{"id":84547,"date":"2021-08-18T10:19:53","date_gmt":"2021-08-18T01:19:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=84547"},"modified":"2021-08-18T10:19:56","modified_gmt":"2021-08-18T01:19:56","slug":"japan-past-present-future-through-kabuki-and-architecture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/japan-past-present-future-through-kabuki-and-architecture\/","title":{"rendered":"A Look Into Japan\u2019s Past, Present and Future through Kabuki and Architecture"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A samurai on the run. A distraught courtesan. A relentless fox. History and folk tales collide on stage, where a 400-year-old craft still shines in the spotlight of the National Theatre of Japan. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The theatrical skills of Kabuki <\/strong>(\u6b4c\u821e\u4f0e) bring to life the magic of a shapeshifting kitsune (\u72d0, fox) with the tale Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura<\/strong><\/a>, or Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees<\/em>. This is one of the most popular Kabuki plays still performed nowadays after its debut almost 300 years ago. As such, it was the chosen masterpiece on this special day. As part of the Japan Cultural Expo<\/a> activities, Discover Kabuki<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>provides another opportunity to become acquainted with this art form. Earlier this year, a medley of Kabuki dances<\/a> featured some of their best highlights, as one of the many programs carried out nationwide within the context of the international exposure of the 2020 Olympic Games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\""Yoshitsune
A scene of Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura. English subtitles help to follow the story development.  \uff5c Photo courtesy of Japan Arts Council<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

“Discover Kabuki” Bridges the Gap with International Audiences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Among the most prominent traditional performing arts, Kabuki plays are fascinating for foreign audiences because of their uniquely polished aesthetic and radically different dramatic conventions from western theatrical ones. Historical references intertwined with traditional literary works tend to carry a lot of contexts that unfamiliar viewers may lack to try to understand the plays. This is why an introductory segment called \u201cHow to Appreciate Kabuki in English\u201d<\/strong> is held where kabuki actor Tanenosuke Nakamura explains some basic concepts with the help of TV personality Ayako Kisa\u2019s English translation.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Introduction
Ayako Kisa (left), Tanenosuke Nakamura (centre) and the character Lady Shizuka begin to introduce the story\u00a0 \uff5c Photo courtesy of Japan Arts Council<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

We learn about the Hanamichi <\/em><\/strong>(\u82b1\u9053), the runway employed to make entrances into the stage from among the public, which is also a device to bring some scenes closer to the spectators. It follows the Agemaku <\/em><\/strong>(\u63da\u5e55) or the curtain that signals when someone will appear on the Hanamichi. And the ever-present Gidayuubushi <\/em><\/strong>(\u7fa9\u592a\u592b\u7bc0), the pair sitting on the upper right side of the stage that recites the story in a chanting manner while playing the shamisen; along with the background music behind the Kuromisu <\/em><\/strong>(\u9ed2\u5fa1\u7c3e), comprised of singers, shamisen players and drummers who dictate the mood of the scene through their tunes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once the explanations are done, the audience becomes eager for the beginning of the actual play. Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura is a play partly inspired by the literary epic Heike Monogatari and the historical events surrounding Minamoto no Yoshitsune\u2019s getaway from pursuers sent by his older brother Yoritomo. The full play consists of 5 acts divided into 15 scenes which may take a whole day to perform. Because of this, today, Kabuki plays are performed in shorter segments which may consist of one act or a few scenes depending on the circumstances. In this case, the chosen scene is Kawatsura Hogen Yakata<\/em> (The Mansion of Kawatsura Hogen) from the fourth act because it\u2019s one of the most well-known scenes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Yoshitsune
Genkuro Gitsune (left) and Shizuka Gozen (right)\uff5c Photo courtesy of Japan Arts Council<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Besides the previous explanations, the play implements subtitles and audio guides in English so we don\u2019t miss any details. The main performances are undertaken by actors Komazo Ichikawa and Matagoro Nakamura, undertaking the roles of Shizuka Gozen as an Onnagata<\/em> (a male specialized in female roles) and the magical shapeshifting fox Genkuro Gitsune, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What follows is an unforgettable succession of striking characters in elaborated garments aided by scenery arrangements<\/a> and skillful representations that surely left everyone wishing to see the rest of the acts by the time this scene came to its emotional conclusion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kengo Kuma’s Living Performing Arts on the World Stage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Through four centuries of existence, the art of Kabuki has remained faithful to its roots while also implementing many innovations into the craft. In a similar vein, Kengo Kuma<\/a>\u2019s global portfolio sets him apart as a maverick that infuses Japanese architectural traditions with design innovations and the usage of unconventional materials. It\u2019s worth mentioning that he was also responsible for the design of the latest iteration of the Kabukiza Theater<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s no wonder that another one of the activities promoted by the Japan Cultural Expo is a major exhibition showcasing a retrospective of his works<\/a>. One of the leading figures in Japan\u2019s contemporary architecture, he\u2019s also one of the architects involved in the design of the Japan National Stadium. After being hosted in Nagasaki Prefectural Art Museum, the exhibition lands in the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo on June 18, 2021, until September 26, 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps the unlikeliest comparison when thinking about performing arts. But Kengo himself has expressed finding inspiration in the works of journalist and urban theorist Jane Jacobs (1916-2006), who likened the daily activity on the streets of her neighborhood to \u201can intricate sidewalk ballet.\u201d<\/strong> Every movement and interaction, no matter how big or small, was part of a larger and complex system of synergies involving people and objects, observations which would later become instrumental in understanding design of public spaces from a human perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n