I was watching TV the other day, when I came across a program showing rakugo acts just as Shoraku Hayashiya was taking place on stage. I had seen him before, but had never payed attention to his name.
Traditionally, names of storytellers are passed down from master to disciple. And this is the third generation Shoraku Hayashiya of the Edo rakugo tradition. There used to be a Shoyaku Hayashiya from the Kamigata rakugo tradition (Osaka) as well, but the line died down with the passing of the 6th in 1929.
Since the very first generation, Hayashiyas have been famous as papercutting artists. The art of papercutting is a variation of origami called ‘kirigami‘ in Japanese. Another name given to Shoraku Hayashiya is ‘Kirigamino Shoraku’ which would translate to something like ‘Shoraku the Papercutter’.
This style is characterized by cutting a shape out of a single sheet of paper while telling a funny story related to whatever is being made. The story is just as important as, if not more than, the art that results from the process. The artist sways left to right as he makes the scissors run in one continuous line across the paper. Much like if you made a drawing without lifting your pen from the paper. He usually starts with a few stories of his own before asking for requests from the audience, sometimes even making cut-out portraits. Everything is done freehand and in the shortest time possible. Also, every performance ends with 2 pieces of art: the cut-out and a negative image made of the rest of the sheet which the artist then gives to the person who requested it.
This following video is a short clip from the Rakugo Art Association introducing Shoraku Hayashiya. The middle segment (1:38 to 2:32) is a request from the audience to cut out a portrait of Ko Yanagiya, another rakugo storyteller. You’ll get the joke better if you know that the man looks like this: ——————————->
The first generation Shoraku Hayashiya, born Kinjiro Ichiyanagi, lived from 1896 to 1966, but only became known as Shoraku Hayashiya from 1925. Before that, he changed names many times, as rakugo storytellers often do. He lucked out soon after becoming the 6th Saiga Katsura in 1920. Thanks to a shortage of pros that prompted the promotion en masse of storytellers, he became semipro in just 2 years. He incorporated papercutting into his act for a year-end party and it was so well received that he later made it his trade. The famous figures for whom he performed include Emperor Hirohito and General MacArthur.
The second Shoraku Hayashiya, born Keisaku Yamazaki, lived from 1935 to 1998. In 1954, he started apprenticeship under Hikoroku Hayashiya the 8th, but was held back from promotion because he couldn’t get rid of his Saitama dialect. Thanks to this, though, he was introduced to Shoraku Hayashiya the 1st who took him in as disciple 2 years later. He succeeded to his master in 1967, upon the latter’s passing.
Which brings us to the current successor Shoraku Hayashiya the 3rd. Born in 1948 as Makoto Akimoto, he succeeded to his master in 2000.
You can find more and longer clips on Youtube by searching for 林家正楽. He also makes some very nice landscapes and sceneries.
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