[Special Contribution] Why not visit the fascinating Noh stage?

[Special Contribution]
Why not visit the fascinating Noh stage?
Kanta Nakamori (Noh actor/Kanze school shite actor, Director of the Kamakura Noh Stage Foundation, holder of the comprehensive certification of Important Intangible Cultural Property)

Noh is generally thought of as "difficult and boring," but during the Muromachi period, it was enjoyed by common people in the precincts of shrines and temples.

However, the Shogun of the time, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, became a supporter, and it became a favorite performing art of the samurai class, which resulted in it becoming distant from the common people.
As the Edo period came to an end and the Meiji era began, opportunities for the general public to see the play increased, but the impression that it was a difficult piece of theatre to understand remained for first-time viewers.
However, once you understand the plot and the meaning of the movements, Noh is a fascinating and entertaining form of theater.

At the Kamakura Noh Stage, an explanation is given at the beginning so that even first-time viewers can enjoy the show. During the performance, lines called "utai" are provided in easy-to-understand modern Japanese translations and English subtitles. These are projected onto monitors set up in three locations within the theater, creating a Noh performance that is easy to follow.

Noh is a classical Japanese performing art that allows you to experience the 700 years of history and learn about the past, from the stage, script, Noh masks, costumes, instruments, direction, composition, forms, vocalization, and pronunciation. Please come and enjoy it at the "Noh Learning Event."

(Stage photo: Nakamori Kanta, photography: Komai Sousuke)
*Copying and unauthorized use prohibited