Image: Hyōgo Prefectural Museum of Art, Kobe
Hyōgo Prefectural Museum of Art in Kobe will host a children’s rakugo program titled 'Katsura Fukumaru’s Children-only Rakugo' on July 25, 2026. The museum is presenting the event as a hands-on introduction to rakugo, the Japanese comic storytelling tradition, for elementary-school students. According to the museum’s announcement, the program is designed for children from first through sixth grade and will take place in Gallery 1, also identified on the museum site as Atelier 1 in the gallery building.
The event is scheduled to run from 1:30pm to 3pm, with reception beginning at 1pm. Reservations open on June 13, 2026, at 4pm through the museum’s website, and the museum notes that participation is limited to 80 people. Admission is priced at 500 yen, payable on the day at the venue. The museum says registration will close once capacity is reached.
The program will feature professional performers, including Katsura Fukumaru, Rakugoninja, Katsura Genta and Horaiya Tamanosuke. The museum describes the event as an opportunity for children to learn about rakugo’s distinctive storytelling and gestures directly from rakugo performers. The notice does not specify the full structure of the session beyond that interactive, child-focused format.
Hyōgo Prefectural Museum of Art has framed the event as part of its educational programming for children and families. In its announcement, the museum says that while children are enjoying the rakugo experience, parents and guardians may spend time viewing the museum’s current exhibition, 'Museum Mystery'. The museum also states that parents will not be admitted into the event space during the rakugo session.
The museum’s notice presents the event as a special summer activity aimed at letting younger visitors encounter a traditional Japanese art form in a museum setting. The title 'Katsura Fukumaru’s Children-only Rakugo' is linked to the museum’s one-coin rakugo series, using the venue’s gallery space rather than a theater or concert hall for the performance. The event is listed on the museum website under news dated June 7, 2026.
Hyōgo Prefectural Museum of Art is located in Kobe’s HAT Kobe district and runs exhibitions, educational programs and family-oriented events alongside its collection and public services. For this program, the museum directs applicants to its online reservation form opening on June 13 at 4pm, with the event itself set for July 25, 2026, from 1:30pm to 3pm in Gallery 1.
