Rakugo is a traditional form of Japanese entertainment. It’s a kind of comical play on the stage but exactly speaking, it’s not a comedian’s play. Rakugo is played by one person on the stage and the person who plays Rakugo acts as two person’s role or sometimes more than that. And the story is made by the Rakugo player and he always tries hard to make people laugh from the stage.
Rakugo started more than 2 hundred years ago in Japan and probably the basic style of Rakugo was roughly formed before that. Since then, people enjoyed the stories told by rakugo player and the stories often become the traditional Japanese tales.
Rakugo is a kind of mental and intelligent game of Japanese people.
Rakugoka means a person who plays Rakugo on stage for public people. One of the most famous and respected Rakugoka, Sanyutei Enraku, died of cancer today, at 76 years old.
I still remember my father went to see and listen to his rakugo more than 20 years ago when Enraku came to our small town. My father had no special hobbies but for him, it was an important occasion to see him on stage.
Of course I knew Enraku, and all of the Japanese people must know him as an outstanding rakugoka in Japan even though recent people don’t enjoy rakugo so often as my father’s generation.
It’s maybe difficult for non-Japanese people to understand how he is missed in Japan. But if I say it7s almost same thing as Mr. Akira Kurosawa dies, you might understand how we Japanese respect him.
Without doubt, Akira Kurosawa is far famous than Enraku in the world. Enraku probably had few fans in the world except Japan. It’s not fair to compare with Akira Kurosawa who made international impact on film industry.
But for the minds of Japanese, Enraku’s talks will never disappear as Kurosawa’s movies will never do. Enraku made us happy when he talked on the stage as a Rakugoka and his rich story with much intelligence was good exercise of our mind and it was also a pleasant stimulation to our dull head.
We love you forever, Enraku san. Rest in peace.
