Japan's itinerant arts

あの軽妙なテーマ音楽ではじまるＴＢＳラジオ番組「小沢昭一の小沢昭一的こころ」は、独特の巧みな語り口で人気を集め、私も山口の教員時代からずっと聞いていました。

どうして今年はこんなに多くの一芸に秀でた人が亡くなるのでしょうか。 itinerantは、itinenaryから連想できるように「遊歴する、巡回する、渡り労働をする」という意味です。民衆芸能への関心から、７０年頃から全国の大道芸や、紙芝居、露天商、見せ物小屋といった放浪芸を調査し、それを「日本の放浪芸」シリーズにまとめました。教員の語り方にも役立つ、一大研究です。（UG）

Actor, folk art researcher Shoichi Ozawa dies at 83

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Character actor and folk art researcher Shoichi Ozawa died Monday, the theater company he headed said. He was 83.

Besides being a prominent actor, he was active as a singer and radio host and was highly regarded for his research on Japanese folk art.

Ozawa, who hails from Tokyo, began his acting career after graduating from Waseda University. Making his theater debut in 1951, he won fame mostly playing supporting roles in numerous films and TV dramas.

The founder of the Shabondama-za theater company, he also hosted a long-running radio talk show that began in 1973.

He conducted extensive research on traditional folk performing arts in many parts of Japan, the results of which were released in analog record and CD forms titled "Nihon no Horo Gei" (Japan's itinerant arts).

Honored by the state with the Medal with Purple Ribbon and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, Ozawa also served a stint as "mayor" of Museum Meiji-mura, known for its open-air "village" of Meiji era architecture, in Aichi Prefecture from 2004.

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/features/news/20121210p2g00m0et062000c.html