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Built in 1857, Suzumoto is the one of the oldest theatres in Tokyo. Suzumoto Theatre was build for the staging of rakugo, which involves comic monologue performances. Apart from rakugo, which is a regular feature of Suzumoto, there are hosts of other entertainment shows that the theatre opens itself to. In a rakugo performance, a kimono clad comedian sits on a purple cushion and regales the audience with stories - usually taken from a repository of 300 classic rakugo tales. The props are minimal and include no more than a handkerchief, a fan and a pipe; as for the characters, the comedian alone makes up for the entire cast. The language that makes up the speech of the rakugoka - a rakugo performer - is known to daunt even those familiar with Japanese language. The speech is rife with puns and wits, most of which are expressed in dialects. A rakugoka undergoes years of training under the aegis of a seasoned rakugoka, who usually makes a careful study of the applicant before taking him under his tutelage. A skillful rakugo is a joy to watch even if to many the language he employs is beyond comprehensibility. It is not on infrequent occasions that a rakugo performance is interrupted by catcalls from people to whom the opacity of the language is a little to hard to bear. When translated into English, rakugo means 'fallen words'. The oldest recorded rakugo was in 1787, when the term used for it was otoshibanashi. A rakugo performer has the onerous task of making the audience laugh, while relying entirely on his speech and few body movements. He has to bond with the audience - take them into his confidence. The denouement of a rakugo involves a narrative stunt which in some way pertains to the narration. The narrative stunt comprises ochi (fall) or sage (lowering), which together brings about a sudden disruption in the flow of words. Suzumoto is located in 2-7-12 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0005. It can be easily accessed from Ueno Hirokoji station, from where it takes only a minute on foot or from the North exit of Okachimachi station, which is five minutes on foot from the theatre. The sight of Suzumoto running packed on public holidays has been seen as a heartening sign by the senior Japanese citizens for it conveys to them that the newer generation is not feckless enough to expend the bequeath to them.
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