Video: Live Juggling For Samurai
In Tokyo, we saw an article in the Japan Times about a rare performance of a juggling style called daikagura that predates the Edo Period. Back in the day, it was the kind of thing high-ranking shoguns would get live performances of at home. Today, there are less than 100 people in the whole entire world who can do it, although we see traces of it in newer art forms like kabuki and manzai. Anyway, the Edo-Daikagura Maruichi Troupe was giving a rare performance at the Yagenbori Fudoin, a shrine so local and esoteric that our cab driver didn't even know where it was. So we decided to check it out.
The male voice you hear in the background is the commentator/comedian. He is narrating what the guy is doing (more like dictating, since he calls the shots) and throwing in old school jokes here and there. Voice inflections and the ladies drumming and clanging keep the mood bright and fun--you hardly even notice the nervousness the guy must be feeling.
Love to revisit old Japanese art forms every once in awhile. It puts all the rest of TokyoMango madness in perspective.
Awesome! Very entertaining!
Posted by: Jaydee | January 11, 2007 at 04:09 AM
That rocked, I saw the video earlier on YouTube, but it sure is better knowing the story behind it.
Posted by: Walter Crespo | January 11, 2007 at 10:07 AM
That is really cool.
Posted by: Groggypoo | January 12, 2007 at 05:06 AM