May 27, 2012, Television Program

Recently, I've been interviewed a lot on TV.

This time, the program I was interviewed for is a talk show hosted by a famous enka star, Sachiko Kobayashi.

For this program, well-known people in various fields choose someone they want to meet and have a productive conversation with. The program is one that can be enjoyed by adults.

The program was taped in my studio in Kagurazaka. It will be broadcast on one of the Japanese satellite channels. Please watch it.

Channel:  BS12 (TwellV)
Program:  Talk Rock
Date and time:  Sunday, May 27, 2012, 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Title of this program:  10th episode: Sachiko Kobayashi (singer) and Tsuruga Wakasanojo (shinnai joururi, Living National Treasure)

Upcoming Shinnai Events in Tokyo
Save these dates!

Sunday, August 5, 2012
Concert by the Shinnai Wakagi Kai
Tsuruga Isejiro and Her Students

Sunday, September 2, 2012
Tsuruga Wakasanojo Yukata Kai
Concert by the students of Tsuruga Wakasanojo XI
Place: Kagurazaka Theater (second floor of Ushigome Tansu Kumin Hall).

Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Concert by the Next Generation of Shinnai Professionals
Place: Kioi Hall

More information about these events will be posted here when available.
Please check this blog regularly.

March 28 Concert by the Next Generation of Shinnai Professionals

The Serious Struggles of Traditional Japanese Performance

We traditional performers have been worried for a long time about the future of traditional Japanese music, because all of the genres lack successors. The extent of the crisis regarding succession differs slightly depending on the genre, but for all genres, the crisis of the future is almost the same. I suppose that, right now, in all fields, all performers are worried about the future of their genre.

Each school is trying to come up with measures to resolve this crisis. Because of their feeling that there is an impending crisis, some individuals and some groups are working actively on this problem.

As a result, I believe, the government has become aware of the problem of succession, and has recognized that the decline of traditional Japanese entertainment is a grave matter. Therefore, there had been a plan to increase the budget for culture in the fiscal year that started April 2011.

However, soon after that budget was decided, the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster on March 11, 2011, caused an unprecedented national crisis. Naturally, a huge amount of the government's resources will be needed for the recovery and rebuilding of the devastated areas. In that case, it seems likely that the budget for culture will be the first to be cut. That is inevitable.

Even so, despite the restrictions on its budget, today's performance is being sponsored by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

The aim of today's event is to support the Shinnai Association's efforts to cultivate and train the next generation of shinnai performers. We at the Shinnai Association greatly appreciated the offer of support from the Agency for Cultural Affairs, and we made the training of the next generation of shinnai performers the central focus of this event.

Young people who are learning traditional arts from the previous generation of teachers and other performers, and who plan to pass them on to the next, always make an effort to master their art and improve their skills and to learn how to improve the traditional forms. They also attempt to adapt the traditional genres to entertainment suitable for modern tastes and to expand the shinnai fan base among young people. In addition to that, they are always working to improve their performance skills through continued training under the guidance of their teachers.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs has advised us that young performers should work together with experienced professionals so as to ensure the continuation of shinnai.

In today's performance, young professionals will demonstrate how they have progressed as a result of their efforts.

It is impossible to improve and master the skills involved in traditional entertainment in a short period of time. People's skills improve as the result of daily practice and their directing all their energy into their art.

Joruri performers train their voice and master a beautiful and charming tone; shamisen performers master their skill so that they can play any work. As these performers improve the skill of their voice and their hands, they begin to ascend to the level of profound art. In addition, as performers continue on their path toward a goal that is infinitely far away, they should enhance their human feelings and cultivate their sensibility.

Without skill, it is impossible to express the heart of a story, the feeling of a character or a scene, or the lyricism of a work. First of all, performers have to learn the skills needed for their art from an appreciation of tangible things and visible things, not just abstract ideas.

Our society tends to have a bad habit in which misunderstandings arise from theoretical disagreements.

Art is a struggle with oneself, not a competition with other people, so performers should not use their art as a way to make money. If a performer appears to be obsessed with self-advertisement or greed for success, the quality of that person's art will deteriorate. We should face our art with a pure mind.

As the saying goes, the arts truly express our humanity. Not only young performers, but experienced ones should know this.

I wish that all performers would, through their art, walk on their own path of training, with the goal of improving their skill in their art.

In order to ensure the continuation of our art, all the members of the Shinnai Association, both new and established performers, should make an effort to work together to address the goal of improving their skill in our art.

I sincerely hope that you will love shinnai forever.

Tsuruga Wakasanojo
Chairman, Shinnai Association

 

The performers encourage children of all ages to attend this performance. The program includes the following: Japanese Dance   Introduction to traditional Japanese dance   Introduction to Japanese culture: in Japanese and English Japanese Music   Special lecture by Tsuruga Wakasanojo   Introduction to traditional instruments: shamisen, Japanese drums Tsuruga Wakasanojo's shinnai setting of Misuzu Kaneko's well-known poem, Tsumotta Yuki, with dance choreographed by Hanayagi Kihi Shinnai Kodakara Sanbaso   Joruri: Tsuruga Wakasanojo   Dance: Hanayagi Kihi   Shamisen: Tsuruga Isejiro Date: Monday, March 26, 2012 Time: 2:30 p.m. (doors open 2 p.m.) Place: 5th floor, Create Hall, Hachioji City Address: Higashi-cho 5-6, Hachioji City Access: 5 minutes' walk from JR Hachioji station, North Exit Seats are not reserved. Tickets are free, but please request them in advance by fax. Fax your name, address, a contact phone number, and the number of tickets you want to: 03-3851-7869 Students should give the name of their school. For further information, contact: Hanayagi Kihi Traditional Japanese Dance Studio Phone: 090-4367-7000

A Message from Tsuruga Wakasanojo
(From the program notes for the February 26, 2012, student concert)

The cold weather this winter reminds me of how cold it used to be in the past.

Last year, I performed with the Kuruma Ningyo Troupe in the three Baltic countries, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Japanese people are not familiar with those countries, and so it is hard for us to imagine it looks like there. I was impressed by the beautiful, peaceful atmosphere of the historic town centers. People there were interested in and understood other cultures, and were very kind. Also, they seemed shy. Unexpectedly, I found that we got along well.

This year, too, I have been invited to perform overseas. I will report on that at some future time.

For passing our art on to the next generation, an important part of the training of new professionals is giving them opportunities to perform in front of an audience.

Joruri Performers:
Three new shinnai professionals, including Tsuruga Isejiro
Tsuruga Wakasanojo XI will also perform, accompanied by Shinnai Nakasaburo (Living National Treasure)

Program: 5 shinnai works

Date: Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Time: 6:30 p.m. (doors open 6 p.m.)
Place: Small Hall (5F) at Kioi Hall (across the street from the Hotel New Otani)

Tickets: 2,000 yen
Seats are not reserved.

Tickets can be purchased at the hall on the day of the event.
To purchase tickets in advance, contact Kioi Hall ticket center, 03-3237-0061 (closed Sundays and holidays)

For information, contact:
Shinnai Association (Tsuruga Wakasanojo XI)
Tel/fax: 03-3260-1804
e-mail:  tsuruga11@nifty.com

This program is presented with cooperation from the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

Upcoming Shinnai Events in Tokyo
Save these dates!

Saturday, May 5, 2012
Tsuruga Wakasanojo XI and others
Place: National Theater, Large Hall
Program: Toribeyama Shinju and other works

Sunday, August 5, 2012
Concert by the Shinnai Wakagi Kai
Tsuruga Isejiro and Her Students

Sunday, September 2, 2012
Tsuruga Wakasanojo Yukata Kai
Concert by the students of Tsuruga Wakasanojo XI
Place: Kagurazaka Theater (second floor of Ushigome Tansu Kumin Hall).

More information about these events will be posted here when available.
Please check this blog regularly.

Date: Sunday, February 26

Time: Doors open 12:30 p.m.

      Performance starts 1 p.m.

      Performance ends approximately 7:30 p.m.

 

Place: Akagi Shrine, Kagurazaka, B1 floor.

Access: Akagi Shrine is about 1 minute walk from Exit 1 of Kagurazaka station on the Tozai subway line. When you get to the street level from the station, turn left and, at the next corner, turn left again, and continue on that small street. Akagi Shrine is directly ahead of you at the end of the street.

 

Performers: Students of Tsuruga Wakasanojo XI

Special Guest Performer: Hanayagi Kihi (traditional Japanese dancer)

 

If you live, work, or are a student in Shinjuku-ku, or if you have seen this blog's notice of this event, you can get in for free. Please explain that to the people at the reception desk at the performance site.

Date: Friday, January 27, 2012

Time: 10:15 p.m. to 10:58 p.m.

Channel: NHK-E (Educational TV, Channel 2)

 

Program: "Try a Taste of Shinnai"

Selections from two classic shinnai works:

-       Ran'cho

-       Akegarasu Yume Awayuki

 

Performers:

Joruri: Tsuruga Wakasanojo XI

Shamisen: Shinnai Nakasaburo

Uwajoshi: Tsuruga Ise'ichiro

 

Message from Tsuruga Wakasanojo XI:

 

The cold weather is continuing every day. How have you been spending time this new year?

The world is changing quickly. I can't predict what is going to happen in the world in such times. When I started in shinnai, there were also many problems in the world.

It's been quite a while since I have performed on NHK TV.

This program was taped on January 12. After that, I could finally relax and enjoy the New Year.

If you have time, please watch the program on January 27.

From the Program of Recital December 18, 2011

There are only two weeks left in this year, which has been an ordeal for Japan. During the national crises, I was in foreign countries, in order to perform shinnai.

I went to Poland in March, just after the great earthquake and tsunami hit the Tohoku area, when conditions in Japan were especially hard. In October, I went to the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in order to perform shinnai.

In Poland, I performed four shinnai works: Ran'cho, two numbers with traditional Japanese dance, and Kumo no Ito. I will be performing the latter work here today.

In Krakow, we Japanese performers received a generous donation from the audience for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami disasters. The members of the audience gave cordially and with full hearts for this cause. When I returned to Japan, I took their donation to one of the Japanese newspaper companies.

In the Baltic countries, I performed two works together with the Hachioji Kuruma Ningyo puppet troupe: Yaoya Ohichi and Sakura Giminden no Jinbei no Watashi.

In these two trips to four countries, every performance was a great success, and we were welcomed warmly. The members of the audience seemed to have a good understanding of our traditional Japanese entertainment. They were impressed by our performance. On the other hand, we were impressed to receive endless applause and standing ovations.

I am convinced that friendship through the diplomacy of entertainment cultivates a natural understanding between countries, and establishes warm relations and a bond between people through the ties of friendship.

I have been thinking that, as a representative of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, I could take the role of introducing Japanese culture and be a diplomat for peace.

By now, I have performed shinnai in more than fifty cities in over thirty countries. From the start, I've enjoyed performing overseas and visiting other countries. I'm always delighted to visit foreign countries. I've never felt uncomfortable overseas.

I want to take care of my health so that I can introduce shinnai and other Japanese traditional forms of entertainment to many people, continue working for international good will, and cultivate friendships through sharing wonderful experiences with many people.

Also in 2011, I presented events for children at more than ten schools in Japan. This too was sponsored by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. These events were arranged so that children, who are the next generation, could experience high quality traditional Japanese culture.

Among the schools I visited was an elementary school that is going to be closed at the end of the school year (March, 2012), and a school that was damaged by the March 2011 earthquake.

This project is excellent for children who, as the next generation, will be carrying out an important role in Japanese society, and for the popularization of shinnai as one form of traditional Japanese entertainment.

However, sadly, I've heard that the budget allotted by the government for cultural activities is getting smaller and smaller each year. It's deplorable that the budget for cultural projects is one of the first to be reduced when the economy is bad.

It is said that people get satisfaction from material things, but that their spirit gets satisfaction from immaterial things. For human beings, both are necessary.

Today, I am concluding my professional activities for 2011 by performing traditional Japanese entertainment. The first work that I will perform today is Kumo no Ito, which I also performed in Poland. The story on which this work is based was written for children by Ryunosuke Akutagawa; it is included in the textbooks used in elementary schools in Japan. When I adapted this short story for shinnai, I especially hoped that children would appreciate it. All the artists who are performing this work with me contributed to the stage adaptation.

The second work is based on the classic story, Ishikawa Goemon. That work has three parts, but today, I will be performing only two of them: Mamako Zeme and Otaki Goroshi. I'm planning to perform the third part, Kamairi no Dan, in a future recital.

Some people think of the shinnai genre as consisting primarily of light music, but I disagree. I hope that you understand that there are various kinds of joruri.

I wonder how Japan and the rest of the world will change from now on. I do not want the dawn to be dark.

I hope that my personal situation will be all right, regardless of the situation in the world.

Best wishes for a Happy New Year.

Thank you for coming to our performance today, even though this is a busy time of the year for everyone.

A Year of Natural and Man-Made Disasters
Comments from the program of a Shinnai Association-sponsored concert December 4, 2011

There is only one month left in 2011. I would like to extend my deepest thanks to all of you who love shinnai and provide great support to our shinnai events.

This was a difficult year. For those of us who dedicate ourselves to studying the traditional art of shinnai, our life depends on trends in the world.

This year was the first time since World War II that Japan has suffered so much.

Needless to say, the great earthquake and tsunami natural disasters that hit East Japan resulted in many victims and immeasurable losses. The surviving victims will bear lasting scars.

After those disasters, heavy rains drenched the same area. Many people died, and others lost property in the resulting floods. Thus, the area suffered further severe damage.

These natural disasters, together with the man-made nuclear plant accident which polluted the air with radiation, plunged the country into a financial crisis. Japan's ratio of public debt to gross domestic product is the highest among industrialized nations. What to do about the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP). And so on.

There are now many problems in the world, such as the sudden appreciation of the yen as a result of the financial crisis in European countries. Everywhere in the world, there are problems, including relations with China and North Korea, and the uprisings of the Arab Spring.

Like many other countries, Japan has a financial crisis. It's not surprising that the country is on a dangerous course.

I cannot predict what is going to happen.

I cannot imagine what next year will be like, or our future after that... We might return to the way Japan was after World War II.

We who love our art and strive to progress in our field cannot be unconcerned about what is going on in the world, but even so, we want to continue to perform in front of audiences and continue to improve our skills, with good health in body and spirit, detached from current events.

Thank you for coming to our performance today, even though you are surely busy.

Please spend the rest of the year with good cheer and a positive spirit. Best wishes for the New Year.

Tsuruga Wakasanojo
President, Shinnai Association

Tsuruga Wakasanojo Shinnai Recital
Heaven and Hell

Date: Sunday, December 18, 2011
Time: 4:00 p.m. (doors open 3:30)
Place: Kioi Hall (Across the street from the New Otani Hotel)

Tickets: 5,000 yen
Seats are not reserved.

Tickets can be purchased at the hall on the day of the event.
To purchase tickets in advance, contact Kioi Hall ticket center, 03-3237-0061 (closed Sundays and holidays)

Program

First part:
Kumo no Ito
(The Spider's Thread)
Shinnai setting by Tsuruga Wakasanojo of a short story by Ryunosuke Akutagawa
Adaptation and production by Tsuruga Wakasanojo

Performers:
Dancers: Fujima Ninsho, Hanayagi Kihi
Shinnai Joururi: Tsuruga Wakasanojo
Shamisen: Tsuruga Isejiro
Other performers: drums, Japanese flute, shakuhachi

Second part:
Kamaga Fuchi Futatsu Domo'e (Ishikawa Goemon)
Shinnai setting of a well-known tale about Ishikawa Goemon, a legendary 16th century outlaw hero.

Performers:
Shinnai Joururi: Tsuruga Wakasanojo
Shamisen: Tsuruga Isejiro, Tsuruga Iseki

For information, contact:
Tsuruga Wakasanojo XI
Tel/fax: 03-3260-1804
e-mail: tsuruga11@nifty.com

The Second Shinjuku Traditional Performing Arts Festival - Lively, Brilliant Harvest Festival

Date: Saturday, November 26, 2011
Time: 1:00 p.m. (doors open 12:30)
Place: Kagurazaka Theater (second floor of Ushigome Tansu Kumin Hall).

Access: 1 minute walk from Exit A1 of the Ushigome Kagurazaka station on the Oedo line. When you exit from the ticket gates, turn right. At the street level, turn right, and you will be next to the entrance of the building where the concert will be held.

Tickets (sold at the door):
Regular admission:  300 yen
Junior high school students and younger: Free
Seats are not reserved.

 

 

 Program

First part:
* Scene of Miwano Kamisugi
Performers: Hagiwara Troupe's Sato Kagura (Intangible folk cultural property of Shinjuku-ku)

* Tori Bayashi
Performers: Totsuka Bayashi (Intangible folk cultural property of Shinjuku-ku)

* Lion Dance and Japanese Traditional Juggling
Performers: Edo Daikagura, Maruichi Seno Troupe

Second part:
* Okyo no Yurei Banshu no Utage (A Late Autumn Party with the Ghost of Okyo)
Shinnai composition and lyrics (based on a rakugo story): Tsuruga Wakasanojo
Choreography: Hanayagi Kihi

Performers:
  Joururi: Tsuruga Wakasanojo XI
  Shamisen: Tsuruga Isejiro, Tsuruga Iseki
  Puppetry: Hachioji Kuruma Ningyo Troupe: Nishikawa Koryu V and others
  Dance: Hanayagi Kihi

For information, contact:
  Shinjuku Historical Museum
  Tel: 03-3359-2131
  Fax: 03-3359-5036
  Web page (in Japanese): http://www.regasu-shinjuku.or.jp/?p=7224

 

 

A Concert to Promote the Spread of Traditional Japanese Performing Arts

Listen to Japanese music!
Look at Japanese dance!

Date:September 19 (Monday), 2011 (national holiday)
Time:6:00 p.m.
Place: Kagurazaka Theater (2^nd floor of Ushigome Tansu Kumin Hall).
Access: 1 minute walk from the Ushigome Kagurazaka station on the Oedo line. When you exit from the ticket gates, turn right. At the street
level, turn right, and you will be next to the entrance of the building
where the concert will be held.

Tickets (sold at the door):
Regular admission:5,000 yen
Students and those 65 years old and over: 2,500 yen
Seats are not reserved.

 

The program includes naga'uta, kiyomoto (2 numbers), and shinnai.
The shinnai work is Tsuruga Wakasanojo XI's recent setting of "The
Spider's Thread". It is based on a short story by that title by the
famous Japanese short-story writer, Ryunosuke Akutagawa. The performance
includes Japanese drums and traditional dance, as well as shinnai.

For information, contact the Traditional Music Association Office:
Tel/Fax:03-3363-2446
e-mail:jinsyo.f@nifty.com
postal mail: Kami-Ochiai 2-10-2, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 161-0034

Second Concert by the Shinnai Wakagi Kai
Tsuruga Isejiro and Her Students

Date:  July 3 (Sunday), 2011
Time:  Doors open 12:30 p.m.; concert starts 1 p.m.
Place:  B1 Floor, Sanshuden Building, Akagi Shrine, Kagurazaka
Access:  1 minute walk from the Kagurazaka exit (exit 1) of the Kagurazaka station on the Tozai line
Tickets (sold at the door): 1,000 yen

The program also includes:
Comments by Tsuruga Wakasanojo XI (11th iemoto of Tsuruga school; Living National Treasure)
Special guest:  Rakugo performer Shunpuu'tei Ichinosuke'en
Final work:  Tsumatta Yuki: a dance
Lyrics: Kaneko Misuzu
Music by Tsuruga Wakasanojo XI
Joururi performed by Tsuruga Isejiro.
Choreographed and danced by Hanayagi Kihi

  

For further information, please contact:
Tsuruga Isejiro
090-5390-2447
isejiro@shinnai.jp

 

Thoughts About This Charity Performance for the Benefit of Victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

By Tsuruga Wakasanojo XI, Chairman, Shinnai Association

I would like to express my deepest condolences to the people who lost their lives or are missing as a result of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. Also, I would like to express my sincere sympathies to the people who are suffering because of those disasters.

In the afternoon of March 11, there were simultaneously a massive earthquake, a giant tsunami, and the start of problems at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. This was unprecedented. It was the dawn of a national crisis. It's said that disasters hit us suddenly, when we have forgotten previous disasters. However, although we had been somewhat prepared, the scale of the damage from the disasters was so great that it vastly exceeded our expectations.

Human beings cannot know the full power of the natural world. We have to realize that we are born in the natural world and we live in that world. We should have great respect for the natural world. We human beings may have been arrogant in our relationship with the natural world because of the development of civilization. It's important that we analyze this latest natural disaster wisely and carefully, and bring our experience to bear.

Earthquakes are caused by movements within the earth, so they are impossible to prevent. Tsunami, too, are inevitable. However, because we have data on past tsunami, it is possible to lessen the damage from tsunami to some degree by proper preparations.

On the other hand, even though we were not able to prevent serious damage from the nuclear power plant disaster, we shouldn't say that what occurred there was beyond our expectations. We can understand why this is so by reading books about nuclear power plant safety. The accident at the Fukushima nuclear power station was caused mostly by human beings.

The response to the nuclear accident by the government and the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has been criticized. Their lack of understanding of the prediction that an accident might occur was extremely irresponsible and inadequate.

Damage from the radiation from this accident will affect not only the people living in that area, but also the future prosperity of all of Japan. The Japanese people should be aware that we have had a delusion that we can live in comfort and wealth because of this country's plentiful resources. Now we have to reduce waste and live modestly without excessive desires. We also have to grapple with problems such as the deterioration of the economy and an inadequate amount of electric power. We should be satisfied with what we have.

Right after the disaster, the Shinnai Association donated one million yen through NHK. From now on also, we, as entertainers, will make an effort to do what is really needed. I'm sure that each of the members of the Shinnai Association will, in his/her own way, support efforts for the recovery from the disaster in the affected area. It seems likely that this crisis is gradually going to affect all the people of Japan.

I have great sympathy for the victims of the disaster. I am at a loss for words to console them when I learn about their misery. The Japanese people have to hope and dream, to make every effort to face the problems of recovery, and to change from disaster to happiness. That is our mission and responsibility. I think that the people of this historical country will exercise their wonderful wisdom and effort with great pride and strong power. I hope that will enable us to restore the Japanese people's traditional virtues.

I had considered canceling today's performance because of the current crisis, but instead, I decided to hold the performance as a charity event.

I hope that you will understand and cooperate. Thank you for coming to our performance today.

June 5, 2011 13:00

A concert of classical shinnai works by two of the most famous early shinnai joururi performers, Tsuruga Wakasanojo I and Fujimatsu Rochu, will be held on June 5.

The concert is in two parts. The works in Part I are by Fujimatsu Rochu, and in Part II, by Tsuruga Wakasanojo I.

The performers will be the iemoto of various schools of shinnai.

Tsuruga Wakasanojo XI will perform the final number in Part II, accompanied on the shamisen by Shinnai Nakasaburo (Living National Treasure) and Tsuruga Isejiro.

Date: Sunday, June 5, 2011
First part starts at 1 p.m. (doors open at 12:30 p.m.).
Second part starts at 4 p.m. (doors open at 3:30 p.m.).

Tickets are 5,000 yen.
Seats are not reserved.

Kioi Hall is across the street from the New Otani Hotel.

Tickets can be purchased at the hall on the day of the event.
To purchase tickets in advance, please contact the Kioi Hall ticket center, 03-3237-0061.

Inquiries to:
Shinnai Association, Tsuruga Wakasanojo XI, Chairman.
Tel/fax: 03-3260-1804
e-mail: tsuruga11@nifty.com

I am Tsuruga Isejiro. I want to introduce myself a little for people who don't know me. I am a student (deshi) of Tsuruga Wakasanojo shishou whose web site this is, and a shinnai performer. My shishou has written a four-part essay in this blog about the performance in Poland and the disasters in Japan.

I went to Poland with him. The trip impressed me deeply. It was an unforgettable experience. In that context, I want to write first about Auschwitz.

I didn't know many details about the extremely cruel history of Auschwitz, but my shishou insisted on going there. I was interested, but I hesitated to go because I knew that I would be easily moved by going to such a place. When I was a teenager, I went to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, and I remember that for a while after that, I had nightmares.

When we arrived at Auschwitz by bus, it was already 3 p.m. There were few tourists there. We were introduced to our guide, Nakatani-san, and all of us started to follow him.

I was tense. I wondered why Nakatani-san, a Japanese, was working there as a guide. It seemed like a trivial thing for me to be thinking about. Nakatani-san must have been in his mid-forties. That's about the same generation as me, so for sure he didn't experience World War II. Why would he go so far from Japan, to a strange country, and especially to Auschwitz.... Why was he there?

We saw a group of junior high school students. Nakatani-san told us that they looked Jewish. Their great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers were killed in Auschwitz. This place is their grave, too.

It was very difficult to see all of the concentration camp in one day because it is very big. Nakatani-san chose the places that we would see. Because my shishou has already described it in his diary in this blog, you probably already have a clear image of it, and I won't go into detail.

Nakatani-san's explanations were easy to understand, and not opinionated. He spoke very calmly, and did not describe his personal situation. He simply described the facts, from beginning to end. But, in his calm presentation, I could feel his very serious view about this place and its history.

Nakatani-san explained the historical involvement of Germany, Russia, and other countries in Europe, Japan, and the Jews. He spoke only the truth. Why did people, and why did one country do such extremely cruel things? Nakatani-san must have studied very hard. I've continued to speculate about that. Some guides give their own opinions heatedly, but because of Nakatani-san's calm presentation, I could walk cool-headedly behind him to the end of the tour.

I was scared that I'd be tortured by the huge number of ghosts in this place, but, to the contrary, now I want to study history more. I've become brave enough to continue to think about it without being scared. I talked with Nakatani-san about that. He answered, "Many types of people come here. At a minimum, I become energized here."

I didn't ask Nakatani-san why he went to Auschwitz to be a guide. If I ever have a chance to see him again, I'd like to try to ask that question.

If you go to Auschwitz, I recommend that you use Nakatani-san as a guide!! I've heard that he is so famous that he is mentioned in a very popular guidebook, Chikyu no Arukikata (How to Walk on the Earth).

If many people visit Auschwitz, maybe that will purge the bad spirits from the place.

	On the right, Nakatani-san, our guide
	Over the famous gate to Auschwitz, "ARBEIT MACHT FREI" (If you work, you will become free). It was the Nazi's deception.

 

 

"The Massive Disaster in Japan and Performing in Poland"
Fourth part

By the time I was writing this fourth part, I'd returned to Japan and recovered from jet lag.

I am still thinking seriously about what I can do for the victims of the great disaster, and what kind of action I should take. Both the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Japan Council of Performers' Organizations have called for support for the relief of disaster victims.

I too have said that I want to participate actively in that. I want to express my condolences to the families of those who died in the disaster and pray for the souls of those who died. As soon as possible, I want to support the reconstruction of the disaster area, and provide relief and comfort to the many victims. I'm thinking about starting such a plan together with artists from various genres.

There are serious problems now all over the world, and people in many places are suffering. People are materially and morally exhausted. Japan is facing something of an economic crisis. But most Japanese people think of Japan as a peaceful and stable country.

Many Japanese people are not satisfied with their daily lives. They want this, they want that. They want others to do this for them, to do that for them. They complain constantly and have endless desires.

It was in this social context that the massive earthquake and tsunami disaster occurred. I hope that, with their ability, Japanese will reconstruct the affected area, little by little.

But the situation in that area continues to be very serious, because of the nuclear power plant accident that happened at the same time.

From now on, it's impossible for Japanese to lead a life of luxury. The economy is getting worse, and there are shortages of resources, including water, which is the basis of our life. Electricity, gas, and food cannot be supplied in sufficient amounts. Japanese people will be forced to lead a lifestyle of economizing and forbearance.

In this very difficult situation, which is like wartime, how will the people of Japan react? How will they survive? It is not other people's problem. It is our problem as well.

I too must reflect about this. Now that the earthquakes and tsunami are over, I think that people in Japan should re-evaluate their lifestyle. We should re-examine our attitudes. This is a critical national emergency, in my opinion. Japan is suffering. Japan is sad.

In the past in Japan, people used to have the spirit exemplified in the saying, "Even if we lack many things, we should be satisfied". To say this another way, people nowadays want to have more and more, and are never satisfied. People don't feel satisfaction, and are only interested in their own desires. People are always striving for an ever more comfortable life. For a feeling of satisfaction. People who don't know satisfaction cannot be happy. Their hearts are poor, tough, and pitiful. They are poor in spirit, have a difficult life, and are pitiful.

Let's learn how to be satisfied. Let's cooperate with an appreciative spirit. Let's continue to live with a rich spirit, and let's keep the light of hope in our hearts. Shouldn't we change our spirit, and go forward together to a new world? Let's live more cheerfully.

We cannot guess how much damage will result from now on as a result of the disasters, including the nuclear reactor accident. Hard times is coming for suffering Japan.

Together, let's stand up to that challenge with Japanese people's wisdom, effort, courage, thoughtfulness, kindness, diligence, sincerity, team spirit, patience, and so on, with a display of Japanese grace. Japanese people are excellent. Let's use the opportunity of this disaster to recapture Japanese people's grace. Japanese never give up. As soon as possible, let's achieve the recovery. Japanese are never defeated.

Finally, in connection with the performance in Poland, I want to express my gratitude to the Japanese Ambassador and the staff of the Japanese Embassy in Poland; Ms. Bogna Dziechciaruk-Maj, Director of the Museum of Japanese Art Manggha; our interpreter, Viola-san; the American Consul and his wife; and to Matsuzaki-san and the other staff who took care of us throughout our stay and helped with the performance; and to the President of ID, Funakoshi-san, and to the Chief Operating Officer of Sumi Company, Nakayama-san, who sponsored the performance. To them, and to everyone else who helped us, I express my deep appreciation. Thank you very much.

 

 

"The Massive Disaster in Japan and Performing in Poland"
Third part

The Director of the Manggha Museum and her staff decided to set up a donation box to raise funds for the victims of the great disasters in Japan. Approximately 300,000 yen (more than US$3,600) was collected. Most of the members of the audience were university students and young people, so it was especially meaningful that they gave so much. Can you imagine such warm kindness? It was heartwarming.

After our encore, speaking as a representative of Japan, I thanked the audience in Japanese. Holding their money in my hands, I promised that I would deliver their generous donation to the affected area or to a relief organization.

I also promised that, after Japan recovered from the disaster, I would go back to Krakow in order to give a performance as my way of thanking them. They gave me a big round of applause. I vowed in my heart that absolutely I would go back...

	Receiving the donation from the Director of the Manggha Museum
	Signing the receipt for the audience's donation
	On stage at Manggha Centre

 

The previous evening, our group was invited to a reception at the residence of the American consul. The wife of the Consul was eager to have us Japanese for dinner, and we all went.

The Consul's wife had originally planned to have only the eight of us who had come from Japan. But because important people in Krakow knew about the terrible disaster in Japan, more than fifty people gathered.

The American Consul spoke about the current situation in Japan as a result of the disaster, saying, "Let's support the revival of Japan." He also asked the guests to make donations.

To show our appreciation, we performed shinnai, and also Japanese traditional dance and shakuhachi music. I gave a brief speech, thanking them.

All the countries in the world have offered support, but especially many Poles love Japan, and were deeply concerned about the great disaster. While I was in Poland, I could feel their anxiety.

	With the American Consul and his wife in Krakow
	Charity party at the American Consulate in Krakow
	In the American Consulate in Krakow

 

We'll never forget these impressive experiences in Krakow.

After the rehearsal, we returned from the hall to our hotel. When we got to the hotel, we started to pay the taxi driver. The driver, who was probably in his forties, said to us, "Japan has had a big disaster. The fare isn't much, but anyway you don't have to pay me. Please make every effort to restore your country."

I was speechless. I was astonished. I was moved. One of the women in our group cried. What a warm heart! This wasn't an ordinary thing to do. I don't know if I could do what he did if I were in his situation. I don't know if I could express my feelings by giving a donation like that.

After we thanked the driver and got out of the cab, I was thinking about the driver's warm heart. At the same time, I felt somewhat embarrassed.

A result of this experience was that my view of life changed a little. This beautiful experience remains alive in my heart.

(continued in the fourth installment)

 

 

"The Massive Disaster in Japan and Performing in Poland"
Second part

Krakow is 300 kilometers south of Warsaw. It's an ancient city, similar to Kyoto.

Soon after we arrived at our hotel, we went by car to Auschwitz. Before this trip to Poland, I had asked especially to have a chance to see Auschwitz.

At Auschwitz, we saw that, even now, buildings where the genocide occurred are still standing. This was the location of the worst tragedy of the twentieth century, in which innocent Jews and Poles were arrested and taken to be killed in the gas chambers. People were packed into cattle cars on trains, not knowing where they were going.

The mournful railroad tracks are still there. This place was the terminus for the train and for the lives of those people, too. Most of them went directly from the train to the gas chambers. Cute, innocent little children, too....

On display in the concentration camp buildings are many belongings of the prisoners. Plain wooden beds in a building like a stable, simple toilets in a row, torture chambers, gas chambers, a barbed wire fence, guard towers--even now, the hellish atmosphere of these buildings was hair-raising.

Why did human being do such terrible, evil things? Their actions were too unreasonable, too cruel. For what kind of purpose could God have allowed such actions? From the beginning of time, people have committee atrocities such as these.

We went back to our hotel in Krakow with mournful expressions.

In Auschwitz

 

In Japan, there had been a tremendous amount of destruction, and we were relieved to hear the news that the Krakow performance could be held. As I had expected, the performance would be held as a charity event.

Every day, there was news about the massive earthquake and tsunami disasters in Japan. Our group's visit was also written up in the newspapers, featured on television, and so on, and, in addition, I was interviewed by TV and newspaper reporters.

As a result of this coverage, when the day of the concert arrived, many people rushed to the hall, and the place was full.

The performance was held at the Manggha Centre of Japanese Art and Technology, which was designed in 1987 by a Japanese architect named Arata Isozaki for the purpose of introducing Japanese art and technology. "Manga" was the title of a series of ukiyoe sketches by Hokusai. "Manggha", a transliteration into Polish of the Japanese word, was the pseudonym adopted by a wealthy collector of Japanese art in the early 20th century.

At Manggha Museum, we could understand how deeply Poles are interested in Japan.

The organizing theme for the concert was "the beauty of Japanese traditional music and dance".

I was the head of the group visiting from Japan and performed shinnai joururi (narrative song). Tsuruga Isejiro and Shinnai Katsushizu played shamisen. Traditional dance was performed by the deputy head of our delegation, Fujima Jinsho, and by Hanayagi Kihi. Tomimoto Seiei played koto; the shakuhachi player was Yoshioka Tatsumi. Tou'sha Akane performed on traditional Japanese drums called ko'tsuzumi and o'tsuzumi. Our group was a total of eight people.

The four works we performed were: Ran'cho, a shinnai su joururi work; Yuki, a dance number with shinnai music, danced by Hanayagi Kihi; Banzai, a ji'uta work danced by Fujima Jinsho with vocal and koto music by Tomimoto Seiei, shakuhachi by Yoshioka Tatsumi, and traditional drums by Tou'sha Akane. The whole group of us performed Kumo no Ito (The Spider's Thread), which I have adapted for the stage from a famous work by Ryunosuke Akutagawa. I designed the production, as well as writing the music and the libretto.

Because this event was held in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of Chopin's birth, I chose rather more quiet and serious works.

Poles like Japan very much. They study and understand the Japanese cultural arts very well. Polish and Japanese people's temperament and sensitivities seem to resemble each other. Although this first visit to Poland was very short, I got that feeling. I felt very close to them.

I was satisfied with my selection of the works to be performed. At the concert, supertitles were not used, but the audience (99% of whom were Polish) seemed to understand the contents of the works correctly. I realized this at the party held after the performance. Their hearts were moved by our performance. I'm sure that the event was a big success.

Andrzej Wayda, a world-famous Polish movie director who has many fans in Japan, had been looking forward very much to seeing our performance, and he was very disappointed that the Warsaw performance was canceled. In his place, his wife, Krystyna Zachwatowicz, a theatre costume designer and actress, came to Krakow. She was moved by our performance, and complimented us. We were touched by her reaction.

(continued in the third installment)

	Being interviewed by a newspaper reporter (at Manggha Centre)
	The Krakow performance of Ran'cho
	At the reception after the performance. Wayda's wife is in the right foreground

 

 

"The Massive Disaster in Japan and Performing in Poland"
First part

Grief comes suddenly.

We tend to forget past natural disasters. No! Japanese never forget.

Japan is a country of disasters. Every year, every year, there are earthquakes, typhoons, and floods in many parts of the country. But this time, the disaster was more enormous than anyone could have imagined, far beyond people's expectations.

Nature's great power is beyond people's imagination and ideas. On the basis of data from the past, people can only guess what might happen.

Nature's blessing and nature's anger are in God's realm. In other words, there is nothing that people can do. In the natural world, human beings' power is futile. However, it is possible for people to minimize the bad effects.

Would it have been possible to do that in this recent disaster?

From now on, the most important thing is to think about prevention, and to use the data and knowledge from this experience as much as possible within our limitations as human beings.

In World War II, the firebombing of Tokyo occurred on March 10, and it was in the afternoon of March 11, which is, of course, the next day, that this latest great disaster happened.

We in Japan face the most serious crisis since the war. It is an awakening of the Japanese spirit.

It was two days after the earthquake, on the 13th, based on a plan made last year by the Japanese Embassy in Poland, that I flew to Warsaw to perform concerts being held in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of Chopin's birth. I want to give a simple report about that here.

When I went to Narita airport, my feelings were very complex. On the previous day, all flights had been canceled, and I thought that maybe the cancellations would continue on the 13th. We were able to drive on the expressways to the airport, because the roads had re-opened. The Finnair flight departed on schedule.

I was worried about Japan and the family members whom I had left behind. But at both locations where we were to perform in Poland, the tickets had already been sold out, so as a performer, and as a Japanese, I couldn't cancel... The eight of us, thinking those same thoughts, left Japan behind us.

We changed planes in Helsinki, and finally landed in Warsaw.

I had expected it to be extremely cold there, but on our arrival, it wasn't so cold. We were relieved about that.

The next day, after lunch, we met at the concert hall with the local staff, in order to prepare the lighting, sound, and props. After that, we were going to start our rehearsal.

A staff member from the Japanese Embassy arrived with a mournful expression. Her message was that we had been ordered to cancel the performance. The reason was that the Foreign Ministry had sent instructions to all the Japanese embassies in the world, telling them to cancel all the cultural events that they had planned for the time being (but with no information about when they could resume them).

But why... It would have been all right if it had been done as a charity event... The eight of us were disappointed. But there was nothing we could do about it, and we sadly left the stage.

	Group meeting at the theater in Warsaw
	Being told by the Embassy staff member that the performance was canceled.
	Performing after finding out about the cancellation.

 

Because the performance on the 15th was canceled, we didn't feel very cheerful, but even so, we did a little sightseeing in Warsaw.

Warsaw was destroyed by the German Army in World War II, and nothing remained of the city. This is the same as the current situation in northern Japan, where towns on the Pacific coast were totally destroyed by the giant tsunami. Warsaw was rebuilt by the great effort of the people of the city, and little by little is recovering. Nowadays, almost all of the city has been reconstructed. However, even now, the reconstruction continues.

The cancellation of the Warsaw performance was unavoidable, but because we were told that it would be possible to hold the performance in Krakow, our spirits were renewed, and the next morning, we took the train to Krakow. Riding in a compartment in a train for the first time in a long time, I arrived in Krakow.

(continued in the second part)

 

 

One of the artists who performed in last year's "Kobushi Group Concert", Mochizuki Bokusei, will hold a concert to celebrate his becoming Mochizuki Bokusei V.

Date: March 28, 2011
First part starts at 10:45 a.m.
Second part starts at 4 p.m.

Tsuruga Wakasanojo will perform the first work in the second part, a celebratory shinnai work called Kodakara Sanbaso.

Incidentally, that number will also be Tsuruga Isejiro's stage debut on the drums.

For more information and to order tickets, click on the following link:
http://www006.upp.so-net.ne.jp/bokusei/bokusei5/events/event_hohnokai02.html

Mochizuki Bokusei's web site:
http://www.bokusei-5th.com

From March 13 to March 20, I'll be in Poland for performances.

In commemoration of the 200th anniversary of Chopin's birth, many competitions and other musical events are being held there. We were invited by the Japanese Embassy in Poland. Our concerts will be a good opportunity to introduce Japanese traditional music.

One of the works in the program will be Tsuruga Wakasanojo's musical staging of Ryunosuke Akutagawa's short story, Kumo no Ito (The Spider's Thread), that was premiered in 2010. This is primarily a shinnai work, but includes other Japanese instruments besides the shamisen, as well as Japanese traditional dance. In addition, I will perform Ran'cho, a typical su joururi shinnai work. Another work will be a ji'uta dance number, Yuki, which will be sung by Tsuruga Wakasanojo. Yuki is a very nice number, rather like shinnai.

Poles are Japanophiles, and seem to be interested in understanding Japanese culture and spiritual ideas in depth. Noh performances are held there often, I believe, but this must be the first time that shinnai will be performed there. I'm looking forward to seeing their reactions to our performances. This is a pleasant kind of nervousness... Please check this blog for my report about the trip.

Members of the group going on this trip:
Shinnai: Tsuruga Wakasanojo, Tsuruga Isejiro, Shinnai Katsushizu
Traditional dance: Fujima Jinsho, Hanayagi Kihi
Koto: Tomimoto Seiei
Shakuhachi: Yoshioka Tatsumi
Drums: Tou'sha Akane

Yesterday was Mother's Day. Mother's Day has a much warmer image than Father's Day, I think. Everyone has a mother, everyone had a mother. I had a wonderful mother. From my birth, we were never separated. We always lived in the same house. However, suddenly, when she was 79 years old, she died. The day before that, she seemed fine, but the next morning, she lay cold in her bed. It was entirely unexpected. That day, I was away working.... People say, "Performers can't be with their parents when they take their last breath" ...I guess that was my last lesson from my mother. Now, when I remember my mother, I feel terribly sad. I'll remember her for the rest of my life. I have two children and three grandchildren now, and I've become the head of my family. For as long as possible, I want to do as much as I can for them. For that reason, I not only have to take care of my health, I have to lead a healthy lifestyle. That's for my own sake as well

Yesterday, our daughter sent flowers to my wife. Our son and his family came over bringing flowers, and so we six went out to a restaurant for dinner. My two young grandsons were cheerful and boisterous, and ran around. It was a happy occasion, but they tired me out. I keep wondering which of my grandchildren will continue shinnai after me.I'm asking them, please do that for me.