Join renowned mask carver Kitazawa Hideta and Richard Emmert, a Noh performer, musician and composer, to discover the iconic masks used in Japanese nohgaku theatre.

Recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, nohgaku encompasses two types of theatre: Noh, a synthesis of poetry, dance, drama and music; and kyōgen, a lively spoken comedy. These two art forms have evolved together over centuries, with kyōgen frequently performed as interludes between longer Noh pieces.

This is a rare opportunity not only to hear about the intricate process of making masks, but to discover what makes a good mask, and how they are used in the performance of both Noh and kyogen theatre.

Following the event Kitazawa Hideta undertakes a book signing of his newly published book Noh and Kyogen Masks: Tradition and Modernity in the Art of Kitazawa Hideta.

This event is part of From Tradition to Modernity, a series of linked activities held in August and September 2024. Including an exhibition at the Embassy of Japan in the UK, the series seeks to illuminate the vital position that nohgaku holds in Japanese culture and history, offering UK audiences a unique opportunity to engage more deeply with the art form.

Please note that filming and photography may take place at this event. Photos and footage of the event may then be used to promote Japan House London, helping more people to discover what we offer. If you have any concerns, please contact us online or contact a member of the team on site.

The event starts at 18:30 and will last for about one hour.

About the Speakers

Kitazawa Hideta is a wood sculptor and Noh mask maker based in Tokyo. He learned wood carving from his father, Kitazawa Ikkyō, specializing in Buddhist and Shinto statuary, before turning his focus to Noh mask carving. He currently produces classical Noh and kyōgen masks and has been designated a master craftsman by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Kitazawa has also created numerous shinsaku (‘new work’) masks for foreign language Noh productions, notably those of Theatre Nohgaku, as well as for other Noh-influenced plays. He has given workshops and demonstrations in Japan and internationally and a book on his work entitledNoh and Kyogen Masks is to be published by Prestel in Autumn 2024.

Richard Emmert is professor emeritus at Musashino University, Tokyo, where he taught classical Noh and Japanese and Asian traditional performing arts. Born in Ohio, USA, he is a certified Kita School Noh instructor and has led Noh performance workshops worldwide. Founder of Theatre Nohgaku, he has composed Noh music for numerous English Noh productions for which he was awarded the Koizumi Prize in 2019. He recently composed music for a French Noh and arranged music for a Spanish Noh. He co-authored a series of seven Noh performance guides and authored the six-volume The Guide to Noh of the National Noh Theatre, both for Tokyo’s National Noh Theatre.

Image: Kentoku (Wise Man) Kyōgen Mask: This yellow kentoku portrayed the spirit of a sea tortoise in the English kyōgen play Derailed at the University of Hawai’i