On March 24 (Fri), Discover Noh in Kyoto will hold its first hiking tour version of the Nōwhere Tours. After exploring the “stage” of the noh play Kagetsu,  Kiyomizu Temple, through the perspective of medieval performing art, we will hike in the hills behind the temple for about an hour and a half and go down to the Okazaki area and to the Kyoto Kanze Noh Theater where we will watch a performance of the play Kagetsu.

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.

*Must wear shoes compatible with mountain trails.

*In case of rain, we may decide not to take the hiking course and walk through the Gion-Maruyama area instead.

Meeting place: By the steps below the large gate of  Kiyomizu Temple (Kiyomizu-dera)  https://goo.gl/maps/FtVvYh1P9TAvXk5A7

15:00 Kiyomizu Temple

16:15 Hiking : Kyoto Circuit Trail

17:30 Shogunzuka Park

18:00 Arrive at theatre / breaktime

18:30 Pre-performance introduction

19:00 Performance of noh play Kagetsu (Japanese: https://hayashi-soichiro.jp/schedule/2233.html)

Kyoto Kanze Noh Theater (Kanze Kaikan) https://goo.gl/maps/fc2rx5EGGrJazvor9

Capacity: 15 

Continue reading “The Nōwhere Tours – HIKING – Kagetsu/Kiyomizu”

11:00 – January 29 (Sun) Guided walk with noh 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 January 29th, we will explore the tale of the legendary swordsmith, Sanjo “Kokaji” Munechika, through noh. The tour will start by visiting Honnoji Temple’s museum to learn about the cultural significance of swords. Then, we will walk through the Sanjo area which used to play a key role in Kyoto’s logistics. On the way, we will stop at local shops to get some tasty bites before visiting two shrines related to Munechika. Finally, we will arrive at Kyoto Kanze Noh Theater to watch an actual performance of the play.

Capacity

Continue reading “The Nōwhere Tours: Kokaji – Sanjo / Awataguchi”

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)

Continue reading “The Nōwhere Tours: Dōjōji – Myōmanji & Mask Carver’s Studio”

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

Event information:

Continue reading “Discover Noh in Kyoto: Pre-performance introduction to Tsuchigumo”

On November 4^th, 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.

Event information:

Place:

Kyoto Kanze Noh Theatre MAP

Date & Time:

November 4 (Fri) 2022

17:45 – 18:15 (Introduction and Q&A)

18:30 – (Performance will be about 70 – 80min)

Tickets: Students 1000 yen, Adults 2000 yen

Applications: https://forms.gle/1aCHr8wqd7VqnG4AA

*The introduction session is free

---

October 14^th (Fri) 15:00 -20:30

@ Kitano Tenmangu Shrine & Kyoto Kanze Noh Theater

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 14^th, 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.

---

Capacity:

Continue reading “The Nōwhere Tours: Raiden – 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.

Capacity

12 persons

Continue reading “The Nōwhere Tours – Kibune”