JAPAN FOUNDATION WORLDWIDE

The Japan Foundation, Bangkok, hosted Nishiki-e exhibition focusing on Yauksha-e (actor prints), started at recently opened Museum of Siam in Bangkok on December 8, 2008. At the opening ceremony of the exhibition, Kabuki dance and lecture-demonstration were performed.

Immediately after this event was announced, we were inundated with inquiries. Thus the first day gathered a large audience, old and young alike. The program started with “Sanbasou” (“Mai” dance) by Kotoji Bando, followed by a lecture of kabuki and nishiki-e, and demonstration of make-up and costume dressing unique to Kabuki. The audience gave a laugh when a lecturer explained that a small mouth was considered as sexy (in Edo Era), or that a woman with smooth, single-edged eyelids was considered as better-looking than the one with double-edged eyelids. The audience showed a great interest when it took two people to get a person dressed in kimono of a princess.

Next, two young actors came onto the stage and said, “We can dance Japanese classical dance to any kind of music. Today, we will show you how to dance Japanese classical dance while you remain seated.” Then they showed how to move their hands in easy-to-follow way, and the audience had fun (some were shyly) imitating the hands movement. When these two young actors danced Japanese classical dance to Thai pop music, both Japanese and Thai people were equally amazed.

The event was concluded with “Yoshino Yama (Mt.Yoshino),” one of the masterpieces of Kabuki dance. It was fascinatingly elegant, valiant, and at the same time marvelous and humorous, just like we were facing cherry trees in full blossom. It was truly spectacular, supported by the confidence of dancing technique. Everyone at the theater was absorbed by the professional skill that was demonstrated up close. This experience must have induced many people to hope to see full-length play of Kabuki. It was impressive that, after the event, not a few people went back to the exhibition to appreciate Nishiki-e of Kabuki actors and scenes.

The last time full-scale Kabuki performance was presented in Thailand was in 1996 when the Japan Foundation hosted the performance by Ennosuke Ichikawa. We hope we can invite such performance soon. (The Japan Foundation, the Japan Arts Council, and National Theatre of Japan co-hosted this project in Indonesia and Thailand in November through December 2008.)

From left: Koki Kanno (director of The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles) Kitaro, Archie Miyatake, Rumi Sakakibara, Suzuki Junichi (director), Shigeto Terasaka (producer) (c) The Japan Foundation

On January 29, 2009, The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles held a special screening and press conference of the documentary film TOYO’S CAMERA. This film was the grant recipient of the Japan Foundation’s 2008 Support Program for Film and TV Productions.

Japanese Americans are descendants of Japanese immigrants who first crossed the Pacific Ocean in the early 19th century. Currently, about 1.2 million Japanese Americans live in the United States. During World War II, most Japanese Americans living on the west coast were detained and forced to live in interment camps where life was difficult.

This documentary details the hardships, which many Japanese Americans endured during their time at the interment camp, through photographs taken by Toyo Miyatake. He was an Issei (first generation Japanese American) who worked as a photographer, and was able to smuggle a camera lens into the camp to capture the life of Japanese Americans who were forced into confinement behind barbed wired fences. The film was directed by Los Angeles-based director Junichi Suzuki, produced by Los Angeles-based Japanese TV station UTB, with music by Grammy Award winner Kitaro.

Press conference (c) The Japan Foundation

Director Junichi Suzuki, Archie Miyatake (Toyo Miyatake’s oldest son) and musician Kitaro attended the press conference. Guest included the Honorable Consul General Mr. Junichi Ihara of the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles, various leaders in the Japanese American community, and about 50 journalists. This documentary about Japanese Americans directed by a native Japanese director drew great interest among the guests. The Japan Foundation also promoted its various projects and activities at this event.

TOYO’S CAMERA will be screened in March of 2009 at select theatres in Santa Monica, downtown Los Angeles, Tokyo and Yokohama.

 

In the second half of 2008, The Japan Cultural Institute in Paris (Maison de la Culture du Japon A Paris: MCJP) hosted various events as part of “the 150th anniversary of Franco-Japanese relations.” From October 22 through the end of January 2009, the exhibition "WA: l'harmonie au quotidien - Design japonais d'aujourd'hui (The Spirit of Harmony and Japanese Design Today)” was held. Under the concept of “Wa,” approximately 160 Japanese product designs, most of them were produced after 2000, were introduced. Day-to-day theme and the variety of exhibited products attracted a large attendance and media coverage, and resulted in favorable reviews.

In the fields of music and theatrical art, in addition to events that were informed in the previous activity report, the following impressive performances were presented: a flute concert with Shigenori Kudo and Clement Dufour; Ryukyu dance performance; a concert with Jorg Widmann and Toshio Hosokawa, co-hosted by The Festival d'Automne; and “J-Dance 08” by Kaiji Moriyama and Shiro Daimon. Of course, MCJP kept hosting other programs such as film screenings, demonstration and lectures on Japanese cuisine, and introductory events of Japanese culture, as it does every year. These projects enlivened the 150th anniversary of Franco-Japanese relations.

In the first half of 2009, MCJP will cherish the interests in Japanese culture from wide range of people in France that were fostered by projects described above. In April, MCJP will host the Japan Foundation traveling exhibition “The Spirit of Budo” to introduce Japanese martial arts. In relation to this exhibition, there will be film screenings, lectures, symposium, demonstration and workshop on the theme of Bujutsu (battlefield combat techniques) and Budo (physical exercise). Projects on Manga and Anime are also planned. MCJP’s vision for 2009 is to promote the variety and fascinating factors of Japanese culture to wide range of people in France, as well as to provide a place for intellectual exchanges.