Nogakudo, or Noh theatre, is the place where Noh and Kyogen plays are performed and, as in an ordinary theatre, it has a stage, backstage and auditorium. Before the end of the Edo era (19th century), the Noh stage was usually set up outdoors but with the modernisation of society, many house-style Noh theatres have been built all over Japan. One of the oldest and most prominent theatres in Tokyo is the ‘Yarai Noh Theater’ (Yarai Nogakudo) which was originally built in Yarai-cho, Shinjuku-ku, in 1930 and reconstructed in 1952.

In this online talk, in the lead up to the 70th anniversary of the reconstruction, KANZE Yoshimasa – the latest generation of the KANZE family that owns the Noh theatre – looks back at the historical transition of this cultural property, explaining some features of the theatre life that may not be written down in books. In addition, KANZE Yoshimasa, who authored two books on Noh costume, will showcase a few props and examples of attire which have been associated with the Yarai Noh Theatre, reflecting on the roles and programmes in which they are used.

The talk will be followed by a brief discussion with Dr Alan Cummings, translator and senior lecturer at SOAS, University of London.

This event will provide a very rare opportunity to get to know the life of one of the oldest Noh theatres and to take a close virtual look at the stage under the guidance of one of Japan’s distinctive Noh performers.

About the speakers

KANZE Yoshimasa is a shite-kata (performer of the protagonist role) Noh artist of the Kanze school who has embarked on a variety activities aimed at countering Noh’s reputation for being difficult to understand and approach for contemporary audiences. These activities include forming the Kamiasobi (gods play) Noh performance group with artists of his own generation with the purpose of developing a younger audience and starting the Utai (Noh recitation) and Shimai (dance) group lesson program for amateurs at the Yarai Noh Theater where he was born and raised, again with the aim of nurturing new fans of the art of Noh. In this interview Yoshimasa Kanze speaks about his search for ways to keep Noh a living art in the 21st century.

Dr Alan Cummings is a translator and senior lecturer in Japanese Studies in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, SOAS, University of London. His academic research is in early modern Japanese literature and theatre, especially kabuki. Amongst his publications are a volume of translations of haiku and senryu, Haiku: Love (British Museum Press, 2013), and several translations in the Kabuki Plays on Stage series (University of Hawai'i Press).