Why Did Natsume Soseki, Famous for I Am a Cat, Love Kagurazaka, Tokyo?
Why Did Natsume Soseki, Famous for I Am a Cat, Love Kagurazaka, Tokyo? Exploring Kagurazaka Through the Eyes of Natsume Soseki, Famous for Works like I Am a Cat The internationally renowned author Natsume Soseki (1867-1916) is famous for works like I Am a Cat and And Then. He often featured Kagurazaka, Tokyo, in his novels. One major reason for this was the presence of the popular “Yose theater” called Ushigome Waradana-tei, which was located between Zenkokuji Temple and Kagurazaka Ue along Jizo-zaka. The Yose were traditional Japanese theaters where performances like Rakugo (comic storytelling) and Kodan (narrative storytelling) were held. Kodansha, the second-largest publishing company in Japan, also derives its name from ‘Kodan,’ reflecting the past popularity of Kodan performances. Today, only four Yose theaters remain in Tokyo: Shinjuku Suehiro-tei, Asakusa Engei Hall, Ikebukuro Engeijō, and Suzumoto Engeijō in Ueno. Soseki had a great fondness for Rakugo and Kodan and frequently visited Waradana-tei. In his later years, Soseki lived just a 10-15 minute walk from Kagurazaka, at what is now the Shinjuku City Natsume Soseki Memorial Museum. Kagurazaka was the closest entertainment district to his home, and his novels describe dining in various restaurants there. A Kodan Performance at