Between Art and Glory: Harufutei Yanagibashi and the Ups and Downs of the Postwar Rakugo World (1945-1960s)

Between Art and Glory: Harufutei Yanagibashi and the Ups and Downs of the Postwar Rakugo World (1945-1960s)

Harufutei Yanagibashi was a famous rakugo performer who began performing as a child actor in 1909 and continued to make his mark on the world of rakugo throughout the Taisho, Showa, and postwar eras. Active as a young man under the name Koyanagishi, he built up an exceptional network of contacts for a performer, including visits to the residences of Shigeru Yoshida and Prince Chichibu in Oiso. His legendary "Sangen-baruen," in which he performed at three yoses at the same time during the New Year's holiday, drew the jealousy of other rakugo storytellers, but his position remained unshaken as the president of the Mutsumikai, Yanagitei Saraku, defended him.

His specialty was "modified rakugo," a form of rakugo in which he added arrangements to classic rakugo, and his representative works included "Shina Sobaya," "Yumekin," and "Daikei. Among his works, "Shina Sobaya" was especially popular for its unique flavor, and drew many laughs not only at Yose but also on TV and radio. He also won the hearts of audiences with such comical stories as "Shukoya no avenging" and "Kaen-daiko," and his attitude of valuing closeness to people more than the purity of his art was conspicuous.

In contrast, Bunraku Katsura, who maintained an orthodox classical style, Shinsei Kokontei, who gained popularity for his freewheeling storytelling, and Kosan Yanagiya, who was called a virtuoso for his warmth in storytelling, stood side by side as his rivals. Bunraku and Yanagiya Kosan, in particular, contrasted in terms of artistic direction and symbolized the divergence of values in the world of rakugo in the postwar era.

After the war, Yanagibashi, together with Yanagiya Kintaro, founded the "Japan Art Association" and became heavily involved in the reorganization of the rakugo world. This move led to a split with the old "Rakugo Association," which went through a complex organizational transition that included the Mutsumikai, Engei Kaisha, and Rinkai, eventually forming two major factions, the "Art Association" and the "Rakugo Association.

With the advent of television and the rise of commercial radio stations, the broadcast media changed the value of rakugo artists: TBS (then Radio Tokyo) became the exclusive home of Bunraku, Ensei, Kosan, and others, while Shinsyu signed a contract with Nippon Broadcasting System, Inc. On the other hand, NHK, which did not have an exclusive contract, had to rely on popular freelance performers such as Yanagibashi, further increasing his exposure. The rise of the broadcasters was not only a sign of the power of their art, but also the arrival of an era in which comical storytellers were confronted with a new measure of value: their aptitude for broadcasting.

However, there were signs of a decline in his later years. Although he continued to serve as president of the Artistic Association of Japan, his influence gradually waned as up-and-coming directors such as Yanagitei Shiraku, Sanyutei Enraku, and Harufutei Yanagisyo took over the actual work of the association. Yanagibashi's life, in which he chose to laugh with the public rather than pursue a more artistic career and be called a virtuoso, was typical of those who walk the line between "light and shadow" in the world of the performing arts.