Biography

Showko Showfukutei is a Japanese comedian, ventriloquist and Japanese Rakugo (traditional comedy) performer. She has lived and worked internationally in London, Tokyo, Osaka, Singapore and Melbourne and has performed at major comedy clubs, festivals and events. The name Showko Showfukutei was awarded to her after completing a 3 year Rakugo apprenticeship. Rakugo is a 400 year old traditional form of Japanese comedy storytelling.

 

Early Life

Showko was born and grew up in Kobe, Japan which was a very vibrant, cosmopolitan city at the time and graduated from Kobe Yamate Women’s University with a degree in psychology.

 

Career Path

Being interested in puppets and ventriloquists she found a career opportunity at the Police Station to teach traffic safety using a ventriloquist puppet. It was the first time she used a ventriloquist puppet and started doing ventriloquism.

After working for three years at the Police Station she decided to live in Canada for one year to study English. When she was lonely she would often listen to the radio in English which ultimately influenced her decision to be a professional radio announcer upon her return to Japan.

 

Professional announcer 

She went to “Fame” announce school in Osaka to become a professional announcer and just one year after graduating had regular programs at Radio Osaka, FM Uji, Yes FM and Beach Station FM in Japan as well as some regular TV programs like '24hr Love Saves The World' on Yomiuri TV.

 

Singapore

She was offered an international work opportunity and decided to move by herself to Singapore to work at Comm Pte.Ltd as a Radio Producer and Presenter for FM96.3 at Media Corp running regular live programs. 

 

After a successful five years she met her future Rakugo Master “Kakushow Showfukutei” at an event and had him as a guest on her radio show. Kakushow had adapted traditional Rakugo into his own style to be more visual and slapstick and used handmade puppets as part of his show.

 

Seeing how his performance could make anyone laugh regardless of age or language she instinctively knew this was what she wanted to pursue and decided to quit being a radio producer and presenter to become a Rakugo performer. To be a professional Rakugo performer you have to ask a Rakugo master to become his protégé. Usually the master will say “No” ten times to check their passion, desire and guts to see if they really want to be a Rakugo performer.

 

In her case she went through the same ordeal but her time to convince him was limited as Master Kakushow then moved to London as a cultural ambassador sent by the Japanese Government. Not one to give up she left  everything in Singapore and flew to London one day before Master Kakushow arrived and welcomed him at Heathrow Airport. Master Kakushow finally approved and accepted her as his protégé as he could see she was serious about being a Rakugo performer.

 

London

Showko trained as a Rakugo performer under Master Kakushow for four years in London and is still the only Rakugo performer to complete the protégé period outside of Japan. During her Rakugo training she also performed at many comedy clubs in London, Covent Garden and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Her style of Rakugo is combined with stand-up comedy and ventriloquism 

 

Rakugo is a very male dominated traditional art form and only a person who can complete training for 3 years can be accepted as a Professional Rakugo performer with many people giving up during the hard training period. She trained with him in London, receiving the 400 year old traditional name Showko Shofukutei upon completion. She is one of 1500 Rakugo performers, only a handful of women and the only one living overseas.

 

Osaka

She decided to move back to Japan’s comedy’s mecca Osaka where Kamigata Rakugo is from. Surrounded and immersed in the traditional culture Showko learnt the very strict Rakugo society manner amongst other Rakugo performers and Masters and performed at the Hanjyotei Rakugo Theatre in Osaka as well as other theatres, events and festivals around Japan. 

 

Singapore

After learning Rakugo culture and customs in Osaka Showko decided to move to Singapore to concentrate on performing in English again. She performed in Singapore and other English speaking countries as well as hosting a regular program at FM 96.3 radio station and the Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific inflight radio programs. She regularly went back to Japan to work and to keep her bond with the other Rakugo performers and the Rakugo society.

 

Melbourne

Showko decided to move to Melbourne which has a big comedy scene and hosts major Comedy, Arts and Cultural festivals.

 

Tokyo

After living in Melbourne for one year she took the opportunity to move to Tokyo to work and perform with legendary and innovative Masters.

 

Melbourne

She is now based in Melbourne performing internationally as a Stand-up Comedian, Ventriloquist and Rakugo Performer. Showko is the only fully trained professional Rakugo performer living outside of Japan.