Japan has a tradition of comic talk. One people sitting on the stage and talking is called “Rakugo”, and two people standing in front of the microphone and talking is called “Manzai.”
Rakugo stories have been handed down mainly since the 18th century. The permanent stages are in Tokyo and Osaka. Osaka has a longer history. The stories in Tokyo are often modified from popular stories in Osaka.
Manzai is a relatively new performing with contemporary content.
It’s so fun that I think it’s a good way to enjoy learning about Japanese culture. But I can’t help but feel the language barrier.
Some performers in Tokyo and Osaka are also trying to introduce in English. So if you have the opportunity, I hope you can experience Japanese traditional performings.
