kkajapan's Video Blog #32/Kamishibai - Picture-box Story

Outdoor Picture-box Story-telling
街頭紙芝居 (Gaito-kamishibai)

GAITO KAMISHIBAI HISTORY:
I translated the history of Gaito-kamishibai from the Japanese version of the guidebook to the Shitamachi Museum. The English version did not have this information, so the translation may not be accurate, please forgive me.

Until the beginning of the Showa Period, kamishibai referred to a box-shaped stage in which hand-cut paper dolls called "tachi-e (立絵) were manipulated. "Hirae-kamishibai (平絵紙芝居) where painted carboard is pulled out one at a time, was created in 1930 by Matsunaga Takeo. The story was called "The Magic Palace". The same year, the first kamishibai workshop was established and produced "The Golden Bat" which became very popular and kamishibai quickly spread.

At the same time, as movies switched to "talkies", people formerly employed as narrators for silent films became great and famous kamishibai storytellers. Around 1933, in Tokyo alone, there were roughly 2000 kamishibai storytellers.

However, within a short period, it became wartime and kamishibai was used to spread national propaganda and temporarily declined.

After the war, because children were starved for amusment, many people became kamishibai storytellers and gaito kamishibai was revived. The number of workshops increased producing many types of stories including manga, SciFi, and childrens stories.

The "Golden Age" of kamishibai was in 1952, when there were 3000 storytellers in Tokyo and 50,000 countrywide.

However, the next generation of children left kamishibai behind. The main cause was the invention of the television. The number of kamishibai storytellers gradually disappered. Yet even today, a few kamishibai storytellers remain and carry on the tradition with great enthusiasm.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Tokyo
• Japan
• Shitamachi
• Museum

[pachinko32]

pretty lame

[kkajapan]

pretty rude

[KajiRider1997]

@pachinko32 Pretty lame of you Panchinko, Don't forget that Fantaman(Ogon Bat) started out in plays like this. :P

[koolnesskid21]

Not bad but still boring dont know why you posted this really it wasnt even a picture box story so haha

[CSTUTZ10]

i love kamishibai storytelling! For my final quarter in language arts we are learning about japanese culture, and to start is kamishibai. This is something i wish i could encounter in person!

[pachinko32]

I take it back. 酔っ払っちゃった。　すまんねな...　Ain't that lame really. Cheers, see u in 茶の水　sooner or later..

[CharlieChan007]

I love stuff like this! Do they also do the old war-time propaganda stories?

[NichiBeiTrader]

Very interesting part of Japanese entertainment culture. I still think this would be interesting to elementary school kids if shown as part of an "assembly" at school.

[rinifett]

I really enjoyed that, thank you!

[zenhill]

Beginning music is great. Love all the historical stuff in Japan. That lady is great, very entertaining. :) really enjoyed that, thanks for posting.