Asakusa Rakugo Night

Asakusa, Rakugo, 浅草、落語、寄席、浅草演芸ホール、Japanese comic story telling, 落語家、ねづっち、time honored friendship, burst out laughter

To attend a seminar of the graduate school, I visited Tokyo. Very good friend of mine since 18 picked me up at the Haneda Airport. We were so happy to see one another and had lots and lots of things to share that dropped by a cafe in the airport. Asked a lady next table to take our photos.

大学院のゼミに出席するために、数年ぶりに東京へ。十八歳の頃からの良き友が羽田空港まで迎えにきてくれて、二人で女子大生に戻ったかの様に再会を喜びあった。お喋りしたいことがあり過ぎたので、まずは空港でお茶をして隣の席の方に写真を撮ってもらう。

Our friendship since right after entered university knows all the ups and downs of our history, both good times, bad times, heartbreaking pains, suffering moments, anguished tears, and all the silly laughters. It is something so precious that we all know the paths of each, like time honored wine that matured and aged with all seasons of life. It is one of the most beautiful things in life. Indeed a sheer miracle that both of us hope for all the best for each other in this vast world.

大学入学直後から続く、人生の良い時、悪い時、切ない時、苦しい時、辛い時、涙の時、弾ける笑いの時、そのほぼ全ての期間のお互いの歩みを知っているというのは、しみじみと良いものだ。ワインの様に折々の風雪を経て熟成された友情というものは、この人生が与えてくるれ最も佳きものの一つに違いない。お互いがお互いのことを心から思い合うということは、この広い世界における紛れもない奇跡だ。

When in university, we used to hang out all night at a night club in Roppongi. Now that we became madam, so headed for Asakusa Rakugo (comic story telling) Hall to add up deep colors for sadness and joy of life. Laughter is the most magnificent intelligence that human possess. Long ago, my boy friend was a very unique guy and he told me “You sleep well while listening to Rakugo tape.” So I bought one and listening to it when go to bed. Oh, nostalgia hits me.

大学生の頃は六本木のクラブでオールをしたけれど、今やマダムになった私達は、人生の悲喜交交の深みを笑いで彩るべく、浅草の寄席へ足を運ぶ。笑いというのは、私達人間が持つ最大の知性だ。その昔、好きだった人がちょっと変わった人で「落語のテープを聴いて眠るとよく眠れるぜ。」と言っていて、試しに私も落語のテープを買って、寝しなに聴いていたことなんかも思い出す。買った落語テープは確か「課長の犬」だった。

Asakusa Engei Hall was much smaller than I anticipated, and the distance between the performer and the audience is close. It is one of the stages of long-favored Sunday evening TV show of ‘Shoten’. All Japanese know the intro melody of “Chattchara chararira, tatta~”. We make eye-contact with Rakugo storyteller and the story goes on. Edo accent is so enticing. “Teyandei, Beraboumei!” So hilarious that I cried with tears. A famous Mandan guy, Neducchi comes out and asked for a theme and he returned a quick response. It was so captivating!

浅草演芸ホールは、思ったよりもずっと狭いホールで、噺家との距離が近い。日曜夕方の「チャッチャラチャラリラ、タッタ〜」の音楽が流れる笑点で観ていた舞台の一つだ。壇上の演者と目が合いつつ、話しかけられつつ噺は進んでゆく。江戸っ子の話、「てやんでい、べらぼうめい!」の江戸弁に心躍る。あまりに面白い話に涙目になって大笑いをする。漫談で有名なねづっちが出て来て、お題をお客さんに聞いて、「その心は、、、」という即興芸も新鮮だ。

Lots of vocabularies peculiar to Rakugo were filled with lively power, “Tattzan” “Firework of Sumida River” “Ta~Ma Ya~” “Osamurai” “Bureimono; you rude man!” “Tanako; tenant residents” “Oh Tengu; huge long nosed goblin” “Omaesan; you dear” “Tobaku; gambling” “Asshi; me” and “What dream were you dreaming?” And the final Rakugo of ‘Tengu Sabaki; judgement of a long nosed goblin’ was amazingly funny and addictive.

「たっつぁん」「隅田川の花火」「た〜まや〜」「お侍」「無礼者」「店子;たなこ」「長屋」「大天狗」「お前さん」「賭博」「あっし」「何の夢見てたんだい」等々、落語特有の語彙がタップリと散りばめられた噺は、生でないと伝わらない面白みで満ち満ちていた。トリに聴いた古典落語の夢の話『天狗裁き』がクセになる面白さだった。

‘Tengu Sabaki’ plot goes like this. A poor couple living in a Nagaya housing. The husband was dreaming and the wife woke him up shaking, “What dream were you dreaming? Tell me.” “I wasn’t dreaming.” the husband replies. And there was a fight. Then a guy next door came in, “What dream were you dreaming?” “I wasn’t dreaming.” Then a land lord came and said “What is all the fuss? What dream were you dreaming?” And the husband was took to a judge. Then asked “What dream were you dreaming?” “I wasn’t dreaming.” Then he was blown to Takao Mountain and a huge long nosed goblin asked “What dream were you dreaming?” The long nails of the goblin were digging him. The husband was disturbed by a nightmare and the wife shook him awake and asked “What dream were you dreaming?” That’s the punchline.

『天狗裁き』の噺は、、、。貧乏な長屋の夫婦、その旦那が夢を見ていて、嫁が起こす。「何の夢みてたんだい。その夢を教えて頂戴。」と嫁が言い、「夢なんか見ちゃいないよ。」と旦那が答える。それが喧嘩になって長屋の隣の男が仲裁に入る。その夢を教えてと言い「夢なんか見ちゃいないよ。」とまた答えると、それから大家が今度は来て「何の騒ぎだ、どんな夢見てたんだい。」と言い挙句の果てはお代官様にまで連れて行かれる。そしてまた「どんな夢みてたのか。」そしたら次は高尾山へ飛ばされて天狗が出てくる。天狗にまで「どんな夢みてたんだい。」と言い寄られて「夢なんか見ちゃいないよ。」と大天狗の長い爪が食い込んでくる。うなされる旦那を女房が揺すって起こし「お前さん、どんな夢見てたの?」というオチがつく。

The story goes repeating the same line again and again, so you can guess what comes next, it cracks you up with the much anticipated lines. Very addictive. When explained by written words, it’s not that funny, but the art of telling of the Rakugo performer is so enchanting and audience get so delighted.

繰り返し繰り返し噺が続いてゆくので、次に何が来るのかは分かってきて、分かっている言葉が出てくると、プッと吹き出してしまう。一つの笑いのリズムが話芸で生まれていて、中毒性がある笑いが襲ってくる。言葉で書くとなんて事のない話を、落語家は一つの芸にまで高めて、客は大喜びをする。

Laughter is the best medicine. We all know that to live along is severe and tough, tears and agonies are inevitable to come along. By the very reason, we have wisdom to laugh out loud to blow them away. We protect our body and soul soundly with a sense of humor, building up the art and culture of laughter. “Our brain is so foolish that when laughing even if it’s a fake laugh, brain misunderstands and produces happy hormone. ” It is indeed so. Never forget the outcome of laughter. Tattzan, you agree with me?

笑いは百薬の長だ。生きるということは、切なく苦しく涙が溢れるものだと、私達はみんな知っているので、だから敢えて笑い飛ばすことで心と体を優しく労り守る、知恵としての笑いの芸能と文化を作り上げてきた。「脳は馬鹿だから、嘘でも笑っていたら脳が勘違いして本当に楽しいホルモンが出て来る。」というのは本当に本当で、だから笑いの効能を私達は忘れちゃいけないのだ。たっつぁん、そうだろ?

Love and Peace!

Children and Reading

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