Katsura Edanoshin (Rakugo storyteller)
Katsura Edanoshin / Head of Z Rakugo. He has presented a variety of projects, including a rakugo visualization performance using an LED screen, and a rhythm unit that combines rakugo and techno.
Explore the traditional culture of Edo while listening to Rakugo
Just as the world of rakugo is divided into Edo and Kamigata, east and west, I think Tokyo is also a city where the cultural differences between east and west are striking. If you walk around eastern Tokyo while listening to a rakugo performance on YouTube or a podcast, you'll feel a different sense of immersion than usual.
It feels as though characters from Rakugo stories could jump out at any moment from the soba restaurant or public bathhouse. You can feel the passage of time while being enveloped in the atmosphere of the town. Today, we will introduce some of the deep specialty shops in this Edo-style area that are frequented by Rakugo storytellers.
Shin-Edo Some Marukyu Shoten
Founded in 1899, this shop in Nihonbashi Horidomecho is a wholesaler of chusen-dyed tenugui and yukata. They focus on reproducing classic designs and creating new designs, and are also developing a stylish and cool shirt brand called TEWSEN, which uses yukata fabric. They are also a preferred supplier to rakugo performers for creating original tenugui.
Address: 1-4-1 Nihonbashi Horidomecho, Chuo-ku | map
Asakusa Isamido
When it comes to rakugo and rokyoku records, Asakusa Isamido is the place to go. Since the Meiji era, when the first entertainment records were recorded in Japan, the store has collected a comprehensive range of records, regardless of their fame, and its collection is now comparable to that of a museum. When you drop the needle on an old entertainment record, the voice of the master who recorded the rakugo in front of the gramophone comes back to life, creating a romantic and fascinating experience.
Address: 6-5-2 Asakusa, Taito-ku | map
Yaguchi Bookstore
This is one of the most well-known second-hand bookstores in Jimbocho. It stocks a large number of old movie and TV drama scripts, but it also focuses on books and merchandise related to rakugo. Apparently, during the Edo period, books called "stenography books" that were written down verbatim from rakugo stories were popular. We recommend this store because you can enjoy rakugo as a reading material at your own pace.
Address: 2-5-1 Kanda Jinbocho, Chiyoda-ku | map
