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Rei Sasaguchi
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Oct 15, 2010
The history hidden behind the mask
Kiyotaka Imai, 67, is a prominent noh performer from the Kongo School, which was established in the Kansai region during the 14th century, and headquartered in Kyoto. The son of the late Ikusaburo Imai, a Kongo noh master of the highest ranking (shokubun) and a designated Intangible Cultural Asset, Imai...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Sep 10, 2010
From scorn to love: Mishima and bunraku
Yukio Mishima (born in 1925 as Kimitake Hiraoka) is best- known internationally for his novel "Kinkaku-ji" ("The Temple of the Golden Pavilion"), a fictionalized account of the burning down of the famous golden temple of Kyoto. He may also be remembered for his contemporary plays, many of which were...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jul 30, 2010
Bringing samurai spirit and business acumen to kabuki
On July 1, 2009, Kenzaburo Mogi, 72, a former vice chairman of the soy sauce manufacturing giant Kikkoman Corporation, was appointed to direct the Japan Arts Council, which covers all traditional performing arts of Japan, including noh, kabuki and bunraku (puppet theater).
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
May 28, 2010
When a priest loves a woman, he can do so much wrong
T1 his year, the National Theater's summer program "Kabuki Class" will be showing the 75-minute play "Narukami" ("Thunder God"), part of a classical play known as "Narukami Fudo Kitayamazakura," originally written in 1742 by the Kamigata (Kyoto-Osaka) playwrights Yasuda Abun and Nakada Mansuke. Based...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Mar 5, 2010
A rogue on high
In real life, Ishikawa Goemon was the leader of a band of burglars in Kyoto who was caught in the summer of 1594 trying to kill Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the foremost politician of his day, and was duly executed at age 36 along with many members of his family and his gang.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jan 15, 2010
Breathing life into the mythical shachihoko
In 1610, as ordered by Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, the shogunal main office of Owari province (present-day Aichi Prefecture) was moved from Kiyosu to Nagoya, where a new castle was built. To commemorate the beginning of this magnificent castle's construction, which boasted a five-storied...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Nov 27, 2009
How 'new' kabuki has captivated theater audiences for decades
In 1893, at age 78, the great playwright Kawatake Mokuami died. Since he left no protege, his death also ended the tradition of classical Kabuki writing. Mokuami, who, during the 19th century wrote more than 360 plays over his long career, became the last of the professional writers to work exclusively...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Aug 28, 2009
Swept away by the 'Tenpesuto'
"The Tempest," Shakespeare's play of sorcery, was originally planned for bunraku puppet theater for the 1991 Japan Festival in London. The script was to be written by Shoichi Yamada (b. 1925), the former executive director of bunraku at the National Theater, using a Japanese translation by Tsubouchi...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jul 10, 2009
The monster that was made of fear
What's a nue? A sobbing thrush? A splendid monster? Or the shattered souls of those excluded from society?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jun 12, 2009
Is it a spider? Is it a monkey? Yes, it's a work by Ennosuke
As a "kabuki class" for beginners, the National Theater of Japan is presenting in its large auditorium until June 24 a performance by Ichikawa Ennosuke, the master of "super-kabuki" productions, which he started to develop in 1986.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
May 15, 2009
Bunraku theater to celebrate an anniversary
"Hiragana Seisuiki" ("Records of the Battles between the Minamoto and Taira Clans in the 12th Century"), a five-act historical bunraku play by Bunkodo and collaborators, which was first staged at the Takemoto-za in Osaka in 1739, is being presented at the small auditorium of the National Theater in Tokyo...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Mar 20, 2009
Okinawan flavors of entertainment
Manabu Oshiro, the chief of the Research and Training Section of the National Theater, Okinawa since 2006, attributes the creation of kumiodori, a form of drama unique to Okinawa, to the friendly relationship that the Ryukyu Kingdom maintained with China for over 400 years spanning the 15th to the 19th...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Dec 18, 2008
Committed to the feminine craft
O ff stage, kabuki actor is a tall, handsome and sensitive- looking man with white hair but a young face. On stage, the respected onnagata (male actor who specializes in female roles) can be anything from a sexy concubine to a faithful spouse.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Sep 18, 2008
Hitting skins to find sound's color
'It is amazing that I have participated in 12 out of the 31 performances of the 'Nihon no Taiko' program that started at the National Theater of Japan in 1977," says the drummer Eitetsu Hayashi, who helped start the wadaiko (Japanese drums used in festivals) boom that has lead to the formation of more...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Aug 7, 2008
Nihon buyo dancers pass on their culture
As far back as elementary school, Yukari Hatori, now age 34, dreamed of becoming a nihon buyo (Japanese dance) performer.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
May 15, 2008
Kabuki-za's Dankikusai festival: From romantic crimes to civilian sacrifices
Like royalty, kabuki families can trace their lineages back years and years into the distant past, interrupted only occasionally by an adoption to keep a line going. This May the Kabuki-za holds the monthlong Dankikusai, a theatrical festival that was started in 1936 to commemorate the outstanding achievements...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Mar 13, 2008
A graceful step onto Edo's stage
'Now that his life-long dream of having the stage name of Sakata Tojuro has come true, I think Tojuro aspires to revitalize the style of kabuki acting unique to the Kamigata (Kansai) region," says Shoichi Yamada, the former executive director in charge of bunraku puppet theater at the National Theater....
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jan 17, 2008
The faithful student
"I love Las Vegas shows," says kabuki actor Ichikawa Kamejiro. "I go to Las Vegas because I think they use the most advanced techniques to create stunning productions. I find their attitude toward show business completely different from ours."
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Dec 6, 2007
Out from under noh's shadow
'F or kyogen actors, Japan losing the war in 1945 was a wonderful event as it liberated kyogen from its long subjugation to noh," actor Shigeyama Sennojo says. "For the first time in 400 years, kyogen was recognized as an independent form of theater."
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Sep 13, 2007
Look inside the puppet's head
"One aspiring to become a puppet operator would have to spend 10 years to master the handling of the puppet's feet and another 10 years to be able to operate its left hand," says Yoshida Bunjaku, 79, one of two omozukai (principal puppeteers) awarded the title of Living National Treasure. "While he is...
Two of America’s biggest debt holders are dumping Treasurys
The U.S. Treasury building in Washington. Investors in Japan and China sold a pile of U.S. debt in the last quarter, just before the U.S. presidential election.
Ishiba aggravates his own political failures with diplomatic faux pas
Prime Minster Shigeru Ishiba is greeted at the APEC summit in Lima by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday. The Japanese leader was criticized for remaining seated while meeting several world leaders at the event.
Japan's 3.31 million visitors in October set monthly record
Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in December 2023. Famous autumn leaf colors contributed to increased tourism demand last month from many markets across Asia, Europe and North America, the Japan National Tourism Organization has said.
Japan ranks last in romance satisfaction for second straight year
In a survey of 31 countries, Japan ranked last in terms of those who felt loved, with just 51% of respondents saying so.
Ruling coalition and DPP strike last-minute deal over economic policy
DPP policy chief Makoto Mahaguchi speaks at the party's policy gathering in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Japan, U.K. and Italy discuss inviting more countries to joint fighter project
A new concept model of a next-generation fighter jet to be jointly developed by Japan, Britain and Italy is on display in Farnborough, Hampshire, in July.
Haruki Murakami's 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls' gives deep deja vu
For “The City and Its Uncertain Walls,” translated into English by Philip Gabriel, Haruki Murakami confronts the ghosts who won't leave him alone.
Japanese expats in Asia find community through rugby
The Taiwan Fivewoods celebrate their victory at the 2023 Asian Japanese Rugby Cup in December of last year.
In Fukushima, a weekend of prose, poetry and translation
Aomori-based writer JJ Carter presented on tabletop gaming as creative inspiration for building characters and narratives.
For Dr. Nakamats, aging is just experience in action
Though he didn't win the recent gubernatorial election in Tokyo, the 96-year-old Dr. Nakamats' run was seen as inspirational in Japan's aging society.

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