*As well as introducing works of art such as Katsushika Hokusai ukiyo-e paintings held by Sumida-ku, Tokyo, this event presented a glimpse of folk culture dating back to the Edo period, showcasing the enduring charm of the Sumida River waterside.
*By combining Japanese traditional performing arts such as Kouta, Bunraku, Rakugo, and Ohayashi with ukiyo-e, the initiative offered a new way of looking at these elements of performing arts and visual art and helped strengthen understanding of them.
*Performance format: Against a backdrop of images of 24 Katsushika Hokusai ukiyo-e prints and other works of art, two Bunraku puppets enacted the tragic love story of a young man and woman which once blossomed along the banks of the Sumida River.
The performance was split between music performed by two stage left Kouta performers who presented 21 songs, with narrative by a single stage right Rakugo storyteller. Offstage, three hayashi musicians produced sound effects with flutes, taiko drums, and other instruments.