The Art of Living of Harufutei Ischo - Carrying the Landscape of the 1970s and 1980s

The Art of Living of Harufutei Ischo - Carrying the Landscape of the 1970s and 1980s

Harufutei Ischo was introduced to Yanagicho V in 1968, and was promoted to the second rank in 1973, taking the name "Ischo.
His words, "I became a rakugo (storyteller)," express his determination to live a life devoted solely to his art, without choosing any other path. As a young actor, he would practice lying down, playing with his body and mind while unconsciously trying to grasp the art. This desire to make everyday life itself a form of art makes clear the image of a rakugo performer rooted in the sensibilities of the common man.

At that time, Japanese society was in transition from a period of high economic growth to one of stable growth after World War II. As television became more widespread and home entertainment increased, the presence of traditional on-site performing arts such as yose, kamishibai (picture-story shows), and neighborhood entertainment groups faded away. While many young comedians were seeking to expand into television and the media, Ischo sought to use the details of everyday life as the subject matter for his art, and while maintaining the storytelling style of classic rakugo, he sought to tell stories that were close to the "daily lives" of his audience.

He also emphasized the importance of moving back and forth between the "kata" (pattern) he learned from his teachers and seniors, and the "freedom" to create his own style of performance. His goal was not to break the mold, but to create a "living rakugo" that reflected the atmosphere of the present moment on the basis of the mold. His life as a comedian embodied the problem of how to connect the traditional art of rakugo to the modern world and to pass it on to the next generation in the midst of a changing society.