<figure id="attachment_321607" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-321607" style="width: 2500px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="0a698ab6"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2023/07/5545ea8b0f32abfb5b3f791a1aa99622.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-321607" class="wp-caption-text">Anju&#8217;s young fans are increasing. His first solo performance in March, immediately after his promotion to the second rank, was so packed, even though it was a weekday, that there was standing room only.</figcaption></figure>
 My entrance into the world of rakugo was really by accident,&#8221; he said. I came to Tokyo from Okinawa in 2004 and went to listen to rakugo at the recommendation of my teacher, who recommended it to me as a way to study theater. That was the solo performance of the master (Kingen Tei Yonosuke, 65). He was dressed in a kimono, with no props, no lights, no makeup, and no flashy effects, but the scenes of the story came to life in my mind. I was struck by the deep appeal of rakugo.
 Kanehara-tei Anju is the first ever female rakugo performer from Okinawa Prefecture.
<div data-friday-ad-slot="AD_inArticle"></div>
 The rakugo story she encountered was &#8220;Miyatogawa. It is a story like a movie that develops from a love story to a tragic scene.
 It is said that there are currently about 1,000 rakugo storytellers, the largest number since the Edo period (1603-1867). The number of female rakugo performers has also been increasing, and there are now a total of about 55 active in both the East and West.
 After graduating from high school, Anju worked as a TV personality in her hometown of Okinawa, appearing in commercials, modeling, TV dramas, on stage, and on the radio, but moved to Tokyo to broaden her activities. After a month of serious consideration, she asked Yonosuke to become her apprentice.
 He decided to join the company after being told by his master, &#8220;If you put your life on the line, I will take care of you. After five years and three months of rigorous training, he was promoted to the position of nitsume (second highest rank) in February of this year.
<div data-friday-ad-slot="AD_inArticle"></div>
 There were times, of course, when I wanted to run away,&#8221; he told &#8230;&#8230; (laugh). But I was getting more and more fond of rakugo. Now, I no longer work in the front of the house, but I still do study sessions (to get my stories down), distribute videos, and appear at rakugo performances at various venues, and I practice in between, so I don&#8217;t have any more time off. I have also been making more radio appearances.
 Anju gave us this interview before a rakugo performance in Tokyo. She looks gallant in a kimono at the koza, but she also looks good in a printed one-piece dress.
 She is a professional in the nitsume (second highest division) role. The world of the nizume is completely different from that of the maeza.
 Since becoming a nitsume, I feel a different sense of responsibility in the koza, or the atmosphere of the audience,&#8221; she said. They used to look at me like, &#8216;Well, you&#8217;re just a maeza anyway,&#8217; but now they look at me like, &#8216;Let&#8217;s see how you do.
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" Enthusiastic fans like underground idols"></div>
<h2>Some fans are as enthusiastic as underground idols.</h2>
 Many rakugo stories were originally created mainly for men. That is why it was considered difficult for women to perform.
 However, there was a comment that it was refreshing to hear a female voice for Okiku in &#8220;Okiku no sara&#8221; (a comic story based on the ghost story of Bancho Sarayashiki), and I also received compliments on the voices of the children and young master.
 In fact, at Anju&#8217;s solo performance in Asakusa, there was already an army of fans, just like underground idols.
<div data-friday-ad-slot="AD_inArticle"></div>
 In fact, Anju is also active outside of rakugo, releasing a mini-album &#8220;Shinagawa Shinju&#8221; in May.
 It contains four songs. All of them are &#8220;rakugo songs&#8221; based on rakugo themes. The title track is a collaboration with voice actor Kappei Yamaguchi, who I was a big fan of.
 The album was originally intended to be produced by his teacher, Kanehara-tei Yonosuke, more than 30 years ago. Says Anju.
 There are duets with the master&#8217;s voice from over 30 years ago that were recorded at the time.&#8221;
 In addition, a movie starring her, &#8220;Ninja Beast Taisenki: Jaron vs. Goura&#8221; (directed by Shinpei Hayashiya), will be released in the summer.
<div data-friday-ad-slot="AD_inArticle"></div>
 I play two roles, playing twins who are descendants of ninja.
 Of course, his goal is to become a &#8220;shinuchi,&#8221; but that is not his only goal. But that is not his only goal.
 I want to be able to say that my favorite rakugo storyteller is Anju. I&#8217;m not there yet, but I will devote myself to it.
 Kyouju smiled as he said these words in his high-pitched, &#8220;glossy, cute&#8221; voice (&#8230;&#8230;), and went to prepare for his performance.
<figure id="attachment_321609" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-321609" style="width: 2500px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="ec400f8d"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2023/07/8514f1d24a8a4131f0b733c4e6786868.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-321609" class="wp-caption-text"> On the day of the event, he was performing rakugo with Yonosuke and others at a live house in Ota Ward. The event was filled with the enthusiasm of the fans.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_321606" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-321606" style="width: 2500px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="d541161e"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2023/07/aee76d873ce185f1432db30636abe7d3.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-321606" class="wp-caption-text"> Kanehara-tei Anju, rakugo storyteller: &#8220;I&#8217;m devoting my life to rakugo!</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_321608" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-321608" style="width: 2500px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="fcc4eadf"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2023/07/001c48316a6200d6c164350ad14419f3.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-321608" class="wp-caption-text"> Kanehara-tei Anju, rakugo storyteller, &#8220;I&#8217;m putting my life into rakugo!</figcaption></figure>
 From the July 28, 2023 issue of FRIDAY

 Katsumi Koizumi

 Yuri Adachi

 Kanehara-tei Anju became the first ever female rakugo performer from Okinawa when she went to listen to rakugo at a rakugo theater recommended to her for her theatrical studies. Like an underground idol, she already has an army of fans! Her goal, of course, is to become a "shin-uchi," or...

 Kanehara-tei Anju is the first female rakugo performer from Okinawa, having made the transition from TV personality to rakugo performer! She finally made her CD debut and even starred in a movie!

I&#8217;m putting my life into Rakugo! &#8230;Kanehara-tei Anju, a model in Okinawa, &#8220;promoted to Nitsume with her &#8220;glossy and cute&#8221; storytelling style&#8221;.

I’m putting my life into Rakugo! …Kanehara-tei Anju, a model in Okinawa, “promoted to Nitsume with her “glossy and cute” storytelling style”.

Access Ranking