Rakugo is one of Japan’s more simple performing arts. A single performer, wearing a traditional kimono, sits down on an upholstered cushion and tells stories that last between twenty and thirty minutes, playing the role of all characters. A simple fan-folded in half and handkerchief can be used as anything from a brush for writing to a sweet potato roasted.
Although rakugo is defined as “sit-down comedy” It’s not being an Eastern analogy to the stand-up comedy. It’s an orally transmitted art form with a long time frame. Two distinct traditions are based within Osaka and Tokyo the rakugo we know it is dated to around 150 years ago however, the precursors date far back in time.
Today, more artists than ever before (around 85) have chosen to work in rakugo. Recognized as a knowledgeable conduit of culture and history and also appearing being featured on television and radio. However, it’s been a predominantly male-oriented art form. The first female artist, Tsuyu no Miyako, began the art form in 1974. Despite this, women comprise only 7% of the rakugo artists.
A young apprentice
Women began to be a quiet place in the art world throughout the decade of the 1980s.
In the decade 2000, there was a boom in the number of rakugo artists who were new especially women. This was largely due to movies, books, and television shows that featured the rakugo genre include Life’s Like a Comedy and Rakugo Musume which featured women completing long and demanding apprenticeships that came to a completion.
This may have enticed some of the younger adults who were considering their options while Japan’s “lost decades” or the decades of stagnation in the economy – dragged on.
In her 20s in her early in her 20s Nishii Fumi was able to see a popular rakugo performer on television and then went to see him on a live stage. She was unaware of rakugo when she was a teenager, yet continued attending shows until she realized that she would like to become a person who made people laugh.
After renowned rakugo artist Katsura Yaoneji accepted to accept the role of Fumi in the role of an apprentice when she was the age of 24, in 2011 Fumi followed the rules by giving her an official stage name: Katsura Niyo. To her, the rakugo was the ideal job since it allows her to perform as a clown all the time.
“I was a modest silent girl when I was a little but was awed by boys who would be astonished, smugly walking through the halls despite their teachers” she shared with me over the weekend.
However, Niyo recognized that women who behaved improperly aren’t something Japanese society is awed by: “men act like fools often and are praised for this, but not women”.
She saw rakugo as the path to freedom, a way to be who she is. However, even though a small number of women had performed performing on stage for a long time before her debut but she was aware of the fact that women were not often considered to be true artists.
The man’s domain
Niyo wanted to collaborate with Yoneji as she was looking to learn “real Rakugo”. The first professional art form performed by a female, Miyako, had formed an expanding school of female students, but Niyo did not want to be considered a woman-only telling stories. Niyo wanted to be viewed as a rakugo artist with a full stop.
Niyo was described as stupid due to her performance in an art form that was dominated by males. Photo by Katsura Niyo. Author’s permission required (no reuse)
Niyo was faced with many difficulties throughout her time of training. Every rakugo player must remember long tales however, Niyo was also confronted with the perception of “awkwardness” of being a woman in the man’s world. Some were extremely explicit in their belief that women do not belong in rakugo. However, Niyo was not willing to compromise.
Rakugo artists demonstrate their authenticity and progress their careers in a variety of ways such as winning telecast competitions and being honored by both the local and national governments.
In the beginning, Niyo began entering contests to test herself and establish her credibility. In the past, she was a finalist in the highly regarded NHK The Newcomer Awards in addition, in conjunction with the classic narrative Long-Nosed Goblin Hunting (Tengu Sashi) she won the Grand Prize over 106 other professionals from Osaka and Tokyo.
The first female to receive the award during its 50-year history.
The latest face of rakugo.
Niyo is now recognized as a model by NHK to be the “new future for the world of rakugo”.
The score she scored at the event was seen as an absolute feat and even drew The New York Times to interview her for several days, to Niyo’s delight (and respect). The Hanjotei Osaka’s top venue for rakugo, will honor her with a week of shows starting January 31.
