“Omagari Fireworks”, a competition of pyrotechnics

Omagari Fireworks” is known as one of the three major fireworks festivals in Japan. It is a national fireworks competition that attracts more than 700,000 spectators in a single night. Kitanihon Hanabi Kogyo was founded in 1899 in Daisen City, Akita Prefecture, the home of the Omagari fireworks.
The Omagari Fireworks Festival was first held in 1910 as an entertainment for a festival at Suwa Shrine (a shrine in the Omagari area where the god Kenomikata was enshrined during Tamuramaro Sakagami’s campaign to defeat the Emishi). One year, the event was changed to a fireworks competition to test the skills of pyrotechnicians, and became a contest of pyrotechnics. At first, it was a competition for pyrotechnicians in the Tohoku region, but now it is a gathering of the best pyrotechnicians from all over the country. Currently, there are about 300 companies in Japan that make fireworks, and about 1/3 of them (about 100 companies) are manufacturers of fireworks. Of these 100 companies, 28 enter the Omagari Fireworks Competition every year.
Many people think of fireworks as large, round flowers blooming in the night sky. They are called “wari-mono” fireworks, and are the most traditional and standard fireworks, scattering in a pattern like chrysanthemums or peony flowers. In 1964, a fireworks competition called “Creative Fireworks” was started here in Omagari, which broke away from these standard fireworks. People who had been looking for dynamic fireworks, such as big flowers in the night sky, were attracted to fireworks depicting heart shapes, smiley faces, cartoon characters, etc., and a new trend of fireworks started.

Master pyrotechnicians of creative fireworks

Every year at the Omagari Fireworks Festival, about 10 judges judge the competition. Each pyrotechnist expresses his/her view of the world and the thoughts he/she wants to convey to the audience within the allotted time of 2 minutes and 30 seconds, combining the traditional broken fireworks and creative fireworks of his/her own design. The Prime Minister’s Award is presented to the best pyrotechnist (fireworks company) of the year. It is a great honor for a pyrotechnician to win each prize at the competition.

Coincidentally, Mr. Yoshikazu Konno, the fourth generation of Kitanihon Hanabi Kogyo and a nationally known pyrotechnician, was born in 1964. Mr. Konno, who has won many awards at various fireworks competitions, is known in the industry as a master of creative fireworks and is nicknamed the “genius of katamono. Katamono are fireworks that depict pictures of characters in the form of fireworks. Mr. Konno has created many character fireworks and has popularized creative fireworks with a high level of entertainment value. Other types of creative fireworks include “straw hats,” “Saturn,” “sunflowers,” and other fireworks that look like pictures in the night sky. The skill of the pyrotechnicians is in how well they present their designs to the audience. It takes at least 5 to 10 years to be able to make traditional chrysanthemum fireworks. While possessing such basic skills, creative fireworks require even greater skill and imagination. Without a strong passion for fireworks, you cannot create new fireworks the way you want,” says Konno.
Also, the improvement of fireworks launching technology in the past 10 years has made it possible to produce more detailed fireworks. The computerization of the launching system has eliminated the timing gap between the fireworks and the music that existed in the past.
However, no matter how much the technology improves, each fireworks display is still handmade by craftsmen. Each pyrotechnician has his or her own secret formula, and the accumulation of miracles that only the sense of a craftsman’s hands can produce is what makes the fireworks what they are. It is not possible to create the same fireworks every time, and there are not many moments when they are satisfied with their work. Even so, they continue to pour their passion into their work, feeling a mission to bring smiles to the faces of many people with the fireworks they create and to pass on the aesthetics of Japanese tradition. To preserve the tradition of Japanese beauty, which dissipates and disappears after only about 15 seconds, pyrotechnicians continue to carefully create fireworks one by one today.

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

根付いた作品と新たな美術館 「秋田県立美術館」／秋田県秋田市 – NIHONMONO 2013年にオープンした美術館 秋田市の中心地にほど近い、再開発地域「エリアなかいち」。その街のシンボルのひと

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Kamigata Music and Edo Music

Katoubushi is a leading school of Edo Joururi, which is recognized as an Important Intangible Cultural Asset of Japan as a group. It was established in 1717 by the founder, known by the name Masumi Kato, who had served as an apprentice under Edo Handayu, said to be the founder of Handayu bushi. The strong sound of the stylish narration captivated the hearts of the Edo people.
Noh and Kyogen are both art that was derived in the Kamigata area: Kyoto and Osaka. In Kamigata, a type of music called Ichhubushi was born along with Gidayu style singing, which later came to Edo. From this, various types of music branched out, such as ”Tokiwazubushi”. Then the Edo-born, Edo-bred people made a Joururi style especially for Edo, which became Katoubushi. The Katoubushi shamisen is known for its high stringed pitch, whereas for Noh, the basic sounds are ”low pitch”.

Edo Joururi Expressed by High Pitch

The musical scale is expressed by something called “Kan” and “Otsu”. “Kan” are the high pitch sounds and “Otsu” the low pitch. The Kamigata region places importance on the Otsu pitch and that is where the Japanese expression “It is Otsu (It is fine)” is derived. However Edo music used a lot of high pitch notes. This was a new trend of music created in the fields of Musashino. There was a great influx of people, and people had to use high pitch for the sound to be heard.” Takeuchi from the Kokyokukai Foundation explained.
This is the music loved by the Edo people with its vibrating sounds, a good match for the bustle of the city.
Kamigata Gidayu Bushi uses a very wide-bodied ”shamisen”, the Kiyomotobushi uses a moderately wide-bodied ”shamisen”, and the Katoubushi uses a thin-bodied ”shamisen”. The ”bachi” pick is thin and flexible.
Yamabiko Senko, recognized as a Living National Treasure for Katoubushi Shamisen, played us a tune. “Another characteristic of Katoubushi Shamisen is that you use the ”bachi” as though you are scooping up the string. You strum the string and let it vibrate by holding it up from the ”shamisen”. And then, you give a call, “Hauu” which is another characteristic.” Yamabiko played us a part of “Sukeroku” from ”Kabuki”, producing a splendid sound, which resonated to our soul.

Delicate Movements

We asked Yamabiko about ”tuning”. The strings are tightened or loosened before a performance. We witnessed Yamabiko doing this.
“The strings are silk, so the pitch is affected with the slightest change in environment, such as the stage light hitting them. Sometimes it loosens on stage, so we need to tune it.” she explained. If the adjustment can’t be done while on stage, she changes the positioning of her fingers on the strings. ”Shamisen” requires delicacy of the ears as well as the fingertips. Nakata also experienced for himself how difficult this can be.
The ”shamisen” is placed on your right thigh and the ”bachi” pick is held with your left hand. The ”bachi” is held ever so lightly by balancing it with just one pinky from the back.
“Then you use your right elbow as the support for the lever, and strum the strings.” Those were the instructions, but the center string is terribly difficult to reach. When playing the ”shamisen”, the left hand is constantly moving around, adding to the difficulty. However, Nakata commented, “When you’re actually able to make a sound, it gives you great satisfaction!” Yamabiko smiled and replied, “Yes, see what I mean?” ”Shamisen” has many different methods and schools based on the region, each with its own sound and expression. It was another encounter with the profound depth of Japanese cultural music.

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Kyogen and Noh Developed Together

We talked to Mansaku Nomura, Izumi-ryu Kyogen performer. His father is a certified holder of Important Intangible Cultural Asset, Manzo Nomura the 6th. He stood on stage for the very first time when he was 3, and was named the 2nd Mansaku when he was 19. He has undergone strict training, allowing no compromise. In 1990, he was presented with a Medal with Purple Ribbon, and in 2007, he was designated a certified holder of Important Intangible Cultural Asset just like his father. Mansaku Nomura lives in the world of Nohgaku. Nohgaku is a combination of Noh and Kyogen, however during the Edo period, it was referred to as ”Sarugaku”. The audience sits surrounding the protruding stage, and enjoy Noh and Kyogen programs in turn: the subtle and profound style of Noh, and the ”comical” Kyogen. Kyogen is said to ”comically express human nature” and is an art that lays importance on expressing human behavior in an entertaining way with movement and dialogue. ”Noh and Kyogen have to do with opposing themes, but they developed together. There are Kyogen programs that are quite serious,” we were told.

The Souls that were Conveyed in Performances Abroad

Mansaku told us about an interesting experience he had during a performance in the U.S. The program was ”Tsukimi Zatou”. A blind man encounters a youth, and they enjoy a moment together drinking ”sake” and dancing under the moonlight, seeming to have developed a mutual understanding. However, an instant later, the youth undergoes a complete change and starts to bully the blind man, leaving a bad aftertaste.
”There is a scene where the blind man begs the youth to dance. And he is delighted, though he cannot actually see. There was laughter from the American audience during this scene. Then later, I could sense that the audience was fully captivated during the latter half where the youth transforms and shows an evil side of himself.” ”Why did you choose this program?” Nakata asked.
”Yes, that’s a good question, as I was anxious whether an audience abroad would understand the content of the story. Now, we use English subtitles for the performance, which means that it has to be interpreted in to modern words. Even for the Japanese, it makes it easier to understand, compared to seeing the stage in traditional Japanese. It also makes it easier to perform the more difficult pieces.”
Audiences abroad laugh louder, and truly seem to enjoy the performances.

An Form of Art that Entertains

”The Japanese are said to be expressionless and do not laugh out loud very often, even in movie theaters. Kyogen is an art of laughter, but is it appropriate to laugh out loud?” Nakata asked about something that had been bothering him.
”Of course it is. You may be intimidated by the word classical, but of course it is very proper to laugh.” Mansaku Nomura reassured him. ”Just like Noh, we wanted to elevate the artistic position of Kyogen. Our generation has always pursued this theme, and I believe we’ve succeeded to an extent.”
It’s essential to entertain the audience.”
It may not make you laugh out loud, but the nature of Kyogen that developed with Noh is that it brings you. You might say it touches you with happiness.”

Experiencing Kyogen

Nakata learns the basic styles from Mansaku Nomura. Nakata’s first impression was the beauty of the posture. He commented, ”I think it would be ideal if you teach this in elementary schools.” ”That is true. The words too. Kyogen could be used to teach correct Japanese,” Mansaku Nomura said.
Mansaku will be working on a new program, ”Shokudoraku”, which is a performance where the eyes, mouth, nose, stomach and heart, all pop out of the body, claiming that they were the reasons that people are able to appreciate food. Obviously it is funny. It is heartwarming and educating, perhaps recommended for children. Kyogen as a traditional art presents infinite possibilities.

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Kiyomoto-bushi, with 200 years of history

Kiyomoto-bushi was originally a part of the Joruri school. It began when Kiyomoto Endayu appeared in kaomise at the Kabuki Ichimuraza, and introduced himself by that name. It developed later as music accompanying ”kabuki”. It has a lyrical elegance deriving from Bungobushi.
It became widely known to the point that Kiyomoto represents Edo Joruri.
Although it is officially an accompaniment for stage performances, it is also enjoyed as music during ”kabuki” dances, even gaining a following for the Kiyomoto himself.
That is the sophistication and elegance of the 200 year-old Kiyomoto-bushi melody.

Allowing the songs to shine

We talked to Eizo Kiyomoto of Kiyomoto-bushi, who was designated an Important Living Cultural Treasure in 2003 for Kiyomoto shamisen. Being attracted to the tone of Kiyomoto shamisen he heard in his childhood, he entered apprenticeship under Kiyomoto Eijiro the 3rd (later Kiyomoto Eijuro) at the age of 15 in 1951. Two years later, he made his first stage appearance. He has been awarded the Arts Award Festival and numerous other awards.
At the beginning of our conversation about shamisen, he told us ”I believe Kiyomoto shamisen makes the songs stand out. Therefore it is quite different from nagauta, where shamisen is the focal point. It is also different from Tsugaru jongara bushi. The Kiyomoto shamisen is played to bring the songs to the forefront. That’s what we always keep in our minds as we play.”

Shamisen and Song Communicate with each other

We had an opportunity to hear a performance. Eizo Kiyomoto invited his younger brother, Kiyomoto Yoshijudayu to join us in the interview. Yoshijudayu, as can be seen from his name, is a dayu, or a singer. We were treated with the opportunity to hear a live performance of the program ”Michitose Shinobiai Haruno Yukidoke”.
We were stunned by the graceful music.
”The story itself is the Kiyomoto specialty,” he said as he explained the setting. We were completely taken in leading Nakata to comment, ”You mentioned earlier that ”shamisen” makes the songs stand out, and I understood what you meant by this. It sounded like a dialogue.”
””Shamisen” plays along with the song, but it can also create the right mood for the song. For instance, the ”shamisen” plays a certain phrase, and the song will reply by in a way to match that phrase. So it really is a dialogue.” Eizo Kiyomoto explained.

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Stage debut at 8

”The hayashikata of Noh are seated within view of the audience, so we always have to be careful.” These were the words of Nohgaku Hayashi Ohzutsumikata, Tadao Kamei. His father was the Kadono-ryu expert, Toshio Kamei and he was taught this artform that has continued from the Edo period since he was 5.
”I have simply been awed by my father’s performances since my childhood. He would teach me, but never in detail. He would never preach and would just instruct me by saying ”louder” or ”yes”. He taught with his actions.”
He studied under his father, who was designated a certified holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Asset; and Kawasaki Kyuen, then Kadono Ryu family trustee, and performed his first stage at 8. He had already decided this was his destiny by the time he was in the 3rd grade.
”We were all suffering from the losses of the war at the time. Yet I was determined to continue. There was something strong that motivated me.”

Collaborating to create the performance

Kamei specializes in ohzutsumi in the Nohgaku hayashi. Just like his father, he was designated an Important Intangible Cultural Asset holder in 2002. ”Ohzutsumi is a lot of hard work,” he told us. As mentioned earlier, hayashikata of Nohgaku sits in view of the audience, so even a slight change in expression is visible to the audience. Just as the shitekata dances and the Noh chorus sings with a low tremor, Ohzutsumikata also need to convey the music with their entire body. ”Tsutsumi is so simple, it is a rudimentary sound. You go on stage and somehow create a sound that links the scenes with just the sound produced by the tsutsumi.” Kamei told us. Unless the kozutsumi, ohzutsumi, taiko, jiyou, and the performers all harmonize, the world of Noh will not be complete. Taiko has another role to signal hayashikata. It plays an important role in creating this unique world of Nohgaku.

Playing the Basic ”Sanji”

We observed the practice. Kamei acts as the instructor, taking on the singing and the kozutsumi, while his son Hirotada Kamei strikes the ohzutsumi. The call ”Yo” and the sound of the ohzutsumi vibrates in perfect timing with Kamei’s song.
”Do you want to try?” Nakata was invited to play the ohzutsumi. He was taught the basic actions of hayashikata called ”mitsuji” which combines the ”striking sound”, ”the voice calling out”, and ”komi (the silence of ”ma”). Nakata held the ohzutsumi on his side and used his right hand to strike it, but was only able to produce a dull sound.
”You need to snap your wrist to produce a good sound. Otherwise you’ll hurt your hand.” With this advice, a good sound with tension resonates. ”That was splendid.” An appraisal was given with a smile.

Movements with Elegance

Once you’re able to produce good sound, then you need to pay attention to ”how you look”. ”How you appear and present yourself is important too.” Additional advice was given.
The right arm should be held a little lower than the shoulder, not directly by your side, but diagonally forward. The ohzutsumi should be hit from this angle. This movement will create a unique moment of tension, an instant before hitting the ohzutsumi. After the lesson, Nakata looks at his palm which had turned bright red. ”This hurts. Now I understand what you meant.” Nakata laughed.
Sitting up straight, striking the ohzutsumi, and giving signal calls. We now understood the basics of Noh performance.
Kamei shared words of encouragement as we continued our travels. ”Please continue your journey so that you can discover more wonderful things about Japanese culture that can be shared with the world.”

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Standing on stage for Kabuki, Nagauta, Noh

We visited Kisaku Katada, Hayashikata for Kabuki Nagauta, accredited holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property. Katada is the second son of Mochizuki Tazaemon the 9th of Kabuki Nagauta Hayashi Mochizuki-ryu. He was immersed in Nagauta Hayashi since he was very young, and at age 16, he studied under Katada Kisouji, his uncle. Two years later he was given the name Katada Kisaku the 3rd. His older brother succeeded Mochizuki-ryu while he succeeded Katada-ryu. Katada participates in different types of performances, performing as hayashikata for Kabuki, and at times performing Nagauta for Noh performances.

The difference between Japanese music and western music

Katada has always been a fan of jazz. ”I’ve never bought tickets to a hayashi performance, but I buy tickets to listen to jazz.” he chuckles. Since he was 18, he has participated in recording ohayashi fusion with Western music.
”I wasn’t scared to jump into the world of Western music. I was able to learn a lot. Western music uses rhythm of the metronome. In Japanese music, instruments such as the tsuzumi does not use notes ”doh” ”rei” ”mi”, and the shamisen and okoto have a unique ”billowing” which the percussion instruments have to capture. Western music and Japanese music have different ”objectives”. That was the tough part, yet also extremely interesting.”

Music scores that are passed on

We were told it was best to listen to the music first, and a notebook was taken out. Inside the notebook were a lot of circles and crosses. ”This is our musical score,” Katada laughed.
”Someone held onto the score book even during times of war. Back then, there wasn’t any printing technology, so losing it would mean it was lost forever. When he was taken hostage, the notebook was taken away because they suspected it contained some kind of secret code.” .
As Katada explained, Japanese musical scores are an important asset for the musician. The complex hayashikata dialogue is outlined in the notebook. It cannot be deciphered by amateurs, so instead, we listened to the actual performance.

The performer’s touch

Looking at the score, Katada hits the tsuzumi, explaining as he plays – this means ”ta”, this is ”pon”. As soon as we heard the tsuzumi, it was as if the entire performance was unfolding in front of us. We also observed the dialogue between the kozutsumi and ohzutsumi. The two types of tsuzumi set off a comfortable beat that vibrated within our bodies, making Nakata comment, ”Maybe it’s because I heard your story about, but it felt like there was a jazzy rhythm.”
”Yes. Maybe that’s true. Tsuzumi scores are not written to match the shamisen, yet it matches perfectly. That is made possible by the performer’s touch. If it doesn’t seem to match, they hit it in pianissimo (softly), if it matches, they hit it in fortissimo (strongly). This is all done with the performer’s touch.” With jazz improvisation, you need to express yourself while performing with the other musicians. ”With music, the instruments are the same, but the style of music is not the same. You could say that ohayashi music has a variety of expressions,” says Katada, who has been playing a vital role in the world of Japanese traditional music. He supports the diversity of performances with his touch.

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Ideal Movements are Natural

The school of Japanese dancing Onoe-ryu was founded by Onoe Kikugoro as the first Iemoto. Onoe Bokusetsu is the 3rd Iemoto. He studied under the first Iemoto, Onoe Kikunojo when he was 9 and at 21, succeeded the name Onoe Kikunojo and simultaneously succeeded the Iemoto as the 3rd generation. Two years later, he choreographed and directed ”Azumaodori” at Tokyo Shinbashi, ”Kamogawa odori” at Pontocho Kyoto, and continued directing and choreographing dances as well as performing himself. He has been actively performing abroad as well as domestically, visiting France, United States, Spain, and China.”
Bokusetsu said, ”Even when I am watching a performance, I tend to observe how the performers move. Their physical movements. If their movements are not nimble, it bores me. But it’s not enough to just be swift and nimble. The ideal movement is natural, and has to make sense.

The sophisticated ”flow”

There are many schools of Japanese dancing. And each school has its own features. When we asked about the most prominent feature of Onoe-ryu, the answer was ”the flow”.
”A sophisticated and suave movement. You might say that it is at the forefront of Japanese dance. There are no unnecessary movements, and the dance moves are suave and smooth, without resisting air. You have to think about how you can befriend the air. Our school puts priority on the flowing movements.”
You may find it odd when you hear the words, ”befriend the air”. Bokusetsu added, ”I tell my disciples to imagine moving in water. In water, you will experience the water’s resistance. Substitute the water with air in your mind, and always be conscious of the air. Once you pay attention to gravity and air, you will be rid of wasteful movements and it will start to make sense.” The dances not only tell a story, but it’s also about how you pursue ideal movements. All this are linked to the sophisticated dancing moves of Onoe-ryu.

Applying rationality

Nakata asked, ”With Japanese dancing, what do you learn first? The movements? Manners?”
”First you learn breathing. You move in sync with your breathing. You move with your breathing. Once you are able to do this, it opens up a variety of possible movements. It is the fundamental basics. You may be prone to think of style, but the basics lie in the logic.” By the word ”logic,” Bokusetsu refers to physically understanding the natural science of the energy that controls human movements along with gravity, and nature.
”It is based in logic, or you could even say that we must pursue Japanese dances scientifically, to be able to be persuasive and beautiful. It would be ideal to reach this stage and then add your individual uniqueness to it. Only then shall Japanese dancing advance.” Bokutetsu came to believe in this philosophy as a result of the countless practices and performances he has taken on.
”Modern Japanese dancing has partially jumped out of Kabuki and Noh, soaking up various things to become what it is today. It is modern dance. However, even with Kabuki, storylines appeared quite recently. Prior to that, Kabuki were dances. These days, everything is constantly being renovated. That is why I feel we cannot stop.” It is important to learn from the past and understand tradition. Furthermore, always having ambition creates the culture of the times.

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How he got started

Hozan Yamamoto was born in 1937. He is a master of Japanese music, a ”shakuhachi” player and a composer, who was designated as Important Intangible Cultural Asset holder in 2002. He was always exposed to the ”shakuhachi” music played by his father, Hozan Yamamoto the 1st. He started to play when he was 9, and has been thoroughly enchanted by the mystic world of ”shakuhachi” to this day.
The basics to shakuhachi is how interesting it is, he told us. ”The official story is that I studied under my father, but I actually got started just playing with the instrument.” His grandmother and mother were ”okoto” players, and so he learned about the basics of Japanese music from them, but Yamamoto’s background shows that he didn’t just follow a easy path.
”I asked many performers to allow me to play with them.” When he first came out to the city, he worked part time jobs to make ends meet. At times he would play in hotel lobbies, play with classical or jazz musicians. He says that his ”shakuhachi” is self-taught, since it was developed through his interaction with other musicians.

The space becomes the instrument

Mr.Yamamoto looks back to his younger days and says, ”I always used to love jazz. It was a way to relieve stress.”
”I was lucky I found jazz. By learning to perform impromptu, it helped me write music that I would never have been able to if I had just been involved in traditional Japanese music.”
Nakata commented ”I’ve never heard shakuhachi jazz!”
”Then, let’s give you the opportunity. One of the things that amazed me is that with jazz, you use a microphone. With ”shakuhachi” or other traditional Japanese music, that’s never done. That’s why we need the music to resonate to every part of the venue. If the music is being played in this room, the entire room has to vibrate and become an instrument.”
With that, Yamamoto picked up his amber-colored ”shakuhachi” and played a melody. The clear, vibrant melody filled the room. The sound that we hear comes from the instrument, yet it seems as though it fills the room and blends in with the space. The charismatic tone of the ”shakuhachi” is so powerful it turns the entire venue into an instrument.

Thinking I’d leave without being able to make a sound…

Similar to the trumpet and clarinet, one is lucky to be able to make a sound on a ”shakuhachi” on the first try. ”Yamamoto told Nakata, ”I’d say you’re cut out for it if you get a note out on your first try.” Nakata gave it a try but gets nothing. As Yamamoto had pointed out, it was not an easy task. But not being one to give up, Nakata kept trying with instructions from the master. ”This is the correct angle, and this is how to blow it.” Yamamoto guided him patiently.
Then all of a sudden, there was a sound. While Nakata looked up in surprise, Yamamoto was even more surprised. He said, ”To be honest, I didn’t think you’d be able to produce a sound while you were here. This is wonderful.”
Nakata’s expression changed to pure delight upon being praised by the master. This may be the ”amusement” Yamamoto had referred to. Encountering something for the first time. Producing the first note. The whole process is a succession of happy experiences, motivating you to keep trying for more. ”Enjoyment is fundamental. Then comes the love for the instrument. It’s the same with sports, isn’t it?” Yamamoto said with a smile.

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Traditional Festival

The traditional festival of Yao town of Toyama Prefecture takes place every year from the 1st to the 3rd of September. Dancers go around the town on the melancholic melody of Ecchu Owara Bushi　It has been featured in novels, TV drama, popular music, and has become famous, currently gathering more than 200 thousand tourists every year. Performers play their instruments, shamisen and kokyu to play the Owara Bushi melodies while ladies donned in kimonos and braided bamboo hats perform their graceful dances. At night, the town lights are turned on and light up the people that walk through the mountain village, creating a fantasy-like view. Nakata was able to hear and see actual Echhu Owara Bushi and the dances and also was granted the opportunity of playing the kokyu. He was able to directly get in contact with this traditional event that had started in the Edo period.

The Name of the Festival

There are many theories as to where the word ”Owara” derives from. One theory is that it comes from the word ”Oowara” praying for abundant harvest, or that it comes from the word ”Owara village” where young girls from Owara sang songs, but the strongest theory is that it derives from the word ”Oowarai” lots of laughter, which came up frequently in poetic songs of 5 and 7 syllables. On the other hand the origin of ”Kaze no bon” too is unclear. In Toyama, people had always referred to weekends and holidays as ”bon”. The seeding period would be seeding bon, and then there are planting bon, raining bon, many other types of ”bon”. Festive periods often collided with stormy season and thus people prayed for safety from storm damage and took days off, that were called ”kaze no (the wind’s) bon” . An annual festival that takes place quietly in a village in the mountains. The dancers and musicians alike display graceful performance. The music was heard continuing on well into midnight . (Note: Interviewed in the summer of 2010)

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Succeeding the Kanze-ryu

It is said that Sangaku first derived from China and developed into Sarugaku and then Noh, or Nogaku. However, no one knows when the name Noh started. On record the word Noh was used before Muromachi period to refer to plays. In Muromachi period, a star was born. And that was Kannami. He started to incorporate a new style of dancing to melodies and drew a line between existing plays and Kabu. We had the opportunity of meeting Noh performer Katayama Yusetsu and his eldest son, Katayama Kiyoshi, both Noh performers of the Kanze school style. Katayama Yusetsu is designated as Important Intangible Cultural Asset holder and is highly appraised for his subtle and profound beauty in his Noh art.

Donning the Mask and Costume

When observing the masks, we notice that the expressions on the masks each had different expressions and expressed different ages. Yusetsu Katayama says that the power of the performer conveys through the masks. We actually tried the masks on. Nakata even tried putting on the costume, with the aid of the two. He tries standing, but cannot see. He can barely see through the eye holes and it is also hard to breathe. As we had visited the rehearsal stage, Nakata was granted the rare opportunity of learning some movements on the stage, a invaluable experience indeed, standing on Noh stage.

Noh is a Participating Art

Nakata found the courage to ask this question. ”Um, I don’t know how to actually watch Noh, as I don’t understand what’s being said…” Being thrown this question, Kiyoshi Katayama gave him this advice. ”In Noh there are always supporting actors on the stage called ”waki”. Why not imagine yourself on the stage yourself? Noh is a participating type of art. The stories are simple. It may seem hard in the beginning, but first, try imagining yourself as one of the characters on stage. That will convey something, for sure.” Mr. Katayama runs the ”Katayama family Nohgaku, Kyo Dance Preservation Trust” and strives to preserve the traditional art of Noh and Kyo dance. Nohgaku is an art that has been succeeded since the Muromachi period. The Noh performers in the ”present” will be mediating Noh to the future.

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