March 2, 2015
Going to the storyteller's theatre!
Yoshikazu Osawa, National Engei Hall
Have you ever noticed performers with names that are slightly different from the other actors on variety shows? Many of those performers are rakugo performers, or traditional comic storytellers. These artists perform at a storyteller's theatre. In addition to rakugo, a variety of other performing arts can be seen at a storyteller's theatre. Visit one of the stages showcased below to enjoy some live storytelling.
There are currently four storyteller's theatres in Tokyo.
Suzumoto Entertainment Hall
An entertainment hall first established in 1857, with Honmokutei as the parent organization.
2-7-12 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Telephone 03-3834-5906
Closest station: JR Ueno Station, Okachimachi Station, Uenohirokouji Subway Station, Yushima Station, Uenookachimachi Station, Nakaokachimachi Station
Shinjuku Suehirotei
Established in 1897. Rebuilt in 1946.
3-6-12 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Telephone 03-3351-2974
Closest station: JR Shinjuku Station, East Exit, Shinjuku Sanchome Subway Station
[Suzuki Entertainment Hall]
[Shinjuku Suehirotei]
Asakusa Entertainment Hall
Established in 1964. The fourth floor houses the Toyokan, a stage for a two-person comedy act and other performance arts.
1-43-12 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Telephone 03-3841-6545
Closest station: Tawaramachi Subway Station, Asakusa Station, Tsukuba Express Asakusa Station, Tobu Skytree Line Asakusa Station
Ikebukuro Entertainment Hall
Established in 1951. Closed for renovations in 1990, and reopened in 1993.
1-23-1 Nishi Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
Telephone 03-3971-4545
Closest station: JR Ikebukuro Station, West Exit
[Asakusa Entertainment Hall]
[Ikebukuro Entertainment Hall]
Osaka also has a theatre.
Tenmatenjin Hanjoutei
Opened in September 2006. It had been 60 years since the storyteller's theatre was revived in Osaka.
2-1-34 Tenjinbashi, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka
Telephone 06-6352-4874
Closest station: Walk 3 minutes from exit 4-B of Minami-morimachi Station on the Sakaisuji/Tanimachi Subway Line, Walk 3 minutes from exit #3 of the JR Tozai Line Osaka Tenmangu Station, walk 10 minutes from exit #4 of the Sakaisuji Subway Line Ougimachi Station, walk 15 minutes from JR Tenma Station.
These are some of the performance arts that you can enjoy at these theatres.
- Rakugo
The comical storytellers who once entertained the warrior and nobility class eventually became popular among the general population. The origins of the modern day storyteller can be traced back to the mid-Edo Period in Edo and Osaka. Rakugo is a unique storytelling art where one storyteller performs a number of different roles.
- Koudan
A performance where the storyteller reads war stories and historical stories where generals played an active role, while sitting at a desk. The unique point about this method of storytelling is that the storyteller hits the desk with his fan while painting a heroic picture of the general in a rhythmic and fast-paced story.
- Roukyoku
This is a performance art where the storyteller tells a story to a melody played on a three-stringed guitar-like instrument (shamisen). This art was praised as the king of performance arts and popular until the early 1930s.
- Kyokugei
Daikagura, which became popular along with shrine faiths such as Ise and Atsuta, is a form of Japanese acrobatics that involves twirling balls on top of umbrellas or putting earthenware teapots on a plectrum balanced in the mouth. Other western acrobatic feats such as juggling have also been incorporated into modern performances.
- Manzai
The cheers that used to bring in the new year ("banzai!") transformed into the two-man comedy act (manzai) at the beginning of the 1930s.