Hikaru Ijūin (伊集院光, Ijūin Hikaru), real name Ken Shinooka (篠岡 建), formerly Ken Tanaka (田中 建), born 7 November 1967, is…Hikaru Ijūin (伊集院光, Ijūin Hikaru), real name Ken Shinooka (篠岡 建), formerly Ken Tanaka (田中 建), born 7 November 1967, is a Japanese comedian, radio personality, computer game reviewer, and commentator. He was born in Kita, Tokyo. He is married to former idol Mika Shinooka.
Hayashiya Shōzō IX (九代目 林家 正蔵, Kudaime Hayashiya Shōzō; born Yasutaka Ebina (海老名 泰孝, Ebina Yasutaka), December 1, 1962…Hayashiya Shōzō IX (九代目 林家 正蔵, Kudaime Hayashiya Shōzō; born Yasutaka Ebina (海老名 泰孝, Ebina Yasutaka), December 1, 1962 in Negishi, Taito, Tokyo, Japan), formerly known as Hayashiya Kobuhei (林家 こぶ平, Hayashiya Kobuhei), is a Japanese rakugoka, tarento and voice actor. He is an associate professor of humanities at Josai International University. He is the son of Hayashiya Sanpei I.
Katsura Shinnosuke (桂 伸乃介; 16 May 1952 – 1 January 2020) was a Japanese rakugoka and musician who performed the works…Katsura Shinnosuke (桂 伸乃介; 16 May 1952 – 1 January 2020) was a Japanese rakugoka and musician who performed the works of Katsura Bunji X and performed in the jazz band Newoirans.
Kikuō Hayashiya (Japanese: 林家 木久扇, Hepburn: Hayashiya Kikuō; born October 19, 1937) is a Japanese rakugo performer and…Kikuō Hayashiya (Japanese: 林家 木久扇, Hepburn: Hayashiya Kikuō; born October 19, 1937) is a Japanese rakugo performer and a featured member of the long-running television comedy show Shōten. His real name is Hiroshi Toyota (豊田 洋, Toyota Hiroshi), although he is most widely known by his previous comedian name Kikuzō Hayashiya (林家 木久蔵), a name he was the first to assume. The new Kikuzō Hayashiya is his son, the former Kikuo Hayashiya (林家 きくお, Hayashiya Kikuo). On Shōten he always wears a yellow kimono. He is known for making commonplace jokes and usually "plays the fool".
Danshi Tatekawa (立川 談志; 2 December 1935 – 21 November 2011) was a popular Japanese rakugo entertainer from Koishikawa…Danshi Tatekawa (立川 談志; 2 December 1935 – 21 November 2011) was a popular Japanese rakugo entertainer from Koishikawa, Tokyo. Born Katsuyoshi Matsuoka (松岡 克由), he was a disciple of Kosan Yanagiya. Katsuyoshi would adopt the name of the famed Meiji era rakugoka Danshi Tatekawa (ja) in 1963 upon his recognition in rakugo as "shin'uchi", or a rakugo master (ja). Tatekawa was the presenter of the long running NTV variety show Shōten when it first aired in 1966, and host of the popular radio program "Danshi Tatekawa Kayo Battle" (談志・円鏡 歌謡合戦) with Tsukinoya Enkyō from 1969 through 1973. He would go on to host many other radio and television programs during his long career, and write more than a dozen books on Rakugo theory. In 1971, Tatekawa ran for one of the 50 at-large upper house seats in the Japanese Diet, coming in at 50th place and serving for one term. In typical rakugoka fashion, his response to coming in last was "the best is always the last to go up". Failing to win a second term, Tatekawa returned to entertainment, withdrawing from his mentor Yanagiya's Rakugo Kyokai association and establishing his own school, the Tatekawa-Ryū, mentoring a number of successful rakugo, including Tatekawa Shinosuke. A fan of Osamu Tezuka, Tatekawa developed a friendship with the prolific animator and had guest star roles in A Thousand and One Nights and Jungle Emperor Leo, and wrote an introduction to Black Jack. Tatekawa would die at 75 of laryngeal cancer at his home in Tokyo on 21 November 2011. According to Gendai Business columnist Kenichiro Horii, the character Issho Arakawa in the 2022 rakugo manga series Akane-banashi is modeled after Tatekawa Danshi.