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Akashiya Sanma's Real Name: Takafumi Sugimoto
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Akashiya Sanma (明石家さんま) 本名: Takafumi Sugimoto (杉本高文)
Answer: Akashiya Sanma's real name is Takafumi Sugimoto (杉本高文). One of Japan's "Big Three" comedians, he got his stage name through the rakugo tradition.
Takafumi Sugimoto was born on July 1, 1955, in Wakayama Prefecture and grew up in Nara. After high school he became an apprentice to the rakugo storyteller Shōfukutei Matsunosuke, a common path into Japanese comedy, and received a stage name from him. His given stage name is often explained by his family's fish-processing business: さんま (sanma) means Pacific saury. He later took the stage family name 明石家, tied to his master.
He signed with Yoshimoto Kogyo and became famous in the 1980s, one of the "Big Three" with Tamori and Beat Takeshi. He is known for his fast talking, loud laugh and long-running TV shows such as Sanma no Super Karakuri TV.
FAQ
Is Akashiya Sanma's name related to fish? Yes, さんま (sanma) is Pacific saury, linked to his family's fish business.
Who was Akashiya Sanma's master? Rakugo storyteller Shōfukutei Matsunosuke.