Azumaya Urataro - Azumaya Urataro

...Naniwabushi, which became popular throughout the country with masters emerging from each school, began to decline after the mid-Taisho period, along with rakugo and kodan, as it was overwhelmed by the advancement of film. However, in the Showa period, after the Manchurian Incident and leading up to the Pacific War, it once again began to flourish against the backdrop of the nationalistic trends of the times. During this period, many famous poets were born, such as Naniwatei Ayataro (1893-1960) of "Tsubosaka Miracle Chronicle," Suzuki Yonewaka of "Sado Love Story," Tamagawa Katsutaro II of "Tenpo Suikoden," Hirosawa Torazo II of "The Legend of Shimizu Jirocho," Baichiyuken Oudou of "Kinokuniya Bunzaemon," Kasugai Baiou (1908-74) of "Akagi no Komoriuta (Lullaby of Akagi)," Yoshida Naramaru III of "The Tale of the Loyal Samurai," Sakai Kumo (1899-1973) of literary rakugo plays such as "Beyond Gratitude and Vengeance," and Mikado Hiroshi (1907- Many popular performers appeared, including Azumaya Urataro (1919-) of Nogitsune Sanji, Sagami Taro (1899-1972) of Haikagura Santaro, and the female rakugo performer Tenchuken Ungetsu 2 (Itami Hideko), who was a master of seven different voices.With the spread of records and radio, and tie-ins with films through "rakugo films," Naniwabushi spread among the masses to a degree never seen before.
[Postwar rakugo world]
After World War II, rokyoku fell into a deep slump due to a backlash against feudalistic themes such as military and samurai theories, but it gradually recovered, and with the holding of rokyoku competitions at large theaters such as the Asakusa International Theater and the Meijiza Theater, it has gained a place as a major form of popular entertainment since the start of commercial broadcasting, and many professional rokyoku scriptwriters have appeared, while radio listener participation programs such as "Rokku Tengu Dojo" have also been produced.

*Some of the terminology that refers to "Azumaya Urataro" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…　このように各派に名手が輩出して全国に流行した浪花節も，大正中期以後，落語，講談とともに映画の進出に圧倒されて衰退の傾向をたどっていたが，昭和時代にはいって，満州事変以後，太平洋戦争にかけて，国家主義的な時代風潮を背景にして，ふたたび隆盛の様相を呈した。この時期には，《壺坂霊験記（つぼさかれいげんき）》の浪花亭綾太郎(1893‐1960)，《佐渡情話》の寿々木米若（すずきよねわか），《天保水滸伝（すいこでん）》の2代玉川勝太郎，《清水次郎長伝》の2代広沢虎造，《紀伊国屋（きのくにや）文左衛門》の梅中軒鶯童（ばいちゆうけんおうどう），《赤城の子守唄》の春日井梅鶯（ばいおう）(1908‐74)，《義士伝》の3代吉田奈良丸，《恩讐（おんしゆう）の彼方に》をはじめとする文芸浪曲の酒井雲（さかいくも）(1899‐1973)，《唄入り観音経》の三門博（みかどひろし）(1907‐　)，《野狐三次（のぎつねさんじ）》の東家浦太郎(1919‐　)，《灰神楽（はいかぐら）三太郎》の相模（さがみ）太郎(1899‐1972)，七色の声を使い分けた女流浪曲の雄2代天中軒雲月(伊丹秀子（いたみひでこ）)など多くの人気者があらわれ，レコード，ラジオの普及，〈浪曲映画〉による映画とのタイアップなどによって，それ以前にも見られなかったほどに浪花節が大衆のなかに浸透していった。
［戦後の浪曲界］
　第2次大戦後は，軍事物や義士物など封建的演題への反動によって不振をきわめていたが，しだいに復活して，浅草国際劇場や明治座などの大劇場において浪曲大会を開催したこともあり，民間放送発足以来，大衆芸能の主要な種目としての座を獲得し，浪曲台本の専門作家も多く見られるようになり，一方，〈浪曲天狗道場〉のようなラジオ聴取者参加番組も製作された。…

※「東家浦太郎」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報