Dec 4 (Sun) 13:00 – Meeting place: Kokusaikaikan Station Exit 4-1 MAP
Temple & Mask carver’s studio visit
The NŌWHERE Tours are guided tours for both Kyoto residents and travelers in which we visit places or people related to nō plays and also enjoy performances or workshops.
On December 4, we will visit Myomanji Temple and mask carver ‘s studio in Iwakura, Kyoto. The mask workshop by Udaka Keiko will be a rare opportunity to see a variety of masks close-up, and learn how they are made and used. This time, we will have a special focus on Dōjōji, one of noh’s most well-know yet mysterious plays, which also holds an exceptional meaning to the actor. (The Dec 4 NŌWHERE Tour does not include a performance, but we can help you reserve one)
Still accepting applications! Walk-ins are also welcome as long as you arrive by 12:45.
On November 26th, Discover Noh in Kyoto will give a short English introduction to noh theatre and to the play Tsuchigumo at the Kongo Noh Theatre lobby (金剛能楽堂) prior to the performance by Kongo school actors Udaka Tatsushige and Norishige.
Tsuchigumo is about a legendary battle between the emperor’s warriors and an ancient tribe that lived in caves depicted as the “ground spiders.” We will discuss about the narrative of noh through this seemingly easy-to-understand story. We will also talk a little about noh’s dance so you can enjoy comparing the three dance parts taken from different plays before Tsuchigumo.
The performance is organized by Tenri Nōgaku Kyōshitsu
On November 4th, Discover Noh in Kyoto will give a short English introduction to noh theatre and its play Adachigahara at the Kanze Noh Theater’s 2F lobby (京都観世会館) prior to the performance.
Adachigahara features the contrasting personae of the main character, a humble yet compassionate old woman and a ferocious female oni (demon) who lives in the lonely moors of a northern province.
A shinto shrine visit with evening noh performance in theatre
The NŌWHERE Tours are guided tours for both Kyoto residents and travellers in which we visit places or people related to nō plays and also enjoy performances or workshops.
On October 14th, we will be going to Kitano Tenmangu Shrine where a miko 巫女(shrine maiden), will show us its main features. There, we will attend a formal praying ceremony inside the main hall, which is also an architectural masterpiece, to get a hands-on understanding of Japanese religion. The deity enshrined here is Sugawara Michizane, a Heian period courtier and literate, who has later been deified as a god of scholarship. Finally, we will move to Kyoto Kanze Kaikan, a noh theatre, where we will watch the noh play Raiden, telling the story of how the angry spirit was later appeased and enshrined as a deity in Kitano Tenmangu.
Sep 23 (Fri) 13:00 – Kibuneguchi Station (Eizan Line)
Walking tour with evening performance ticket
The NŌWHERE Tours are guided tours for both Kyoto residents and travelers in which we visit places or people related to nō plays and also enjoy performances or workshops.
On September 23, join us on a walking tour through the green valley north of the city to Kifune Shrine 貴船神社, stage to the noh play Kanawa 鉄輪. We will explore the historical and cultural background of the shrine and the play’s story before returning downtown to watch the play on stage at Ōe Nōgakudō 大江能楽堂, a wooden noh theatre built in 1908.
Noh workshop with dance & chant lesson for students in Ohara, Kyoto
Enjoy a hands-on noh experience in the beautiful village of Ohara, Kyoto with noh actor Miyamoto Shigeki. Discover Noh in Kyoto is looking for students who would like to attend a workshop with dance & chant lesson.
Visit Orinasukan, a noh costume maker’s museum & studioin the Nishijin neighborhood of Kyoto with Discover Noh in Kyoto! Explore noh through the gorgeous costume designs and witness how they are woven with hand-operated looms.
You can also choose to go out on a guided excursion to Heianjingu Shrine’s garden and a noh performance featuring a variety of costumes after visiting Orinasukan.
Enjoy a hands-on noh experience in the beautiful village of Ohara, Kyoto with noh actor Miyamoto Shigeki. Participants will take a lesson of choreographed movements and chanting on the actor’s private stage after a presentation by our guides.
We are looking for tour guides and interpreters/translators who are interested in learning how to introduce noh and expand their “repertoire.” This two-month training course will offer you a deep insight into Kyoto’s art, history and culture ingrained in noh. (Japanese language skills required).
University Students in Kyoto were invited to explore the nō play Kokaji, a story of the Inari Deity and the legendary swordsmith Munechika. Witness the rich tradition of nō, both on and off the stage, in Kyoto.
Noh is a Japanese classical performing art based on ancient tales and classical literature. In this documentary, we follow the trail of the legendary Japanese swordsmith Sanjo “Kokaji” Munechika to discover how he forged the famous Kogitsunemaru sword for the emperor. https://discovernohinkyoto.jp
Program 1: Nov 6 (Sat) 18:30- An introduction to noh with a focus on the noh play Kokaji and Kyoto by actors with an excerpt performance(admission fee: free)
Program 2:Nov 25 (Thu) 19:00- Full-scale noh performance of Kokaji (admission fee: ticket fee charged – details follow)
Program 3: Nov – Dec (six session dates) Visit sites related to Kokaji with other students and interpreter-guides and work together to create short pieces of documentary films (admission fee: free)
Discover Noh in Kyoto 