Japanology Plus S10E15
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Japanology Plus

S10E15 Rokyoku: Musical Storytelling

2023-08-31

Once hailed as "solo opera," Rokyoku was Japan's leading entertainment form, with its top artists enjoying immense wealth. It flourished in the late 19th century, but the rise of television led to a swift downturn. Today, a new generation of performers is breathing fresh life into this traditional storytelling technique by blending it with English lyrics, rock, pop music, and even dance. Peter Barakan explores both classic and contemporary rokyoku performances, while in Plus One, Kyle Card attempts to showcase his own rendition.

Season 10 Episodes

1
Kitchens
2023-01-12
 2
Satsumaimo: Sweet Potatoes
2023-02-09
 3
Dinosaurs
2023-03-02
 4
Japanophiles: Kyle Holzhueter
2023-03-23
 5
Camping
2023-04-13
 6
Male Aesthetics
2023-04-27
 7
Konnyaku
2023-05-11
 8
Japanophiles: Isabelle Sasaki
2023-05-25
 9
Ueno
2023-06-08
 10
Meteorological Data
2023-06-22
 11
Amami Oshima: Paradise Found
2023-07-06
 12
Amami Oshima: Shaped by Adversity
2023-07-13
 13
Japanophiles: Francesco Panto
2023-08-03
 14
Vacant Homes
2023-08-17
 15
Rokyoku: Musical Storytelling
2023-08-31
 16
Japanese Honeybees
2023-09-14
 17
Japanophiles: Martin Holman
2023-09-28
 18
Unused Fish
2023-10-12
 19
Garbage
2023-10-26
 20
Firefighting
2023-11-09