Online School
RAKUGO, from anywhere in the world.
Online, for kids and adults alike. Tozaburo Yanagiya teaches as “a senior who's just a little better at rakugo” — never scolding, never talking down, treating children and adults the same. Everyone simply plays with rakugo, together.
RAKUGO for Kids (online)
Ages 4 to high school · heritage & Japanese learners
Through rakugo, children learn Japanese (listening, reading, speaking) along with culture and empathy. In Zoom breakout rooms each child performs, improving while playing with friends. More than twenty children learn every week — from Harvard, Yale, and Cornell to small weekend schools.
- Three of the four second-language skills, sharpened by rakugo
- Speaking at length before others melts away shyness and builds presentation skills
- A deep understanding of Japanese culture and of characters' feelings
- Every class archived — review anytime, anywhere
RAKUGO for Adults
Beginners welcome · from anywhere in the world
Make a story your own — in Japanese or English. Grow the power to speak, to connect, and to express yourself, as a grown-up's return to learning. For anyone who wants to feel Japanese culture in the body, or take on English Rakugo.
- The fan and cloth, timing (ma), and left-right play from the ground up
- Take on English Rakugo, too
- Practical training in communication and self-expression
- Online — keep it up from anywhere in the world
The official method: A New World of Rakugo
Every class is built on the official method from Tozaburo's book, A New World of Rakugo — not the guild customs of old, but an open “ultra-horizontal” classroom where anyone can learn with ease.
Trials & enrollment
Our online rakugo school for kids and adults is open. Explore the classes and sign up for a free trial lesson on the school site.