English Rakugo Performance in Torrance

TORRANCE — Rakugo (Japanese traditional storytelling) in English, featuring Kanariya Eiraku and company, will be performed on Friday, March 2, at 6 p.m. at Opus Music, 2219 Torrance Blvd. in Torrance.

Kanariya Eiraku performing rakugo in Little Tokyo in 2015. (J.K. YAMAMOTO/Rafu Shimpo)

Kanariya Eiraku, from Tokyo, performs rakugo in English for international organizations such as JICA and at foreign embassies and educational institutions, from elementary schools to colleges. He believe rakugo is quite beneficial in life and English rakugo will help people acquire the English language, develop a sense of humor, and improve presentation skills.

Rakugo is a 400-year-old tradition of comic storytelling in Japan. A minimalistic performing art, it features a lone storyteller dressed in a kimono, kneeling on a cushion, while using only a fan and a hand towel for props. He or she entertains the audience with various types of stories, from comedy to horror.

The Canary English Rakugo Company is coming to Southern California after performances in Arizona and at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose, the Japanese American Community Center in San Mateo, and the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California in San Francisco.

Reservations are recommended by email: takminei@yahoo.com. Sponsored by Opus Music of South Bay: www.opusmusicofsouthbay.com.