Rakugo Is Jazz
Rakugo is often compared to jazz.
Just as a jazz standard can sound completely different depending on the player’s interpretation and arrangement, classical rakugo stories also change dramatically depending on the storyteller. Each performer brings their own phrasing, rhythm, and perspective to the same material. The true pleasure of rakugo lies not only in the humor of the stories themselves, but in hearing those subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) differences between performers. With that in mind, this playlist deliberately places the same stories side by side, performed by different rakugo masters, so you can listen and compare. All of the performers featured here are leading figures in today’s rakugo scene. If you find a storyteller you like, we highly recommend experiencing rakugo live, in person.
-Classic Summer Tales-
For this playlist, we’ve selected four classic rakugo tales that are lighthearted and full of laughter—perfect summer staples. We’ve also included a brief summary and notes on each storyteller’s style to guide your listening.
①Aona (Green Vegetables)
Synopsis:
A humble gardener is invited into the home of a wealthy client and treated to sake and side dishes. He’s especially impressed by a clever exchange between the master of the house and his wife, who elegantly signal that they’ve run out of blanched greens (aona). Enthralled, the gardener attempts to recreate the scene with a friend back home… but things don’t quite go as planned.
1. Senyu Irifune-tei – Bright, light, and stylish. A textbook example of classic rakugo.
2. Gontarō Yanagiya – A boisterous, laugh-out-loud performance by one of today’s top comic talents.
3. Hikoichi Hayashiya – Modern and pop-flavored. An approachable entry point for newcomers.
4. Hakushu Tōgetsuan – A bold, skillful take with a hint of bite and contemporary flair.
②Funatoku (The Boatman Toku)
Synopsis:
Tokusaburō, the son of a wealthy merchant, is disowned for his wild lifestyle and ends up boarding at a riverside boathouse. One day, out of the blue, he declares he wants to become a boatman. Despite having no real experience, he impulsively decides to take customers out onto the Sumida River—with chaotic results.
1. Kumosuke Gokaidō – A living national treasure and master of refined, traditional rakugo.
2. Hakushu Tōgetsuan – A student of Kumosuke, blending his teacher’s elegance with a catchy, modern touch.
3. Sankyō Yanagiya – Best known for heartfelt tales, Sankyō shows equal mastery in light comedies with graceful finesse.
③Unagi no Taiko (The Eel and the Flatterer)
Synopsis:
A professional flatterer named Ippachi is on the prowl for a free lunch. He targets a passerby who ends up treating him to grilled eel, but the restaurant they go to turns out to be more than a little eccentric. Things quickly spiral out of control...
1. Ichiba Ryūtei – Steady and classic, rakugo in its most orthodox and unpretentious form.
2. Hakushu Tōgetsuan – Crisp, witty, and leaves a lingering, light-hearted joy.
3. Gontarō Yanagiya – A powerhouse of hilarity. Impossible not to grin throughout this riotous performance.
④Momokawa (The Restaurant Momokawa)
Synopsis:
Hyakubee, fresh off the boat from the countryside, wants to work at the Momokawa restaurant in Nihonbashi. Due to staff shortages, he's put straight to work serving customers—but his thick rural accent leads to a series of laughably absurd misunderstandings that snowball into a full-blown farce.
1. Ichinosuke Shunpūtei – The leading young star in both popularity and skill. A classic foundation with a modern polish.
2. Sankyō Yanagiya – Masterful character work that blends humor with warmth and humanity.
Playlist and cover art by Mikiya Tanaka (ELLA RECORDS)
PROMOTIONAL ONLY
