18th Chiritotechin Cup National Women's Rakugo Contest

About this event

Held in Obama City, Fukui Prefecture, the 18th Chiritotechin Cup National Women's Rakugo Contest is a rakugo competition open to Japanese-speaking women regardless of age, nationality, or background. Competitors perform either classical or original rakugo, and the Grand Prix winner receives the Obama Mayor's Award with a cash prize of 100,000 yen. The event consists of preliminary rounds, a social gathering, an eve festival, and the finals. Preliminary rounds will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Obama City Sakurakan, and the finals will take place the following day on Sunday, September 27, at Obama City Town Station Kyokuzo. In the finals, along with performances by the 6 finalists who passed the preliminaries, there will be a rakugo performance by the 16th tournament Grand Prix winner Mampukutei Ichifuku and a piano performance by Kanako Shimizu. The eve festival features a rakugo show by the competition judges, starring famous rakugo performers including Master Katsura Ayame. Eligibility is open to Japanese-speaking women, on the prerequisite of performing in kimono (traditional Japanese clothing). Participation is free, though food and drink expenses are required to attend the social gathering. Applications are submitted via the application form on the official website, with an application deadline of Friday, July 24, 2026.

Venue

Obama City

Obama, Fukui