Rakugo

Rakugo (落語?, literally "fallen words") is a Japanese verbal entertainment. The lone storyteller (落語家, rakugoka?) sits on the stage, called the Kōza (高座?). Using only a paper fan (扇子, sensu?) and a small cloth (手拭, tenugui?) as props, and without standing up from the seiza sitting position, the rakugo artist depicts a long and complicated comical story. The story always involves the dialogue of two or more characters, the difference between the characters depicted only through change in pitch, tone, and a slight turn of the head.