From Heisei to the future. Yokohama's "Rainbow Element" takes on the challenge of 18 stages

The place where plays are born
File.5 Minato Mirai: Source of the Rainbow
Koichi Imai (editor/writer)

As I was searching the performance lineups of various theaters and facilities, wondering "What kind of work should I introduce next to Magcal.net?", I came across a performance that really caught my eye. I'm not sure if the analogy of "Japanese pepper is small and spicy" is correct, but it was a small theater called ST Spot Yokohama, which has produced notable companies such as Chelfitsch, which has spread its wings to the world, and places importance on exchanges with various regions, so I was particularly interested in it.
What caught my attention was the performance of Rainbow Element #08 "Minato Mirai," which will feature a whopping 18 performances over eight days. These days, even small theaters in Tokyo rarely have so many overlapping performances, so I was intrigued by this challenge, with three days of three performances a day.
One evening after finishing rehearsals for the newly opened "Minato Mirai," I caught up with the company's representative, Kumade Ryukyuma. He was born in 1990, he's so young!

"We usually do around seven performances a week, based at Lazona Kawasaki. But for this latest performance, we've set ourselves a number of challenges to overcome in order to continue as a theatre company. One is that we need to increase the number of stages and be able to maintain the same quality of acting and the quality of the work no matter how many times we do it. Also, performances usually start on a Wednesday and finish on Sunday, but by extending the show over the week, we hope to increase the number of customers who come by word of mouth. Both are certainly experimental for us. I am concerned about whether I will be able to do it physically, but I am more determined to go for it."

No, no, you're still young, so it's okay. And it's better to climb high mountains while you can.
*From "Kimi no Tenohira"

Kumade has been performing in community musicals since junior high school, and has been such a big fan of theater that he joined the "Hikobae Regional Theater Education Group" and began writing scripts. Volunteers from the Kanagawa Sogo High School drama club founded "Niji no Moto," and after graduating from high school, they reunited. This was the first period, so to speak. Since then, the members have changed, and the new "Niji no Moto" is now active.

"We have two concepts: 'Let's create with only love' and 'Shine the tears.' A rainbow is like a miracle, you can see it for just a moment when the sun shines through after it has rained. And when you see one, it makes you feel happy. It's the same with the human heart; even if you're sad, if there is love, you can make a rainbow. And the rainbow that has fallen in your heart can make someone else's heart shine. That's the message I'm aiming for with my work."

*From "Museum of Broken Relationships"

The visuals on the flyer have a worldview reminiscent of a serialized girls' manga, giving it a somewhat familiar feel, but this time it is the first time that a photograph has been used.
His new work, "Minato Mirai," is based on the theme of the city, which is why he used photographs of the city.

"We've always been based in Yokohama, and we've become quite friendly with theater people in Tokyo, so we're often told, 'You should perform in Tokyo.' But we have no desire to move to Tokyo. We want to bring audiences to Yokohama. So we thought about why we're doing this in Yokohama, and what the significance of doing it in Yokohama is, and as this performance has come at a time when various milestones and turning points have occurred, we wanted to make it clear once again that 'we are a theater company that is doing our best in Yokohama.' I'm sure we'll continue to perform works that are firmly rooted in Yokohama."

It may not be the future that everyone dreamed of back then,
No matter how much things change, we've lived here
Minato Mirai is a music duo of girls born in 1989 and raised in Yokohama.
The two aspired to a career in music and made their debut when they were in their third year of high school.
They had never yet tasted alcohol or smelled a man.
We started running with the momentum of an extension of the light music club.
Twelve years have passed since then, and they are now 30 years old.
The end of the Heisei era. Minato Mirai is heading down its own path.
The group will disband with the final broadcast of their long-running radio program.
"So, what shall we talk about?"
"We have no future to speak of."
"But let's talk about Minato Mirai."
The city of Yokohama, the Heisei era, and a new future.
Rainbow Elements brings you hope for the future and a bridge to happiness.

"There was a music unit from Kawasaki called RYTHEM that has since disbanded. They debuted when I was in junior high school, and were active until 2011, during which time they made their major debut and released four albums. Their journey was very dramatic to me, so I wanted to create a work based on them. So I created a fictional unit called Minato Mirai. So it's not a musical, but there will be a lot of singing."

We will also introduce comments from the two main actresses, Ayaka Ito who plays Mina and Eri Kimura who plays Mirai.

"I think this story about Minato Mirai will be a major turning point in Mina's life. Mina's feelings, which aren't often mentioned in the lines, are actually packed into the story. I want to be able to convey emotions that cannot be put into words to the audience. I want Mina and I to be in sync and to move with the utmost sincerity. I've been practicing with that in mind. This is a play that anyone can relate to in some way. Please come and see it!" (Ito)

"Nice to meet you. I'm Kimura Eri, who plays Mirai. When I first read the script, I could really relate to Mirai's feelings about music, and I felt happy that there was someone who understood me (laughs). The play is full of nostalgic songs that color the Heisei era, as well as songs created specifically for this stage production, so the music is one of the things to look forward to. There's also romance, friends, unrequited love, heartbreak, separation, meetings, music, work, fights, love, and it's a full 75 minutes that won't leave you with time to breathe. Look forward to it☆" (Kimura)

I once again asked Kumade about his work.

"The theme of the film is generations and how we will live in the future. The new era name will be announced as soon as the performance of Minato Mirai is over. The city was named "Minato Mirai" with hope before the Heisei era began. I wonder what the future was like back when we were alive. And let's go to the future together. I hope that we can share this feeling with everyone. This film is filled with our various challenges. I hope that you will watch it."

This event has now ended.
"Rainbow Source #08 'Minato Mirai'"

■Dates: Wednesday, April 17th - Wednesday, April 24th, 2019
■ Venue: ST Spot Yokohama
■Written by: Sakuragi Souka
■Directed by: Kumade Ryukyuma
■Ticket price: 3,000 yen for adults, 2,000 yen for high school students and younger (specified date and time, unreserved seating)
■Inquiries: info@nijinomoto.com