Attitude of Shinsyo Kokontei - Revival of Rakugo since the 1970's and Carrying on the Tradition

Attitude of Shinsyo Kokontei - Revival of Rakugo since the 1970's and Carrying on the Tradition

Shintcho Kokontei (1938-2001) was a rakugo performer who developed his own unique style of rakugo with his father, Shinsei, at his back. In the 1970s, when the yose culture was in decline due to the spread of television, and yoses were losing their audiences, Shintomo brought them back by performing both classic and new works of rakugo, thereby demonstrating the modern value of rakugo. Shintcho showed the modern value of rakugo by bringing back audiences with both classic and new works.

While his father Shinsei's art was commonplace and unrestrained, Shintcho's graceful delivery and elegant mannerisms suited the sophisticated tastes of urbanites. As society moved toward maturity after a period of rapid economic growth, Shintcho's art responded to the cultural needs of a new era and elevated rakugo to an intellectual and dignified art form.

Furthermore, while carefully preserving the classics, Shintcho actively incorporated new material, always giving his audiences a fresh impression. His performances embodied a fusion of tradition and timelessness, and he played a central role in reviving the popularity of rakugo from the 1970s onward. Shintcho's approach did not leave rakugo as a legacy of the past, but rather served to connect it to the future as an art form that lives on in the modern age.