was a Japanese rakugo performer of the late 20th century, who often performed in English. He was born in Kobe, the son of a brick-maker.[1] In 1960 he entered the tutelage of the rakugo performer, and upon completion of his study, was given the stage name .[2] He changed his stage name to Shijaku Katsura (Shijaku Katsura II)[3] in 1974.
Katsura studied English in the early 1980s, and gave his first English-language rakugo performance in 1983.[4] For the rest of his career, he often performed rakugo in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere, making an otherwise inaccessible form of comedy accessible for non-Japanese speakers.
He also assisted in launching the career of Bill Crowley, the non-Japanese professional rakugo performer.[5]
Katsura died of heart failure on April 19, 1999, after a suicide attempt at his home in Suita, Osaka.[6] He was discovered by his wife Eyo and his brother, the magician Takeshi Maeda.
Works in Japanese