Discover Noh in Kyoto

Tea ceremony and guided noh theatre visit: A Poet’s Dream

「西行の夢」

茶席と能楽鑑賞ツアー

Noh is sometimes called the ‘theatre of dreams’ because of the many layers of story-in-story that blur the boundaries between the performance and a dream. Today’s dream is of Saigyō, one of Japan’s greatest mediaeval poets.

Discover Noh in Kyoto invites you to experience this dreamy realm just around the corner from  the hustle and bustle of modern life, fusing two of the most symbolic art forms in Kyoto: chanoyu (tea ceremony) and noh theatre.

First, you will be invited to tea in a thatched-roofed house by a tea master who is also a descendant of the poet, in the location where Saigyō lived a millennium ago. After the tea ceremony, you will enjoy a  light lunch from a local restaurant serving authentically traditional food.

Then, while enjoying the picturesque scenery along the way, you will walk to a noh theatre  where you will enjoy the performance of the play Ugetsu by a master noh actor. Before you are ready to mingle among the theatre enthusiasts of Kyoto, our expert noh theatre guide will give a private pre-performance introduction to show you through the story and its background, while providing an introduction to the art form. 

This program will be provided in English and Japanese. *Noh performance will be in Japanese　このプログラムは日本語と英語で進行する予定です。＊能公演は日本語

夢か現か – 能舞台の上ではその境界を曖昧にする「夢」が上演されます。この朦朧とした感覚は幾重にも重なってできた物語が総じて「能」になるからでしょう。今回は日本中世有数の歌人・西行法師の「夢」を旅します。

この度、Discover Noh in Kyotoでは皆様に京都の街の喧騒と背中合わせにある この「あわい」の世界観を堪能していただく京都ならではの象徴的な文化の対話をキュレーションした茶の湯と能楽の体験をご用意しました。

まず、西行が住んでいたと言われる地の茅葺の屋根の下で茶人で西行の子孫でもある西行庵主人のお点前で一服いただき、お茶と和菓子の後はささやかな精進料理の軽食を楽しみます。そして、京都らしい風景を楽しみながら能楽堂（京都観世会館）まで散策します。

京都観世会館では名手の能楽師による能「雨月」を京都の能楽ファンの皆さんと楽しんでいただきますが、その前に、専門ガイドが参加者だけの為に本日の曲のあらすじや背景、およびアートとしての能の特性について解説します。

Date 日時

October 28 (Sat)  2023年10月28日(土) 

9:30 – 15:00

Schedule 当日の流れ

Meet at Saigyō-an　西行庵集合

9:30  – 10:30 Chanoyu tea experience at Saigyō-an tea room　西行庵茶室にて呈茶 

10:30 – 11:30 Light bento brunch (traditional vegetarian) ブランチ 仕出し弁当 (精進料理）

Walking tour to Kyoto Kanaze Noh Theater（aprox.20 min)京都観世会館まで徒歩 (約20分）

12:30 – 13:00 Pre-performance introduction to noh at にて開演前の解説

13:00 – 14:40 Noh play Ugetsu by Katayama Kuroemon　能楽鑑賞　片山定期能「雨月」片山九郎右衛門ほか

15:00 Conclusion　終了

Price 価格 45,000 yen per person (transportation fees not included　交通費は別途)

Capacity 定員 6 persons 

Application 申込方法

Peatix: https://dnk-ugetsu2023.peatix.com

Tea master 茶席担当

・Hanawa Chikuhō 花輪竹峯 

西行庵四代庵主、茶道西行庵円位流創始者

Fourth generation owner of the current Saigyō-an, Founder and head master of the Saigyō-an Enni School (tea, incense and poetry)

・Amae Dairiku 天江大陸

茶人、「陶々舎」主宰 Tea master, Founder of Tōtōsha 

About Saigyō-an 西行庵について

Saigyō-an and is situated at the foot of the eastern hills of Kyoto, where the twelfth century poet/monk Saigyō is said to have spent his last years. The venue consists of a lush green garden and two architecturally precious chashitsu tearooms. The current owner and tea master, Hanawa Chikuhō is the fourth generation. 

西行法師終焉の地として語り継がれる西行庵は、明治期に宮田小文より再興され、現在の円山公園の一角に佇む「市中の山居」です。四代庵主である花輪竹峯は、西行庵円位流を創始し、境内にてにて西行法師への献茶・献香し、浄妙庵（母屋）と皆如庵（礼拝堂兼茶室）にて釜をかけ、世界中のお客様にお茶と清らかなひと時を提供しています。

https://saigyo-an.com/

What is noh?　能とは？

Noh is a traditional performing art bringing together poetry, chant, dance, and music, as well as gorgeous costumes and masks. Originating in the 14th century, its repertory and stage conventions have been refined throughout history to reach today’s form. One of the key aesthetics of noh is the mysterious mix of simplicity and contrast that continues to baffle and inspire those who see it.

About the play Ugetsu 「雨月」について

Ugetsu is a story about the poet Saigyō and the deity of poetry Sumiyoshi Myōjin, who first appear in disguise as an elderly couple engaged in a poetic debate over their roof, regarding whether they should gaze at the moon from the crack on the eaves or cover it to listen to the rain. Their “debate” then takes the form of a half-finished poem, which then, Saigyō composes the missing half. Impressed by Saigyō’s ability to compose the poem, the couple welcome the poet in and he falls asleep. That night, a shaman possessed by the deity of Sumiyoshi delivers the deity’s blessings and celebrates the virtue of poetry with an elegant long dance.

雨月は歌人・西行法師と和歌の神様・住吉明神のお話です。西行が住吉で出会った老夫婦は実は住吉明神でした。破れた軒先を、月を見る為に残すか雨音を聴く為に覆うか、風流な問答をしているうちに和歌の下の句を思いつき、そこに西行が上の句をつけます。西行の和歌の才に感心した夫婦は西行を家に迎え入れ、やがて西行は眠りに落ちます。その夜、明神が憑依した巫の神人が現れ、西行法師に住吉明神の詔をつたえ、和歌の徳を讃えて静かな舞を舞います。

What is included:
Tea ceremony by tea master with green tea and sweets
Bento brunch (traditional vegetarian cuisine from Yaoji)
Walking tour from Saigyō-an to Kyoto Kanze Noh Theatre
Performance ticket
Fees for bilingual tea master and noh introduction

料金に含まれるもの：
西行庵亭主のお点前（薄茶と菓子）
弁当ブランチ（精進料理 矢尾治）
西行庵から京都観世会館までの街歩きツアー
公演チケット
日英両言語による茶席の司会と能楽解説

キャンセルの場合 Cancellation fees

50％ From Oct 14 to 5pm on Oct 27  二週間前から50％ 

100% After 5pm on Oct 27 当日100%

Please kindly note:
*Dress code: No dress code, but please wear or bring socks to wear in the tearoom. Also, please wear clothes that you feel comfortable in sitting on tatami mats.
*We plan to walk from Saigyō-an to the noh theatre (aprox. 20 min-walk). It is possible to take a taxi instead in the case of bad weather or other reasons. However, the taxi fare must be paid separately.

注意事項：
＊ドレスコードはありませんが、靴下か足袋をご着用もしくはご持参ください。また、畳に座るのに快適な服装でお越しください。
＊西行庵から能楽堂までは徒歩の予定（約20分）ですが、天候その他の事情よりタクシー等を利用する事も可能です。その際は別途タクシー代をご負担いただきます。