Kamishibai

“Paper Drama”

History

Originated in Japanese Buddhist temples in the 12th centuryMonks used picture scrolls (e-maki)to convey stories with moral lessons to a mostly illiterate audienceRevived in the 1920s through the 1950sRevival tied to the global depression of the late 1920s

History

When World War II broke out, the Japanese government began to use kamishibai as propaganda

With the advent of television in 1953, the itinerant storyteller gradually disappeared from Japan’s streets

Description

Kamishibai storyteller rode from village to village on a bicycle equipped with a small stageThe storyteller used two wood clappers, called hyoshigi, to announce his arrivalChildren who bought candy from the storyteller got the best seats in front of the stage

Procedure

The storyteller told several stories using a set of illustrated boards inserted into the stageThe boards were withdrawn one by one as the story was toldThe stories were told as continuing serials, and would stop at an exciting moment, leaving the children impatient for the next visit

Kamishibai Today

In recent years, kamishibai has had a revival in Japanese libraries and elementary schools

Stories today are used to promote good morals and academic skills

Kamishibai has also influenced manga and anime

Kamishibai Men

Kamishibai Project

Select a simple Japanese fable from the resource folder on the English portal

Divide the story into major sections

Re-write the story with each scene ending on a cliffhanger

Rough sketch the scenes on the storyboard template

Kamishibai Project

Transfer scenes and text onto large, posterboard cards about 14 inches by 10 inches

Follow the pattern on page 25 of your handout for the text and illustration organization

Practice the story

Performance Tips and Ideas

Emphasize dialogue

Use bright colors and clear pictures without excessive detail

Make eye contact with your audience

Vary the way you change cards based upon their content

Add musical instruments as sound effects

Performance Notes

Japanese folktales often begin with the phrase, Mukashi, mukashi, freely translated as: Once upon a time, long, long ago

They often end with the word, Oshimai, freely translated as “The End”