NEWS

A Student from Our University Becomes Number One in Rakugo: Winner of the "Sakuden Award"

Update: March 15, 2023

To determine the number one in rakugo from among university students, the finals for the Sakuden Award were held on February 19 in Gifu City, and Chikau Sakamoto, also known as Sakaiya Chigau, a fourth-year student in the College of Liberal Arts, was awarded first place.

Held for the 20th time this year, the championship is organized by the executive committee and Gifu City which is where the father of rakugo, Anrakuan Sakuden, a priest during the Warring States Period was born. 182 students from 45 universities and graduate schools entered the championship, and eight students made it to the finals. The judges included illustrious individuals such as the rakugo masters Katsura Bunshi, Tatekawa Shinosuke, and Mayor Masanao Shibahashi.

Although competing in the championship since his first year as a university student, it was the first time for Sakamoto to reach the finals. For the finals, he performed "Sokotsunokugi (The Nail of a Careless Individual)" which consisted mainly of scenes involving conversation and action composed within a time limit of eight minutes. Sakamoto's performance elicited laughs from the audience and was highly praised by Tatekawa Shinosuke.

 

Sakamoto's comment at the awards:
I got the SAKUDEN-TAISYO (1st prise of all-Japan university Rakugo performance competition). Thank you all for everyone I met through my life. Thank you so much.
ICU Rakugo club was established 6 years ago, so we are always challenging. I want to keep challenging.
Last but not least, I was filled with joyful through 4 years of ICU Rakugo club.