Kodan
Encyclopedia
, is a style of traditional oral Japan
ese storytelling
. The form evolved out of lectures on historical or literary topics given to high-ranking nobles of the Heian period
, changing over the centuries to be adopted by the general samurai
class and eventually by commoners, and eventually, by the end of the Edo period
, declining in favor of new types of entertainment and storytelling such as naniwa-bushi. It was at this time that the term kōshaku was abandoned and kōdan adopted. Today, after a failed attempt to revive the art in 1974, there are four schools of kōdan and only a very few performers between them.
Kōdan is usually performed sitting behind a desk or lectern, and using wooden clappers
or a fan to mark the rhythm of the recitation. This derives from the origin of the art form in cultural, literary or historical lectures given in the Heian period courts.
During the Muromachi period
(1333-1568), the form was adopted or revived by the general samurai class for educational purposes. Dramatic readings from historical war chronicles (gunki monogatari
) such as Taiheiki
and Heike Monogatari were organized. By the beginning of the Edo period
in 1600, the form had developed even further and spread to become even more commonplace. Masterless samurai (ronin
) would often support themselves by performing dramatic readings of Taiheiki or other chronicles and tales. It was at this time that the form expanded to include not just the classic standard chronicles but general historical events as well, which were not codified into a set written form. Where readers of the Heian period read directly from classical texts, kōshakushi of the Edo period prided themselves on their knowledge of history and told stories both contemporary and historical. They memorized not the precise words and phrases of a story, but the details of the events themselves, which could then be formed into a story, somewhat different each time it is told. Soon the stories began to center not around samurai and nobles, but around townsfolk, thieves, and vigilantes; the storytellers adapted to their own tastes, their own knowledge, and that of their audience, which was increasingly townsfolk and not nobility.
In 1700, a man by the name of Nawa Seizaemon opened the Taiheiki-ba in the Akasaka
section of Edo
(now Tokyo
), becoming the first professional kōshakushi. Kōdan remained strong for many years, and gained a new popularity after the Meiji Restoration
(1868), which, being a quite major event, supplied the performers with much new material. At one point, there were fifty performance halls in Tokyo devoted primarily or exclusively to kōdan. By the beginning of World War II
, there were still six or seven.
Though the arrival of movies, records, and other forms of entertainment eclipsed kōdan in the early 20th century, the art form contributed heavily to various forms of Japanese theater and to the development in Japan of the modern popular fiction novel.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese storytelling
Storytelling
Storytelling is the conveying of events in words, images and sounds, often by improvisation or embellishment. Stories or narratives have been shared in every culture as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation and in order to instill moral values...
. The form evolved out of lectures on historical or literary topics given to high-ranking nobles of the Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
, changing over the centuries to be adopted by the general samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
class and eventually by commoners, and eventually, by the end of the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, declining in favor of new types of entertainment and storytelling such as naniwa-bushi. It was at this time that the term kōshaku was abandoned and kōdan adopted. Today, after a failed attempt to revive the art in 1974, there are four schools of kōdan and only a very few performers between them.
Kōdan is usually performed sitting behind a desk or lectern, and using wooden clappers
Hyoshigi
The is a simple Japanese musical instrument, consisting of two pieces of hardwood or bamboo that are connected by a thin ornamental rope. Hyoshigi are used in traditional theaters in Japan to announce the beginning of a performance. The clappers are played together or on the floor to create a...
or a fan to mark the rhythm of the recitation. This derives from the origin of the art form in cultural, literary or historical lectures given in the Heian period courts.
During the Muromachi period
Muromachi period
The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate, which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, two years after the brief Kemmu restoration of imperial...
(1333-1568), the form was adopted or revived by the general samurai class for educational purposes. Dramatic readings from historical war chronicles (gunki monogatari
Gunki monogatari
, or “war tales,” is a category of Japanese literature written primarily in the Kamakura and Muromachi periods that focus on wars and conflicts, especially the civil wars that took place between 1156 and 1568...
) such as Taiheiki
Taiheiki
The is a Japanese historical epic , written in the late 14th century. It deals primarily with the Nanboku-chō, the period of war between the Northern Court of Ashikaga Takauji in Kyoto, and the Southern Court of Emperor Go-Daigo in Yoshino....
and Heike Monogatari were organized. By the beginning of the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
in 1600, the form had developed even further and spread to become even more commonplace. Masterless samurai (ronin
Ronin
A or rounin was a Bushi with no lord or master during the feudal period of Japan. A samurai became masterless from the death or fall of his master, or after the loss of his master's favor or privilege....
) would often support themselves by performing dramatic readings of Taiheiki or other chronicles and tales. It was at this time that the form expanded to include not just the classic standard chronicles but general historical events as well, which were not codified into a set written form. Where readers of the Heian period read directly from classical texts, kōshakushi of the Edo period prided themselves on their knowledge of history and told stories both contemporary and historical. They memorized not the precise words and phrases of a story, but the details of the events themselves, which could then be formed into a story, somewhat different each time it is told. Soon the stories began to center not around samurai and nobles, but around townsfolk, thieves, and vigilantes; the storytellers adapted to their own tastes, their own knowledge, and that of their audience, which was increasingly townsfolk and not nobility.
In 1700, a man by the name of Nawa Seizaemon opened the Taiheiki-ba in the Akasaka
Akasaka, Tokyo
is a residential and commercial district of Minato, Tokyo, located west of the government center in Nagatachō and north of the Roppongi nightlife district....
section of Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
(now Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
), becoming the first professional kōshakushi. Kōdan remained strong for many years, and gained a new popularity after the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
(1868), which, being a quite major event, supplied the performers with much new material. At one point, there were fifty performance halls in Tokyo devoted primarily or exclusively to kōdan. By the beginning of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, there were still six or seven.
Though the arrival of movies, records, and other forms of entertainment eclipsed kōdan in the early 20th century, the art form contributed heavily to various forms of Japanese theater and to the development in Japan of the modern popular fiction novel.