Hayashiya Tsuruko Talks Being a Woman in Rakugo & Passing Tradition to Next Generation: Billboard Japan Women in Music Interview

Billboard Japan’s Women in Music initiative launched in 2022 to celebrate artists, producers and executives who have made significant contributions to music and entertainment and inspired other women through their work, following the footsteps of Billboard’s annual Women in Music honors since 2007. This interview series featuring female players in the Japanese entertainment industry is one of the highlights of Japan’s WIM project.

In this latest installment, rakugo performer Hayashiya Tsuruko shared her perspective on being one of the still relatively few women in this traditional profession of comedic storytelling. Tsuruko — Hayashiya Tsuruko is her stage name, surname first — continues to expand the possibilities of rakugo through various approaches such as YouTube videos and performances for female audiences. Writer Rio Hirai spoke with the 38-year-old storyteller about her journey as a woman in the overwhelmingly male world of traditional performing arts, her perspective on the connection between the classics and modern times, and her efforts to create rakugo stories from the perspective of female characters.

First, tell us how you became interested in rakugo and why you wanted to make storytelling your career.

I didn’t know rakugo at all until university. People often say to me, “Your family must have listened to it,” but that wasn’t the case. I was in the drama club in high school and loved to express myself, but didn’t encounter rakugo then, either. When I entered university, the older students in the rakugo club suddenly started doing manzai (stand-up comedy performed in pairs) and recruited me. They halfway dragged me to their presentation booth and told me, “We do comedy skits and manzai (so come join).” I became interested and went to the club, only to find that all they did was rakugo. [Laughs]

But the rakugo I saw there was so interesting, with those older students in their teens and twenties dressed in kimonos, performing classical rakugo with flair. Some of the stories were really silly and funny, and others were about human nature. I could see that the way people feel hasn’t changed for hundreds of years, and that felt really epic. The characters are somewhat clumsy, but that’s turned into laughter and it feels like they’re by your side. From that point on, I fell in love with rakugo.

Were there any female members in the rakugo club at the time?

Not a single one. Only guys, with four or five students from each year, so about 20 members in all. I was from a girls’ high school, so it felt like I’d suddenly entered a boys’ school. But there was another girl in my same year who said, “Maybe I’ll join, too.” She was a lifesaver. We’re still best friends today.

Did you ever feel up against a wall in the male-dominated world of rakugo, and have there been any changes in that regard?

Most of the main characters in rakugo are men. And since it’s an art form that’s been established by men throughout its long history, it’s true that there are people who don’t want to listen to female rakugo performers. Even my master (of rakugo) once told me, “I don’t know how to teach women.” Although I did feel mortified, I was inspired to overcome it and be able to tell stories that wouldn’t make anyone feel that way. There are more female storytellers now, each one of us making our own innovations. There’s still no “right answer,” which is why I think women have more possibilities in a sense. There are those who perform the classics straightforwardly, and those who show novel approaches. I think audiences look forward to what we have to offer.

What social changes do you think are behind the increase in women choosing to make rakugo their careers?

Well, the main reason is that it’s much more common now for women to play an active role in society. Rakugo is called a “traditional art form,” but it’s actually an art form that’s been changing with the times. So it’s only natural that more women are choosing to become rakugo storytellers.

Is there anything you do to make rakugo more accessible?

I make use of YouTube and social media to reach out to more people. I upload videos that have nothing to do with rakugo as well, like the ones where we chat about (the manga and anime) Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and some where I just eat. [Laughs] There was even one shot like a music video where I sing a variation of “One Night Carnival” by Kishidan, one of my favorite bands, with lyrics taken from the classic rakugo piece “Shibahama.” I was so happy when people who learned about “Shibahama” through the video actually came to the yose theater. I also organize get-togethers where the performers and audience are all women. Sharing similar interests makes the space more colorful, and I’m hoping that the experience will encourage more people to check out rakugo performances.

Some of the values depicted in classical rakugo probably need to be reevaluated from today’s perspective. How do you handle such details?

Yes, to be honest, there are some stories that aren’t quite acceptable in the modern sense. But today’s masters are very flexible, and many of them devise new structures and choice of words in their performances. For example, in the story “Yanagida Kakunoshin,” there’s a part where the daughter is sold to a Yoshiwara brothel for her father. Each master has been working on these points and changing them into a form that’s acceptable in the modern age. This is what makes rakugo so interesting.

Could you give a message to young women who might be interested in entering the world of rakugo?

Don’t be afraid to give it a try. My master once said to me, “I think there are stories that only female storytellers can perform. Keep trying various things,” and that really encouraged me. So now I’m taking on stories where women who were side characters in classical rakugo, like the wife or high-ranking courtesan, are the protagonists. Having that new angle has allowed me to see things I couldn’t see before, and I feel that this has led to my next form of expression.

Of course there are things that can be gained or lost depending on gender. But instead of denying that, I hope to do what I can by taking advantage of the fact that I’m a woman, is how I feel about it.

What would you like to take on from now, and what’s your vision of the future you’d like to see for the industry as a whole?

When you try something new, there will always be those who approve or disapprove. There are all kinds of opinions, but we shouldn’t be afraid to take on challenges. If we could all be more tolerant about people who take on such challenges, I think the rakugo world and society as a whole will become a freer and more enjoyable place. I’d like to help foster an atmosphere where people can be more accepting, like, “Oh, I never knew such a thing existed” instead of dismissing them as being wrong. I think this is the essence of rakugo as well.

This interview by Rio Hirai (SOW SWEET PUBLISHING) first appeared on Billboard Japan