――The first part of our Kojiki project, which is to truly make “Kojiki”, Japan’s oldest literary, mythology, and poetry, a common asset to the people, is the story of Izanaki and Izanami. The harmony of illusions created by three leading contemporary artists will be the birth of a new bridge connecting the past and the future. There is also a special lecture by me titled “Kojiki” that revives to the present. Stay tuned.
Eitaro Ogawa, Representative of Nippon Art & Culture Salon

Solemn gods gather a Taka-Amahara. The story begins when the gods command the brother and sister gods of Izanaki and Izanami to give birth to the nation. The two gods who were endowed with the swamp stand on the floating bridge of heaven, and give birth to the islands and various gods. Awaji Island, Shikoku, Oki, Kyushu, Iki Tsushima, Sado, Honshu, Stone God, Wind God, Mountain God, Water God … However, Izanami loses her life because of the injury when he gave birth to the god of fire. Izanaki, who followed the land of the underworld with so much sorrow, interjected the gate of the palace and pleaded, “I’m still in the process of building a country, go back.” Izanami answers, “If you don’t even see me…”. However, Izanaki, who can’t wait, commits the ban. Then Izanami became a hideous figure!  Izanaki runs away, and Izanami chases that. This myth tells the story of the birth of the country, the love and hatred of man, and the beginning of life and death.  Nippon Art & Culture Salon’s 1^st original work “Kojiki” will be born here with Noh, dance with puppet and percussive music.

Tsunao Yamai

Konparu Noh performer and important intangible cultural property (comprehensive designation) holder. He is a director of the Noh Theater Association Headquarters. Executive Director, Konparu Enman Kai. The influence of his grandfather, who was a Noh performer of the Konparu school, he performed for the first time at the age of five. He has performed in Japan and abroad, and has performed with artists from other genres. While inheriting the tradition of the Konparu which has the oldest history of Noh, he is boldly working on new challenges to spread the true “Heart of Japan”.

Because it is chaotic now, I hope to be able to convey directly the “Heart of Japan” contained in “Kojiki”.

Hiroshi Hori

Puppet artist, puppet costume designer
Pursuing the possibilities of “mai (dance)” in puppet artists, puppet artists, and costume designer dolls, he established his own performing arts “Ningyo Mai”, which is different from Bunraku and puppetry, which are stages that use conventional dolls. Since his debut in 1981 with “Shiraja Genso”, using dolls produced by himself, the dance doll dance has received high praise in 20 countries and abroad. In 1991, he was the youngest to receive the Tokyo Metropolitan Culture Honor Award for the founding of “Ningyo-Mai (puppet dance)”

Two Souls of Izanaki and Izanami together,
Noh mask and puppet doll don’t have emotional faces
But there will be a fusion of deep sound …
Aiming for works that transcend time and space.

Mataro Misawa

Percussionist, songwriter and music producer
He is also involved in music such as movies, stages, and commercials. In addition to his busy days performing and recording with some of Japan’s leading artists, he is also involved in the development of young talents as a percussion professor at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music. He is also active as a tour member of Kome Kome CLUB, Masaharu Fukuyama, etc. Also, hosted “Misawa Percussion Class”.

Music centered on percussion instruments, expressing the story of God’s creation from national birth, first feelings of love and hate, and creation of Japan.

Date: Tuesday, April 26, 2022,
6:30 p.m. Start: Meiji KinenKan “Horai-no-Ma”
Price: 28,000 yen
Special dinner and limited to 100 seats with free drinks