For rakugo storyteller Shunputei Shota, 2019 -- the first year of the Reiwa era -- must be a memorable year.
In June, he assumed the chairman's post of the Rakugo Art Association, a leading association of rakugo and other entertainment performers known as Geikyo. Several days later, that was followed by his announcement of his marriage during a live broadcast of the popular TV comedy show "Shoten" that he hosts.
Shota restarted the activities of the SWA, a group of fellow rakugoka who create new stories, for the first time in eight years. The Yomiuri Shimbun interviewed Shota, who continues to create new stories with vigor.
Shota stepped into the shoes of the late Katsura Utamaru when he took over as host of "Shoten" and chairman of Geikyo, roles previously held by Utamaru.
For Shota, the chairmanship must be "rather symbolic" of the association.
"Like [former chairmen] Katsura Yonemaru and Utamaru, I think it is my job to make people think of me as the chairman of the association when my name is heard," Shota said.
"Since it [Geikyo] is a public interest incorporated association, I can never make a decision unilaterally," Shota said. "But I'd like to invigorate the association by producing more stars from the association."
Younger members are rising to stardom. Ryutei Kochiraku was promoted to the top rank of shinuchi master in September and kodan storyteller Kanda Matsunojo will be promoted to shinuchi in February. Kodan is a narrative storytelling performance, while rakugo basically depends on conversations.
"Recently, younger members are doing well," Shota said. "However, I'm happy if I can help not only younger members but also all members do their jobs smoothly."
Shota became an apprentice of the late Shunputei Ryusho, who was known for his warm and breezy style, in 1982. Since his early career, Shota created new rakugo stories one after another and performed them with big gestures, becoming one of the leading rakugoka.
Though he had long been single, he created many comical stories depicting a husband and wife, such as "Toast to a Couple," "Sea of Stress," and "Party of Lay-Off."
"I wrote those stories based on my views on married couples," Shota said. "After I got married, I realized I was right, and it has apparently become easier to perform [stories on married couples]."
About "makura" talks before entering into his storytelling, Shota said, with a wry smile, "I can no longer use jokes about being single."
However, he does not opt for romantic talk as a newlywed. "In a sense, a comedian [like a rakugoka] must be unhappy. It would be good to present talks saying, 'Such an unlucky thing happened to me,'" Shota said.
"Many bad things [to be used in performances] will probably happen to me from now on as I live with my wife," he added.
Shota just turned 60 on Dec. 9, but he does not think it is a milestone in his life. He has not celebrated his birthdays in recent years because "I didn't want to realize my age."
"I told my pupils I would dismiss all those involved if I got a red vest surprise gift," he said. A red vest is a typical gift to celebrate a person's 60th birthday.
SWA is a group that Shota set up with Yanagiya Kyotaro, Sanyutei Hakucho and Hayashiya Hikoichi with the aim of jointly brushing up newly created rakugo stories and developing the stories into future classics. The activities of SWA were suspended in 2011 as all of them have become too popular to commit to the group.
However, in the last two years or so, the other members have voiced a willingness to restart SWA.
"I was thinking I, as the oldest of the four, should not take much initiative [in restarting SWA]," Shota recalled. "We cannot hold shows at the pace we used to, but I have many things I want to do. We'd also like to try experimental things."
SWA's revival shows last Thursday and Friday successfully fascinated sold-out audiences in Tokyo.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
