Sep 27, 2017
Canadian rakugo comic Katsura Sunshine eyes the Big Apple with a push from investors
by Hidetoshi Takada
Katsura Sunshine has come quite a way from his days listening to Japanese rakugo comic tales at a local yakitori skewered chicken restaurant where he was introduced to the ancient traditional art form almost 20 years ago. One might never guess that the 47-year-old Canadian ...
National Oct 14, 2016
'Rakugo' comedy no joke for students keen to hone English skills
by Magdalena Osumi
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 ...
Film Oct 7, 2016
Documentary focuses on 'rakugo' artist's inspirational return to the stage
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 ...
Stage Jan 14, 2016
Shinoharu Tatekawa makes sure that 'rakugo' isn't lost in translation
by Melynie Yoneda
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 ...
National Nov 2, 2015
'Rakugo' storyteller Shinosuke, novelist Kirino among medal awardees
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 ...
Entertainment News Mar 24, 2015
'Rakugo' artist takes his yarns to Thailand, gets new audience chuckling
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 ...