J Program Field Trip to Kompira Kabuki Theater [4月 26,2012 ]

On April 13 and 14, we made a field trip to the Kotohira-cho town, Kagawa prefecture, to see Kabuki plays (Kompira Kabuki) in the Kanamaru-za theater, the oldest Kabuki theater in existence in Japan. We also visited the Ritsurin-koen park, the Kotohira-gu shrine and the Awaji Ningyo-joruri-kan theater, where we saw a Ningyo-joruri show (Japanese traditional puppet show).
A lot of students say in the reports they submitted after the trip that they were deeply impressed with the Kabuki performance because they could see the actors’ performances so close up in the small theater preserving an atmosphere of the Edo period. They also say they were much surprised to know that manipulating Ningyo-joruri puppets was very complicated and difficult task, and to see the puppets move as if they were alive.