Toshio Sakata (7 October 1941 29 December 2023) was a

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

ese comedian, known as part of the ''Comedy No. 1'' duo with Goro Maeda.

Early life

Sakata was born in

Minato-ku, Osaka is one of 24 wards of Osaka, Japan. It has an area of 7.9 km2, and a population of 84,961. Literally translated, Minato-ku means "Harbor Ward". Landmarks * Kaiyukan (Osaka Aquarium) * Port of Osaka * Tempozan Harbor Village * Modern T ...

, Osaka Prefecture in October 1941. After graduating from Konohana Commercial High School (now Osaka Kaisei Gakuen High School), he worked several jobs before joining the comedy troupe Yoshimoto Shinkigeki in 1961 as a trainee, joining the troupe full-time in 1964. He would then form the ''Comedy No. 1''

manzai is a traditional style of comedy in Japanese culture comparable to double act comedy. usually involves two performers ()—a straight man () and a double act, funny man ()—trading jokes at great speed. Most of the jokes revolve around mut ...

duo with Goro Maeda in 1967.

Comedy career

The ''Comedy No. 1'' duo performed mainly at the Namba Kagetsu theater, where the pair's light-hearted banter won them the Newcomer Award at the 5th Kamigata Manzai Grand Prix in 1970. In 1971, the duo won the Outstanding Speech Award at the 1st NHK Kamigata Manzai Contest, also winning the Gold Award at the 1st Kamigata Comedy Grand Prix in 1972. Sakata would gain popularity "for his idiotic character and gags such as 'Aarigato-saan' and 'A yoitose-no-korase.'" In 1972, Sakata released the hit record "Aho no Sakata". Over the years, he was active in a wide range of genres, including stage, television, movies and commercials. He was well known to the public, "a familiar figure to viewers at home". After his ''Comedy No. 1'' troupe disbanded in 2009, Sakata performed on stage as part of the Toshio Sakata Special Conte, mainly at Namba Grand Kagetsu and Yoshimoto Gion Kagetsu venues.

Death

Sakata died of natural causes on December 29, 2023, surrounded by friends and family. His wake and funeral were only for close relatives.

Legacy

Sakata's popularity increased as he aged, sticking to the "idiot Sakata" persona throughout his career. His relationship with Maeda was "like that of a master and disciple". Sakata never married; his parents' relationship was difficult for him. Sakata is fondly remembered in

Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...

; he would often eat there in a small cafe 15 minutes from his former home. He would always sit at a small table near the back of the cafe. He loved eggs, always ordering a rice omelette (that was not on the menu), eating only a tiny portion of rice with his order. It is said he had a small appetite; the cafe's owner would always make him a full order of rice, but noticed he never finished the meal. The owner was happy to accommodate Sakata with a smaller order as a result. Sakata was also known to frequent a barber next to the cafe, becoming a regular at both establishments. Eating lunch at the cafe after a haircut became a habit of his. The barber noted he would come every two weeks, not having much hair to get cut, but he enjoyed the routine. An NHK program spoke with several people that he befriended at the cafe; they recall his love for children. He would often stop to talk with children and their parents. He was well known by local kindergarteners, as their bus would stop near the cafe. He enjoyed waving to them and talking with them as well.

References

{{Reflist Japanese male comedians 1941 births 2023 deaths