Traditional Theatre Training 2022

July 22- Aug 12

The Traditional Theatre Training hosted by the Kyoto Arts Centre has been something I had been dying to do for years. In my final year of university, I did an international exchange at Hokusei Gakuen University in Sapporo. I loved the country and hoped to find a way back, if not to live, at least to visit.

In 2019, shortly after my involvement with Mermaid Theatre, I searched the internet for programs to expand my puppetry knowledge. I fell across the traditional Japanese art form of Bunraku, an art form I had seen in Sapporo, and subsequently, a myriad of performance arts I had never approached in my university education. These included Noh, Kabuki, Rakugo, and many more.

I bought some books and classical texts to get myself started, sat down to read them, and bookmarked this program. In 2020 I applied, and in 2020, the world shut down.

Now, it's 2022 and Japan has cracked open its borders so that people can travel to Japan for work again. Japans tourism is still limited. I held my breath and applied once again and I got in. I applied for my business visa in Montreal, packed my carry-on bag and a backpack (unwilling to risk the state of airline baggage claims), and set off for Japan at 4 am from Fredericton airport. I arrived to quarantine checkpoints at Narita airport, a nearly empty Shinkansen and a version of Japan I had never seen before and doubt I will be able to see again. Due to the closed borders, the usually packed streets and trains had room to breathe. The Senbon Torii Gate hike was empty halfway up the mountain and we could watch the Gion festival comfortably from the roadside. My companions often stated how rare it was to enjoy such a stunning landscape in such a peaceful manner.

I joined 12 other foreign artists at the Kyoto Arts Centre on the afternoon of July 22nd for orientation. Our first day began in the Meiji-era tatami room at the top of the building, watching previous performers take the Oe Noh stage in the years before the pandemic. We took our rapid tests, gathered our rehearsal schedules, and headed to the local yukata store to purchase tabi for rehearsals.

This year the KAC selected Noh, Kotozumi, and Rakugo as the educational material. I was in the Noh Class, instructed by three masters, Oe sensei, Tamoi Sensi, and Katayama sensei. We also had three translators assigned to us, rotating through the classroom to help the masters.

Our schedules allowed us free time during the day to explore Kyoto. In the evening, artists would gather in the multi-purpose hall, cool down from the Kyoto summer heat, and review our steps before class.

We also had the opportunity to see other art forms in the region. Kyoto is the birthplace of Kabuki. Kabuki began on the banks of the Kamo river. A theatre now stands in its place scheduling daily performances. Noh, Rakuguo, and Kyogen were performed on Noh stages throughout the city. We also traveled to Osaka to see Bunraku at the National Theatre.

The Sensei took it upon themselves to provide extra workshops. They took time to show us the dressing of a Noh actor. The intricate folds and stitching required the silk garments to stay in place while the performers danced for the Gods. We also wore historical masks and moved about our makeshift stage in the tatami room. We peered through the pinholes of the wooden masks and soon understood why every step the dancer took was counted.

By the end of the three weeks, we took to the Oe Noh stage. The students learned one of three works. I took on Momijigari, the story of a demon who disguised herself as a beautiful woman. This is a staple in the Japanese storytelling collection. We wore our yukatas and hakama, proudly carried our Kanze school fans, and danced as well as we could for the Gods. The program closed with the students singing an auspicious song and we took our leave through the small side door.

The three weeks passed quickly, and I feel that we all found a home in the quiet streets of Kyoto. The Kyoto Arts Centre offered wonderful support, the program and education were superb, and we all got to experience a more intimate version of traditional Japanese performance art. I can’t wait until the next time I return to one of my favorite countries in the world.