Events

The 29th World Heritage Theater – Special performance by Ebizo Ichikawa

Sep. 15, 2015
0 Comments

A special kabuki performance by Ebizo Ichikawa will be held to celebrate the 400th Shikinen Taisai of Nikko Toshogu. It will co-star Ichizo Kataoka, Kudanji Ichikawa, Hiromatsu Otani and others.

In Japan, there are 15 world cultural heritage and four world natural heritage sites registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This time, the World Heritage Theatre in Japan will take place at Nikko Tosho-gu which is one of the shrines and temples of Nikko registered in December 1999.

Nikko Tosho-gu, which is located in Nikko city, Tochigi Prefecture, is the shrine where Tosho Daigongen (the posthumous designation of the spirit of the first shogun of the Edo bakufu, Tokugawa Ieyasu), is worshiped. Tokugawa Ieyasu was born in Okazaki, Mikawa Province in 1542, during the warring states period when rival warlords vied for supremacy. After 12 years of hostilities, overcoming all sorts of hardship and uniting a whole country, he put an end to the long period of warfare. Appointed as the Seii Taishogun by the Emperor and opening the Edo bakufu, he laid the groundwork for a long period of peace and tranquility for more than 260 years. Furthermore, Tokugawa Ieyasu is one of Japan's most famous historical figures and is known as the shogun who pursued peaceful diplomacy.

Ichikawa Ebizo is one of Japan's foremost kabuki actors. As well as starring in kabuki performances, not only in Japan, but also in countries such as Singapore, and by appearing in numerous theatrical productions such as musicals and period dramas, he is gaining popularity among non-kabuki fans as well.

At Nikko Tosho-gu, this year is the 400th anniversary of Tokugawa Ieyasu’s death, and events such as horseback archery and chanting "norito" are staged as part of the big festival held every 50 years to worship Ieyasu. On this auspicious occasion, in a delicate and glittering building which was built by using the wisdom of craftsmen and traditional skills of masters in Japan, Ichikawa Ebizo will dedicate a special performance to Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Date and time Saturday, Oct 10 Doors open: 18:30 Curtain time: 19:00 Sunday, Oct 11 Doors open: 18:30 Curtain time: 19:00

Venue Nikko Toshogu Special open-air stage in front of the Goju-no-to (five-story pagoda)

Tickets Reserved seats (S): ¥15,000 (All seats reserved, tax included) Reserved seats (A): ¥12,000 (All seats reserved, tax included) No postponement in case of rain, but may be canceled in event of stormy weather.

Program Omemie Kojo Creative dance “Ikari Tomomori” Creative dance “Kagu Tsuchi no Mai”

World Heritage Theater in Japan

World Heritage Theater is a project to use Japan’s World Heritage Sites as a setting to give various art performances such as pop music concerts and kabuki performances. It aims to fuse historical Japan and contemporary Japan in one space to create an unforgettable experience.

The World Heritage Theater aims to understand the essence of Japanese culture and further develop it in a contemporary context by creating a new inspiration through collaboration between different forms of art, using World Heritage Sites across Japan as a setting for artistic performance by first-class artists. It will transmit this message to the world.

In 2016, the World Heritage Theater will, in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the UNESCO Charter, present various art performances including traditional arts such as nogaku and kabuki, popular music and classic music concerts, and theatrical plays and dance performances. These performances will be given at 3 to 4 locations with 2 to 3 days of performance at each location, starting in May at the Nara Todai-ji Temple. Now in its 10th year (as of 2015) the World Heritage Theater has presented 28 performance art pieces to date.

Please enjoy the exquisite stage performances by leading Japanese artists, amidst the impressive historical settings and the warm and friendly company of Japanese people. This is the kind of experience that you can never get except while actually traveling in Japan.

World Heritage Theater holds 10 to 12 performances every year at several World Heritage Sites across Japan.

For details and application for tickets, please visit the World Heritage Theater website.

© Japan Today

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


No Comment
Login to comment

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites