Human-drama story Edo
Tomikyu (Kyuzo's Lottery)
富久・とみきゅう
The story
Kyuzo, a hapless party entertainer forever getting himself into trouble, spends his very last coin on a lottery ticket. As the year draws to a close, buffeted by house fires and a fraught reconciliation with a patron, he swings between hope and despair over what will become of that one ticket.
What to listen for
A roller-coaster of did-he-win-or-didn't-he suspense. A major year-end piece.
Background
A hokan (also called taiko-mochi) was a professional male entertainer hired to keep the mood lively at parties in the pleasure quarters, flattering and amusing the guests. The 'tomikuji' was a public lottery of the Edo period, an ancestor of today's lottery. Fire was a perpetual danger in old Tokyo's wooden neighborhoods.
Notable performers
🤫 We keep the sage (punchline) a secret so your first listen stays fresh. Reader reviews are currently in Japanese — see the Japanese page (use the 🌐 switch to come back).