When summer vacation arrives, children’s events are everywhere.
The same is true of after-school children’s clubs (“gakudo” after-school care), which children in elementary school attend; a variety of events are planned there as well.
At Kawabekko Children’s Club in Mabi, Kurashiki City, a rakugo and juggling performance was held. The performers this time were a rakugo performer and a juggler who work for Kurashiki City.
Here we introduce what happened that day and the background to the activities.
The information presented was current when this article was published in August 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About the Rakugo and Juggling Performance
The Rakugo and Juggling Performance was held on Friday, August 1, 2025, at Kawabe Branch of Mabi Community Center, Kurashiki City.
The audience was about 60 children attending Kawabekko Children’s Club, an after-school children’s club located at Kawabe Elementary School. Children from first to fifth grade took part that day.
The performers were public servant rakugo performer Jumbo-tei Konan and public servant juggler Tochimochi. Both work for Kurashiki City, but since their performances that day were considered private activities, they took paid leave to perform.
The day’s program was as follows.
Rakugo
The first performer was rakugo artist Jumbo-tei Konan.
He entertained the children with short comic stories featuring words and sounds they enjoy.
The children’s laughter filled the room.
Next, as a classic performance using the “sensu” folding fan, an essential item for rakugo performers, he mimed “slurping soba noodles.”
Then the children got to try it too.
I was worried no one would volunteer, but many children raised their hands. Time allowed for about three participants, and they all seemed to enjoy the experience.
The final act was the rakugo story “Ushi-home.”
He began by saying, “This will go on for about five minutes,” which made me feel he was being considerate of the children’s attention spans.
Juggling
Next came juggling.
The performer was juggler Tochimochi.
First up was dice stacking.
He shook dice inside a cup, then stacked them in several layers and stood them upright.
The number of dice kept increasing.
By the final stage, there were eight, and the audience cheered when he succeeded.
Next was umbrella spinning.
He spun a ball thrown by a child on top of an umbrella.
Next came beanbag juggling.
The number of beanbags gradually increased, reaching five at the end.
The final act was “roller balance”: placing a board on top of a cylinder and standing on it while balancing on both feet.
As the children watched anxiously, he tossed clubs while standing on the board.
Finally, after saying, “I’m still practicing,” he demonstrated balancing with another cylinder stacked on top.
The moment he succeeded, the loudest cheer of the day erupted.
And amid the excitement at its peak, the roughly one-hour “Rakugo and Juggling Performance” came to a close.
Interview with Jumbo-tei Konan and Tochimochi
After the event, we spoke with Makino Koji, known as Jumbo-tei Konan, and Okada Noriaki, known as Tochimochi.
What prompted the two of you to start working together?
Makino (honorific omitted)
We originally worked separately, but after the July 2018 torrential rains, we began performing rakugo and juggling together at evacuation shelters. That was how we got started as a duo.
We continued our activities after that, and this fiscal year (2025), I transferred to the Child-Rearing Support Division, while Okada also transferred to a department in the same Health and Welfare Bureau.
We thought, “In that case, let’s do more activities for children,” and decided to put together this event.
Was this your first performance at an after-school children’s club?
Makino
Our activities at after-school children’s clubs began when we were invited to perform in 2023.
During summer vacation, the clubs had plenty of time, so we were asked whether we could give the children a chance to enjoy rakugo.
Okada (honorific omitted)
Around the time that request came in, I had a chance to talk with Makino, who asked me, “Rakugo alone might be a little difficult for them, so how about adding juggling to make it easier to follow?”
Makino
In the first year (fiscal 2023), we performed only in Kawabe. Last year (fiscal 2024), we also performed in the Sono district, and this year we’ve expanded to the Kurese district as well, so we’re now active in three locations.
What do you find rewarding or challenging about performing for children?
Makino
When it comes to performances for children, we’re always trying things out and making adjustments.
Last year (fiscal 2024), we only performed the classic rakugo pieces in our repertoire, but this year, we’ve added easy-to-understand short comic stories and routines that get laughs through sound, constantly revising the program based on the children’s reactions.
I’d like to keep performing in a variety of places, expand my repertoire, and bring enjoyment to a broad range of Kurashiki City residents.
Okada
I feel the same way.
Performing in different places helps me improve my skills, and opportunities to perform in front of children are precious. I’m truly grateful for them.
Will you continue these activities in the future?
Makino
Since transferring to the Child-Rearing Support Division, I’ve come to see this activity as, in a sense, part of my “job,” and I feel more strongly that “I need to take it on proactively.”
This year, we approached them and said, “We’d love to do it,” and they expanded the activity to three locations. As long as the children and teachers at the after-school clubs enjoy it, I’d like to continue these activities.
Okada
Of course, we’ll continue our activities during disasters, too.
Our duo originally started out visiting evacuation shelters during disasters.
When disaster-response teams are dispatched, we sometimes volunteer to perform. It’s very rewarding to bring joy to people in disaster-stricken areas.
Recently, we’ve also been invited to perform at city events, and we hope to broaden our activities further.
From the Writer
In fact, entertaining children with a performance can be surprisingly difficult. Makino said, “Honestly, it’s hard to entertain them with rakugo alone.”
But throughout the roughly one-hour performance, the children’s laughter and cheers never stopped. They took care to keep each rakugo and juggling act from running too long, among other ways of making sure the children didn’t get bored.
I hope to continue supporting Makino and Okada in their activities.
Rakugo and Juggling Performance Information
| Name | Rakugo and Juggling Performance |
|---|---|
| Date | August 1, 2025 1:30–2:30 p.m. |
| Location | 714 Kawabe, Mabi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission (tax included) | Free ※To request a performance, please contact Jumbo-tei Konan or Tochimochi through their official website or social media. |
| Website | Jumbo-tei Konan | Okayama Dialect Rakugo Performer |
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—Rakugo—
Short stories that drew laughs with the fun of sounds and words children like (such as “underpants”)
Children went up on stage and tried miming the act of slurping soba noodles
A story about going to praise an uncle’s house and cow
—Juggling—