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"Enjoy the World of Rakugo in Japanese" held atHachioji Campus

On Wednesday, December 10, 2025, Teikyo University Hachioji Campus hosted a special class entitled "Enjoying the World of Rakugo in Japanese," featuring Rakugo master Kokontei Bunkiku. The class was held as a joint class for "Japanese Language II," "Japanese Language IV," and "Practical Approach to Japanese Language Education," and was attended by approximately 160 international and Japanese students, faculty, and staff.
The class began with a presentation Assistant Professor Noriaki Furuya of Center for Japanese language Education and Senior Assistant Professor Miho Shimizu, who provided an overview of rakugo and the performance "Toki Soba." Master Kokontei Bunkiku then explained the mechanics of rakugo comedy and the use of props like folding fans and hand towels, before watching a live performance of "Toki Soba." Participants were captivated by Master Kokontei Bunkiku's skillful storytelling and gestures as he portrayed each character, occasionally laughing as they enjoyed this traditional Japanese performance. Participants shared their impressions, including, "The characters seemed to come to life thanks to the tone of his voice and the way he delivered them, and I was naturally drawn into the story," "I thought it was amazing how rakugo allowed you to visualize scenes using only words. I'd like to hear more rakugo stories," and "From the moment the rakugo performance began, I felt like I had traveled back in time." This was a valuable opportunity to deepen their Japanese language learning and cultural understanding.

For more information about Master Kokontei Bunkiku, click here
For more information about Center for Japanese language Education, click here

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