Youyou Column Episode 2 "The Mystery of Shoten"

Today, from the monthly humanities magazine "Chichi"
This is a column that includes stories from Master Utamaru.

It's easy to relax after closing your eyes

Even now at the age of 77, he still practices his rakugo.
When someone is learning a new story or struggling with age, Master Utamaru asks, "Why do you have to suffer?"
Apparently he heard that.
Then
"Suffering to Ease the Pleasure"
I understood that much, but the important thing is what happened after that.
When asked, "So when do you take it easy?" Master Utamaru replied,
"After closing your eyes"
...Right! That means you can't have fun while you're alive.
I've always thought that you should work hard to make things easier for yourself while you're alive.
Right now, it's still difficult for me to see beyond the point where I close my eyes.

The Yokai Realm

Master Utamaru is 77 years old and has been a Rakugo performer for 66 years. I'm sorry to say this, but this is something that is in the realm of the supernatural.
*This means that I have the utmost respect for you. It is said that as things and animals age, they become enveloped in supernatural energy and turn into monsters, and this is the same principle.
When a person continues to do one thing for a long time, their soul is refined and their very existence and way of life begin to speak (like in monster folklore).
However, I was surprised by Master Utamaru,
Apparently there are even masters who are still active in their 80s... Wow... It's such a fierce world.

What kind of monster will my child be?

If we could find a path that could last for 60 years, that would be the best.
This is completely unrelated, but even Waratte Iitomo has been running for 32 years, so that's quite an achievement.
It takes 100 years for a monster to become a monster,
The things that children can devote themselves to are things that have been passed down from their parents' generation,
I have been thinking a lot about what would be good to leave behind for future generations.
First I have to turn myself into a monster (laughs).