For performers of the traditional arts, the Golden Week holiday period -- which ran from April 29 to May 6 this year -- should have been busy, just like the New Year holidays. However, hardly any performances, including rakugo comic storytelling, have been held since early April because of the coronavirus epidemic.
Amid this situation, rakugo storytellers and other performers are turning to online streaming. Popular rakugo storyteller Yanagiya Kyotaro, for example, held an online event on May 2 and 3.
For more than 15 years, Kyotaro has been one of the people selecting senryu satirical poems submitted by readers to the Shukan Bunshun magazine, one of the most famous weeklies in the nation. The magazine's publisher, Bungeishunju Ltd., organized Kyotaro's event using the Zoom teleconferencing software.
Charging 1,100 yen as a viewing fee, the event was initially intended to be a one-shot for a maximum of 500 people. However, it sold out in a day, prompting Bungeishunju to hold an additional event and invit paper cutting artist Hayashiya Niraku. This also sold out in a single day.
The organizer also expanded the viewing capacity by 500 people each, so a total of 2,000 people enjoyed the performances over two days.
"In addition to how popular Kyotaro is, we realized how much people want [to see] rakugo performances," a Bungeishunju official said.
Kyotaro, who is skilled at telling both classic and modern stories, performed one of each type in each performance. As a classic for Day 1, he chose "Ido no Chawan" (A tea bowl in a well), which is one of the best rakugo classics with a happy ending.
"On a live stage, I can soften my tone while watching reactions from my audience when I perform a tricky story," Kyotaro said. "I don't have any audience before me, so I have to carefully choose what to perform." He said he will continue to hold online rakugo events in the future.
Kokontei Kikunojo, a slightly younger rakugo storyteller, streamed free one-person shows on YouTube from May 4 to 6. Kikunojo is also popular for his handsome looks, like a kabuki actor who plays female roles. He rented Ikebukuro Engeijo, a yose rakugo theater in Tokyo, and recorded his performances without an audience.
"At first, I was negative about online streaming," Kikunojo said. "However, when I streamed my performances, I found many people who normally can't come to yose theaters -- such as residents in regional areas, those sick in bed and Japanese people living overseas -- were glad to enjoy my performances."
Kikunojo performed two stories each day, which also included "Ido no Chawan."
"I asked [my fans] to give me requests for stories in advance," he said. "Many asked for stories that I usually perform in theaters. This made me realize how much people want a normal daily life."
Kikunojo's streaming also featured his female disciple Kokontei Mamegiku. It was her first time to perform two stories that Kikunojo had taught her during the current "stay home" period.
"Rakugo is a kind of entertainment that can be performed as soon as we're asked to do it. So I believe rakugo performances will be able to resume earlier [than other stage arts]," Kikunojo said. "My storytelling technique would lose its sharpness if I can't perform at theaters [before audiences]. When rakugo events resume, I hope I can demonstrate what I'm storing up right now."
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