The World of the Benshi is a companion volume to the Art of the Benshi world tour organized by the Yanai Initiative for Globalizing Japanese Humanities. The book features more than 300 rare images compiled from archives and private collections around the world, showcasing historic movie theaters, promotional materials, and rare film stills. Essays uncover the phenomenon of the benshi stardom, evolution of the theater architecture, how live performance changed in Japan in the silent film era.
