The Complete Guide to Traditional Japanese Performing Arts [antikvár]

PREFACE Kabuki has been called a traveling embassy. In 1978, Nakamura Utaemon and his troupe performed the kabuki drama known as Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura in Australia, a critic from the Sydney Herald Morning praised it as an animated Ukiyoe world—the ultimate in art. He called kabuki "traveling embassy." From that time in this phrase has been as a slogan to describe overseas performance s of kabuki. Magnificent art is often better than diplomacy at overcoming the walls of nation and race to bring people together. A travehng embassy is indeed an appropriate expression. Along with kabuki, bunraku puppet theater, no plays and kyogen comedies also serve as traveling embassies to those who see overseas performances of these arts. This book is the result of my desire to further share these traditional performing arts with the world. I have also included Nihon-buyo Japanese dance, rakugo comic story telling, kodan storytelling, and rokyoku recitation—performing arts for the masses—to give the readers a broad picture of Japan's traditional arts. It is indeed difficult to fully explain the world of Japanese art—words have their limits. I would, however, like readers to use this book as a reference source for sharing the Japanese arts in their own words. I would be most rewarded if this book contributes in some small way to the understanding of Japanese arts by those new to Japanese culture. mi 'if i iY ¦< I m Kodama Shoko