Kagurazaka Street Stage O-edo Tour 2017 will provide a large trans-generational audience with an accessible introduction to Japan’s diverse forms of traditional performing arts. As a festival connecting neighborhood and community, the event will also bring many people including overseas visitors into contact with Kagurazaka’s charms. It is set to be an enjoyable event for everyone, from those unfamiliar with traditional performing arts to the younger generation and foreigners.
For the Main Festival, an Edo-period lecture area will be replicated on a specially-built “Rakuza” stage in the grounds of Bishamonten Zenkoku-ji Temple, where performances of historical kodan tales and other traditional storytelling arts will take place. Other events include street performances along Kagurazaka’s main street, traditional parlor games and dancing by geisha at the neighborhood “kenban” geisha office, a stamp rally incorporating a nostalgic walk and historical guide, traditional performing arts that will take visitors back in time, and an evening concert of classical performing arts in Akagi-jinja Shrine’s Kagura performance hall. Experience the delights of Japanese culture to the full on the streets of Kagurazaka.
*For more details about “Eve,” please click here.
In the past, people got their information from lecture areas created in the grounds of shrines and temples. Once more this year, a stage made to resemble an old-style lecture area will be set up inside Bishamonten Zenkoku-ji Temple for the performance of traditional storytelling arts. Young, professional storytellers will recount historical kodan tales and more to the accompaniment of the biwa lute, in the joururi ballad style (gidayu-bushi), or as rokyoku narrative singing, painting a vivid picture of Kagurazaka’s delights. Even people new to traditional performing arts will enjoy these accessible performances.
Date/Time
Sunday, November 12, around 11:30 – 16:30
Venue
Special stage at Bishamonten Zenkoku-ji Temple
Admission
Free
Performers
Tamagawa Nanafuku (rokyoku), Tanabe Ginya (“Kodan” storytelling) with Koto (Japanese flute), Takemoto Kyonosuke with Kazu Tsuruzawa (gidayu-bushi), Tomoka Nagasu (Satsuma biwa)
Facilitator
Ishii Yokichi(owner of Sukeroku, a long-established footwear / bag / umbrella store in Kagurazaka)
Three live music spots will be set up along the streets, where you can stop and enjoy a variety of traditional performing arts. From musical units fusing the traditional and modern to performers keeping the spirit of Edo alive, these live performances will wow visitors of all ages with their breathtaking techniques and captivating virtuoso performances.
Date/Time
Sunday, November 12, around 12:10 — 16:30
Venue
3 places (in front of Shimakin restaurant, in front of Kagurazaka-ue crossing and in Park Luxe Kagurazaka pocket park).
Admission
Free
Performers
Miyama Mcqueen-Tokita (“Koto” Japanese harp) with Bruce Huebner (“Shakuhachi” Japanese flute), Kabuchokafuyugekkyo Gagakudan ensemble (“Gagaku” Japanese court music), Seshami Street Boys (Tsugaru Shamisen performance duo), Maruichi Senoh Troupe (Japanese traditional juggling and lion dance), Masaki Otawa (“Taiko” Japanese drum) with Iwata Takuya (“Shakuhachi” Japanese flute) and Kobayashi Mayuko (“Sou” Japanese harp), Kotokiki (“Fue” Japanese flute and Tsugaru shamisen), Mochizuki Harumi Troupe (Japanese percussions), Fujiyama Taiju (“Tezuma” sleight of hand), Kiba Daisuke (“Kokyu” Japanese fiddle), others
Kagurazaka is renowned for its atmospheric back alleys and side streets, with their cobblestones and black wooden walls and fences. If you take a wander around them, as if by chance you’ll come across a roving musical performance. The stylish-looking strolling performers from the troupe of shinnai-bushi Living National Treasure and Kagurazaka resident Wakasanojo Tsuruga will be performing their traditional shinnai-nagashi shamisen music around the streets of Kagurazaka again this year. Likewise, the immensely-popular iori-uta music of the Hikiyama Matsuri festival from the Johana area of Nanto City in Toyama Prefecture will be performed again this year by a young troupe parading through Kagurazaka’s streets. Iori-uta music, which is unique to the Johana area of Nanto, is derived from Edo hauta music. It has been passed down through the Hikiyama Matsuri festival, which boasts 300 years of tradition. As the musicians become one with the old-world look of the streets, the atmosphere of old Edo is brought back to life for a while.
[Shinnai-nagashi performance]
Date/Time
Sunday, November 12, around 12:30 — 13:00, around 14:00 — 14:30, around 15:30 —16:00
Venue
On the streets in Kagurazaka (starting from Jinai Park)
Admission
Free
Performers
Tsuruga Wakasanojo Shamisen troupe (Tsuruga Isekichi and others)
[Johana folk performance of iori-uta music]
Date/Time
Sunday, November 12, around 12:00 — 12:40, around 13:10 — 13:50, around 14:20 — 15:00
Venue
On the streets in Kagurazaka (Starting from Bishamonten Zenkoku-ji Temple)
Admission
Free
Performers
Houtetsu Kai (Johana iori-uta music troupe)
Ozashiki-asobi refers to the uniquely Japanese entertainment form of traditional parlor games played with geisha. After enjoying songs, shamisen and dancing by Kagurazaka’s geisha, visitors can experience playing “ozashiki games” together at the “Kenban”. This gateway to the world of the geisha is the geisha’s administrative office and training place, and usually closed to the public. Visitors including non-Japanesef will find this event accessible and easy to understand.
Date/Time
Sunday, November 12
Two performances at 13:00 — 14:00 and 14:30 — 15:30 (same program for both)
Venue
Kenban (The Tokyo Kagurazaka Association)
Performers
Geisha of Kagurazaka
Dancers: Chika, Eiko, Fukuko
Musicians: Mayumi (singer), Natsue and Sakurako (shamisen), Yumie (drums)
Admission
2,500 yen
*Reservation required (up to 40 persons per performance)
*Brochures in English and consecutive interpreting available on the day
Tickets go on sale from 10:00, Monday, October 2
For tickets, contact Confetti
http://www.confetti.web.com/ or TEL: 0120-240-540 (weekdays 10:00 — 18:00)
*Tickets are sold out.
Since the Edo period, Akagi Jinja Shrine has been renowned as a place to watch the sunset. In its fine modern Kagura hall, there will be an evocative classical-oriented performance of Edo-daikagura, shakuhachi, nagauta shamisen and hogaku-bayashi music. For the finale, performers and everyone involved in the festival will join the audience in bringing the event to a close.
Date/Time
Sunday, November 12, around 17:00 — 18:00
Venue
Akagi Jinja Shrine Kagura hall
Admission
Free
Performers
Maruichi Senoh troupe (Edo-daikagura traditional performing arts), Bruce Huebner (shakuhachi flutist), Riseki Tobaya ensemble (Nagauta shamisen) with Harumi Mochizuki ensemble (hogaku-bayashi music)
Facilitator
Cyril Coppini (French rakugo performer)
We will be holding a stamp rally taking you around seven historical places from the Edo, Meiji and Taisho periods. The course includes eight historical spots with expert guides to tell you about Kagurazaka’s past. In Shirogane Park, beyond the back alleys, there will be demonstrations of old-fashioned street performance like kami-shibai paper theater and Edo marionettes. Not just children but adults too will enjoy this trip down memory lane. An original, limited-edition commemorative Japanese hand towel will be given to participants who collect all seven stamps.
Date/Time
Sunday, November 12, 11:30 – 16:00 (stamps can be exchanged for towel gifts until 16:30. Quantities are limited)
Venue
7 stamp points around Kagurazaka
8 historical spots with guides
Shirogane Park
Admission
Free (rally maps with stamp sheets to be given out at each point)
Performers
Shibuya gagekidan troupe (Picture-story show), Mitsuru Kamijo (Edo marionette show)
*Programs are subject to change.
Kagurazaka Street Stage / O-edo Tour 2017 Office (inside Koten Kukan Office)
TEL: 03-5478-8265
Sunday, November 12 2017, 11:30 – 18:00
*No postponement for rain, except for stormy weather
