Enjoy watching and learning about the world of Kyogen

A stage for Kyogen performers living in the 21st century
Vol.3Enjoy watching and teaching to deepen the world of Kyogen
Ozo doctrine (Noh performer Kyogen style Ozo school)

Did you know that ordinary people can also learn Kyogen?
Both my father and grandfather ran a "training hall," or dojo, and worked to popularize Kyogen. Many people of all ages and genders learned Kyogen there, and I too have been training among them since I was a child.
* Age 2. First time practicing on the Noh stage.

I was once asked, "Is Kyogen something to be learned, not just watched?" I could answer, "Both my father and grandfather taught it," but there were times when I looked back and wondered, "Why am I teaching it?"
In the past, Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu all performed Kyogen themselves, and other feudal lords also learned from them. The Okura family also taught Kyogen to town actors and performed in events such as Kanjin Kyogen, so there is no doubt that teaching has been around since ancient times.
*Age 4. First stage performance. Co-starred with his grandfather's apprentice in "Narihira Mochi."

Kyogen has a repertoire of 180 pieces, and there may be a limit to how many you can learn and pass on to the next generation without forgetting them all. However, if you refresh your memory by teaching others, you will not forget what you have learned. Furthermore, by teaching repeatedly, you will gain a deeper understanding of the piece and refine your forms. While teaching, you will often discover, "Ah! So that's how it is!?" Furthermore, rehearsals are done without using audio sources, meaning you are constantly using your voice almost all day long, which helps improve your own art and vocal training. You could say that "by teaching, you are being taught."

On a personal note, I got married and moved to Nakanojima (Tama Ward, Kawasaki City). Around the same time my child was born, I went to visit the local guardian deity, Nakanojima Inari Shrine, and there I found a Kagura hall there.
This is where you can perform Kyogen.
With that in mind, I immediately called the chief priest, who was happy to provide it to me.

It was around the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Many of the customers who participated in my self-organized "Kyogen LABO" were involved in activities rooted in the local community. This keyword overlapped with mine, and I started thinking about the concept of "community."
The word "region" refers to a place, but I think it also means "living" in the "earth." It means cherishing the place where you live and enriching it. And by improving the environment, the circle of people will expand and the town will become a more livable place.

Furthermore, I want the children growing up there to be able to experience a lot of nature and culture. Being exposed to culture opens the mind, leading to self-discovery and the discovery of others, and the development of individuality and respect. It was with these various reasons that I started a Kyogen class in Nakanojima.
In the end, it wasn't easy to attract an audience, but now we have seven students who are enjoying learning Kyogen.
*The first Nakanojima Inari Shrine Kyogen performance

And this year, on Saturday, October 6th, all the students of the school will perform a dedication Kyogen. This will be the sixth year, and we are proud to be part of this community-based activity. We hope to be able to convey the open-mindedness and humor of Kyogen to many people in the community.