Kōdan: The Performing Art of Biography

Kōdan is a traditional Japanese performing art with more than 400 years of history. Originally derived from lectures of battle stories, kōdan has since developed to play a variety roles. It brought forth major ghost stories, became the source of samurai movies, and encouraged female performer’s participation in the arts. This presentation examines the historical and contemporary significance of the performing art, kōdan.

Motoi Katsumata earned his Ph.D. from Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan (Department of Literature, 2001). He is a professor at Meisei University. He was also a visiting scholar at Harvard Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies (2014-15) and a visiting professor at Brandeis University (2019-20). His research mainly focuses on filial piety culture, book history, ghost stories, and storytelling art in the Edo period. Publications include “Filial Piety in Rakugo and Kōdan” 落語・講談に見る「親孝行」 (Rakugo Kōdan ni Miru Oyakōkō)" (NHK Books, 2013), “Do We Really Need Classical Literature? Serious Thoughts Following Debates with Nay-sayers.” 古典は本当に必要なのか、否定論者と議論して本気で考えてみた。"(Bungaku Tsūshin, 2019), and "The History of Filial Piety in Japan” 親孝行の日本史 (Oyakōkō no Nihonshi)" (Chūko Shinsho, 2021).