Classic Rakugo stories Characters
Rakugo has a cast of familiar types who show up again and again: the scatterbrained Hacchan and Kuma-san, sheltered lords and spoiled young masters, know-it-all retirees, and more. Their names can change depending on the storyteller. Here are the main characters from the 12 stories in this series. Note that the storyteller Shomontei Fukurai, who appears at the start and end of each episode, is a fictional narrator created for this series and does not appear in the original tales.
All characters22
Matsu, the man who fears sweet buns Matsukō
The tough guy who claims to be "scared" of sweet buns
Matsu is the hero of the classic rakugo tale Manju Kowai ("Scared of Sweet Buns"), a boastful man who insists he isn't afraid of anything. When his friends press him,…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 1Hachigoro (Hachi) Hachigorō
The lovable scatterbrain of the tenement row
Hachigoro is a townsman living in a tenement row (nagaya) who appears again and again in classic rakugo, affectionately known as "Hacchan." Hasty and quick to jump to…
Appears in 3 episodes: Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 5Kumagoro (Kuma) Kumagorō
Hacchan's partner from the tenement row
Kumagoro is a tenement-row townsman who often appears alongside Hachigoro in classic rakugo, known as "Kuma-san." He is usually portrayed as a craftsman such as a…
Appears in 2 episodes: Episode 2, Episode 11The Lord
A sheltered lord who discovers grilled saury
The Lord is the hero of the classic rakugo tale Meguro no Sanma ("The Saury of Meguro"), a feudal lord (daimyo) who knows nothing about the food of ordinary people. In…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 3The Head Cook
The kitchen chief who ruined the saury
The Head Cook appears in the classic rakugo tale Meguro no Sanma as the person in charge of the kitchen at the mansion where the lord is invited. So worried about the…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 3The Penniless Tenant Tenant of the Row House (Dakudaku)
A man who lives with furniture painted on his walls
The Penniless Tenant is the hero of the classic rakugo tale Dakudaku, a tenement-row resident who doesn't own a single piece of furniture. Since he has no money, he has…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 4The Burglar Burglar (Dakudaku)
A thief who's good at "pretending to steal"
The Burglar is the thief in the classic rakugo tale Dakudaku, who is fooled by painted furniture and then delivers the story's all-important punchline.
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 4Rokubei the Konnyaku Maker
The konnyaku maker who beat a monk with gestures
Rokubei is the hero of the classic rakugo tale Konnyaku Mondo ("The Konnyaku Dialogue"), a kind-hearted boss who runs a konnyaku (a firm jelly made from konjac root)…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 5The Traveling Monk Traveling Monk (Konnyaku Mondo)
A monk who admits defeat through a misunderstanding
The Traveling Monk appears in the classic rakugo tale Konnyaku Mondo as a serious, learned monk who journeys from province to province in religious training. He is said…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 5The Quack Eye Doctor Quack Eye Doctor (Inu no Me)
A bogus doctor who washes and dries eyeballs
The Quack Eye Doctor is the eye doctor in the classic rakugo tale Inu no Me ("The Dog's Eyes"). Despite his reputation, his skills are nonsense, and he gets out of…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 6The Man with Sore Eyes Man with Sore Eyes (Inu no Me)
An easygoing townsman given a dog's eyes
The Man with Sore Eyes is the hero of the classic rakugo tale Inu no Me, an easygoing, trusting townsman who visits an eye doctor to cure an eye disease.
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 6The Man in the Tiger Skin Man in the Tiger Skin (Dobutsuen)
A lazy man who poses as a tiger
The Man in the Tiger Skin is the hero of the classic rakugo tale Dobutsuen ("The Zoo"), a man who can't get up in the morning, hates hard work, and never lasts long at…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 7The Lion (Another Hired Man) Lion (Dobutsuen)
The opponent whose last line reveals the truth
The Lion is the opponent who enters the cage to fight the man in the tiger skin in the classic rakugo tale Dobutsuen. His true identity is revealed in the story's final…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 7The Trickster The Man Who Out-Tricks the Fox (Oji no Kitsune)
An Edo townsman who tricked a trickster fox
The Trickster is the hero of the classic rakugo tale Oji no Kitsune ("The Fox of Oji"), an Edo townsman who sees a fox transform into a young woman and turns the tables…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 8The Fox (Mother Fox) Fox (Oji no Kitsune)
A mother fox of Oji tricked by a human
The Fox is a mother fox living in the woods of Oji Inari Shrine in the classic rakugo tale Oji no Kitsune. The fun of the story lies in the reversal: a fox, who is…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 8The Retired Master Retired Master (Cha no Yu)
A know-it-all retiree who hosts tea parties
The Retired Master is the hero of the classic rakugo tale Cha no Yu ("The Tea Ceremony"), the former owner of a large shop who has handed the business to his son and…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 9Sadakichi the Apprentice
A shop boy dragged along by the retiree
Sadakichi is a name often given to a young shop apprentice (kozo) in classic rakugo, and in Cha no Yu he is the retired master's sidekick and attendant.
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 9Jibuta Jibuemon
A scatterbrained samurai who forgets his message
Jibuta Jibuemon is the hero of the classic rakugo tale Sokotsu no Shisha ("The Scatterbrained Messenger"), a rough-mannered but loyal samurai serving a daimyo family.…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 10Tome the Carpenter
The carpenter who pinched a samurai with a nail puller
Tome the Carpenter is an Edo-born carpenter in the classic rakugo tale Sokotsu no Shisha who "rescues" the samurai who forgot his message.
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 10The Disowned Young Master Young Master (Yuya-ban)
A young master who daydreams at the bathhouse counter
The Disowned Young Master is the hero of the classic rakugo tale Yuya-ban ("The Bathhouse Attendant"), the heir of a large shop who was disowned by his parents for…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 11Tanokyu, the Village Actor Kyubei of Tano Village
A country actor who played a tanuki for a serpent
Tanokyu is the hero of the classic rakugo tale Tanokyu: Kyubei, a farmer from Tano Village in Awa (today's Tokushima Prefecture). Famous as a talented country actor, he…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 12The Giant Serpent (as an Old Man) Uwabami, the Giant Serpent (Tanokyu)
The mountain's serpent lord, disguised as an old man
The Giant Serpent, called uwabami in Japanese, is a huge snake that appears in the classic rakugo tale Tanokyu as the lord of the mountain, living in a mountain hut…
Appears in 1 episode: Episode 12