[Kanagawa Traditional Culture Children's Seasonal Calendar] Interview with Takarai Kotatsuru! Storytelling and the Charms of Kanagawa and Yokohama

On February 18, 2024, the "2023 Kanagawa Traditional Culture Children's Seasonal Calendar" was held, where children could experience the performing arts and games of Kanagawa Prefecture and throughout Japan. We spoke with Takarai Kinkaku V, a storyteller from Yokohama who served as the instructor for the children's workshop.
Top image provided by: Takarai Kototsuru V

A shy girl becomes a storyteller

This year, the Kanagawa Prefectural Youth Center was used as the venue, and the charms of traditional performing arts and traditional games were introduced from six different angles in five areas of the building. Kotozuru was in charge of the storytelling workshop "Discover and Experience! Traditional Japanese Performing Arts."

"2023 Kanagawa Traditional Culture Children's Seasonal Almanac" Storytelling Workshop_Lessons (Provided by Kanagawa Prefectural Youth Center)

-This was your second storytelling workshop since last year.

This year , five boys and girls from the 4th to 6th grades of elementary school participated. It was the first time for all of them to perform storytelling, but they all decided to read a story and complete it together. After three lessons, they presented their results at a performance.

-The theme last time was "The Soga Brothers," a reference to the venue, Odawara. What about this time?

I wrote the script based on "The Origin of the Dance Hall" by my master, Takarai Kinsei. A vaudeville show usually lasts 30 minutes, but this one is shorter at 10 minutes. The story, titled "Yokohama Legend: The Origin of the Dance Hall," is about a cat memorial tower located near Odoriba Station on the Yokohama Municipal Subway Blue Line.

-The participants are elementary school students from Yokohama City, just like Kotozuru when she was a child.

Kototsuru : Yes, but I was probably quieter and more withdrawn than you guys (laughs). However, I loved reading and had been praised for my ability to read aloud in Japanese class, so I approached it with confidence.

-I'm also curious about how you first encountered storytelling.

Kototsuru 's parents loved storytelling and were close friends with his teacher, Kotosei. When he entered junior high school, he wanted to learn how to read aloud, so he looked for a class, but couldn't find one. So someone suggested that he try storytelling, and he enrolled in the Takarai Kodan Shuraba Juku. He was by far the youngest student at the school, but he studied alongside adults, wanting to hone his reading aloud skills and find some expression.

-After that, did you smoothly move into storytelling?

Kototsuru : No, I went to university and got a job in an agricultural editorial department. I loved reading and writing, so I thought I could become an editorial writer. However, I actually ended up working in sales, visiting farms all over the country to introduce and sell agricultural books. During that time, I discovered the appeal of storytelling, which I continued as a hobby, and thought, "With storytelling, I can create my own stories and recite them aloud." So I once again applied to become a student of my master, Kotosei.

On April 1, 2006, he became a disciple of Takarai Kinsei and became Takarai Kinkan (Courtesy of Takarai Kintaku V)

Two conversation skills you can learn through storytelling

After joining the dojo and training as a junior apprentice, Kotozuru was promoted to futatsume on June 1, 2010, and to shin'uchi on October 14, 2019. He has over 150 jokes, ranging from classics to new works.

"Hyakka Ryoran Kodan Festival" August 8, 2023, National Engei Hall (Photo: Matsuo Mori / Courtesy: Takarai Kototsuru V)

-It's been four years since you inherited the stage name "Takarai Kototsuru V," which was revived after a 32-year hiatus. How do you feel about the appeal of storytelling?

Based on my experience of running storytelling workshops for children for around 18 years since I first began studying at the Kototsuru Hoi School, I would recommend this as a "word game" for children from around the age of three. It's fun to tap the stage with a folding fan to keep the rhythm and produce sounds while singing. Furthermore, storytellers are both scriptwriters who write their own scripts and news anchors who tell stories. This will hone your "communication skills" and "performance skills," so I think it will also improve your public speaking skills.

-The more you learn about storytellers, the more profound they seem.

Kototsuru's roles and themes are very diverse. Storytelling has a 500-year history, with approximately 5,000 plays. Storytellers are experts at telling lies as if they were the truth, skillfully arranging historical facts from the Heian period, historical figures, foreign history, the latest news, novels, and more in an entertaining way.

Making use of tradition to convey the charm of Kanagawa

Kototsuru often performs storytelling on themes in Kanagawa Prefecture, such as Enoshima, Kamakura, and the Miura Peninsula. He has a special attachment to Yokohama, where he was born and raised, and says he finds its many facets of charm appealing.

"Kodan Botanical" July 1, 2022, Chikuhotei (Photo: Matsuo Mori / Courtesy: Takarai Kintetsu V)

-What does your hometown, Yokohama, mean to you, Kotozuru?

Kotozuru Port Town is not only a fashionable cross-cultural spot, but also has a deep impression as a downtown area and a place where working people gather. I think it's a town that deserves attention historically as well. Yokohama and Kanagawa Prefecture are home to many ancient customs and legends. I would like to unearth these traditions in the long term.

- "Takarai Kotozuru Reading Kanagawa (the 9th installment of the series)" is scheduled to be released on June 23rd.

Kototsuru : This time's performance is "Urashima Taro." I was inspired by the fact that one of the legends of Urashima Taro that exists all over the country also exists in Kanagawa Ward, Yokohama City. Please look forward to seeing what kind of script it will be.

After the storytelling workshop

"2023 Kanagawa Traditional Culture Children's Seasonal Almanac" Storytelling Workshop - Results Presentation (Provided by Kanagawa Prefectural Youth Center)

--This year's Children's Saijiki has concluded with great success. Finally, please say a few words to the children who participated in the storytelling workshop.

Kototsuru: First of all, thank you for participating. It was great to be able to exchange opinions and work hard towards the results presentation. Please cherish this encounter with storytelling! Please come and listen to a live storytelling performance at least once.

"2023 Kanagawa Traditional Culture Children's Seasonal Almanac" Storytelling Workshop - Teacher's Demonstration Storytelling (Provided by Kanagawa Prefectural Youth Center)

Kotozuru says that in 2024 he will work hard to solidify his foundation and also look for new themes. Along with next year's "Children's Saijiki," he is also looking forward to a new story related to Kanagawa Prefecture.

Text by Mai Shimura (editor/writer)

《Fifth Takarai Kotsuru》

A storyteller. A member of the Kodan Association. Born in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture.
He was exposed to storytelling from a young age, and began attending the Takarai Kodan Shuraba Juku when he was in junior high school. On April 1, 2006, he became a disciple of Takarai Kinsei and took the name Takarai Kinkan. On June 1, 2010, he was promoted to futatsume, and on October 14, 2019, he was promoted to shin'uchi and took the name Takarai Kototsuru V.