TAKIGI NŌ BY THE HŌSHŌ SCHOOL<br> AN EVENING OF NŌ ILLUMINATED BY TORCHLIGHT

CARD

Program

Kyōgen

SANBASŌ, KAGURASHIKI

with Norihide Yamamoto Sanbasō

Maibayashi

TAKASAGO

with Yusuke Kanai Deity of Sumiyoshi, shite

Jiutai (chorus)

Norimasa Takahashi, Katsunori Yabu, Kouki Sano, Takashi Kawase, Tetsuya Kidani

Nō

YOROBOSHI

with

Kazufusa Hōshō Shuntokumaru, shite

Hiroshi Obinata Takayasu the father of Shuntokumaru, waki

Norishige Yamamoto Servant of Takayasu, ai-kyogen

Jiutai (chorus)

Takashi Takeda, Satoshi Nozuki, Norimasa Takahashi, Katsunori Yabu, Kouki Sano, Takashi Kawase

Kōken (assistants)

Yusuke Kanai, Tetsuya Kidani

musicians

Ryūichi Onodera Nōkan (flute)

Mitsuhiko Sumikoma Kotsuzumi (small shoulder drum)

Rokunosuke Iijima Ōtsuzumi (large waist drum)

Akio Mugiya Taiko (stick drum)

italian subtitles by Bonaventura Ruperti

stage manager Kenichi Nomura

production managers Akiko Sugiyama, Mihoko Akutagawa

with the support of The Japan Foundation

in collaboration with Change Performing Arts, City of Kanazawa

tour organized by Public Interest Corporation Hōshō-Kai

A spectacle defined as takigi nō (nō illuminated by torchlight) will be represented and the audience will be able to appreciate, under the torchlight or flambeaux, nō and kyōgen, the ancient traditional forms of Japanese theatre tracing back 650 years.

Kyōgen | Sanbasō, Kagurashiki

Sanbasō is part of the repertoire Okina, which is more of a ceremonial presentation rather than a theatrical play. The Sanbasō gestures the sowing of seeds by shaking his bell and takes light graceful steps on the stage. This performance symbolizes the celebration of prosperity.

Maibayashi | Takasago

"Maibayashi" is a performance style where only the climactic section of a repertoire is performed. Takasago is a story about the deity of Sumiyoshi shrine where the deity appears and dances to celebrate world peace.

Nō | Yoroboshi

Takayasu’s son, Shuntokumaru, becomes blind at a young age and due to false accusations, he is banished from the household. Later on, he is seen wondering the grounds of Shitenoji Temple in Osaka, and from his feeble footsteps, people start to call him “Yoroboshi” (weak monk). A few years pass, and Takayasu, driven by guilt, travels all over Japan in search for his son and comes to Shitenoji Temple. Takayasu is giving to the poor for repentance, when Yoroboshi appears. Takayasu is touched by the blind educated priest, but then realizes it is his son Shuntokumaru. In order to avoid drawing attention, Takayasu decides to reveal the truth at nightfall. Yoroboshi is suggested to practice “jissokan”, a type of meditation practiced while the heart captures the setting sun and the thought reaches towards enlightenment. Yoroboshi imagines the picturesque scenery of Namba, but soon becomes emotionally unstable and trips and falls, and devastated about his blindness. When it becomes dark Takayasu reveals to Shuntokumaru that he is his father. Shuntokumaru is embarrassed and tries to run away, but Takayasu catches up, takes his hand and leads him home.