Japanology Plus
Season 10 Episode 15 - Rokyoku: Musical Storytelling
6.4 ?
2014
Documentary, Talk
Sometimes described as "solo opera," Rokyoku was once Japan's most popular form of entertainment, with top performers among the richest people in the land. Rokyoku rose to prominence in the late 19th century, but the advent of TV triggered a rapid decline. Now young performers are revitalizing this storytelling art by incorporating English, rock and pop music, and even dance. Peter Barakan experiences rokyoku in both old and new styles. And in Plus One, Kyle Card tries giving a performance himself.
Episodes in Season 10
1
Kitchens
28 min
2
Satsumaimo: Sweet Potatoes
28 min
3
Dinosaurs
28 min
4
Japanophiles: Kyle Holzhueter
28 min
5
Camping
28 min
6
Male Aesthetics
28 min
7
Konnyaku
28 min
8
Japanophiles: Isabelle Sasaki
28 min
9
Ueno
28 min
10
Meteorological Data
28 min
11
Amami Oshima: Paradise Found
28 min
12
Amami Oshima: Shaped by Adversity
28 min
13
Japanophiles: Francesco Panto
28 min
14
Vacant Homes
28 min
15
Rokyoku: Musical Storytelling
28 min
NOW PLAYING
16
Japanese Honeybees
28 min
17
Japanophiles: Martin Holman
28 min
18
Unused Fish
28 min
19
Garbage
28 min
20
Firefighting
28 min
21
Japanophiles: Benjamin Flatt
28 min
22
Izumo: Home of the Gods
28 min
23
Izumo: Land of the Supernatural
28 min
