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 while standing behind the strong presence of his father, Shinsei. In the 1970s, while the yose theater was in danger of decline due to the influence of television, "Laugh Spot" by Maraku Ichimonkai and the rakugo boom brought in a new audience, and Shintaro was a member of this trend. Shintcho played a role in bridging the gap between classic and new works in this trend.

While his father Shinsei's art was unprecedented and familiar to the common people, Shintcho's graceful delivery and neat posture were the hallmarks of his style. In an era of rapid economic growth, when the cultural tastes of city dwellers were becoming more sophisticated, Shintcho's style matched the atmosphere of the times and gave rakugo an intellectual and modern appeal. In particular, his appearances at the Kamigata Yose (Kamigata-style theater) deepened exchanges between East and West and expanded the scope of rakugo beyond the confines of Tokyo rakugo.

In addition, Shintomo emphasized the duality of thoroughness in the classics and flexibility in adapting to new works. While preserving the classics, he actively incorporated new material, always striving to give his audiences a fresh impression. As a result, his performances embodied a fusion of tradition and modernity, and were central to the renewed popularity of rakugo from the 1970s onward. Shintcho's approach is extremely important in that it has made rakugo not merely a legacy of the past, but an art form that breathes in the present.