Kyoto in winter - Traditional performing arts of Japan

 The Gion Corner (M. Mizuguchi/att.JAPAN writer)
Kyoto always has many tourists from overseas wandering its streets - especially around the Gion Corner; a theater located in the Gion based Yasaka Kaikan Hall. Many of the tourists come see the 50 minute performances depicting the seven traditional cultures and performing arts of Japan; Chado (tea ceremony), Koto (Japanese harp), Kado (Japanese flower arrangement), Gagaku (court music), Kyogen (traditional comic plays), Kyo-mai (Kyoto style dance), and Bunraku (puppet theater).

Even before arriving at the theater I had met a foreign tourist who strongly recommended a visit - a young Taiwanese woman who, when interviewed gushed how she "really enjoyed the show" adding "It was just 2,800 yen to see seven good performances. I think it's not expensive." Such positive comments from a non-Japanese only intensified my own interest in paying a visit to the Gion Corner.

When I arrived at 6:30 p.m., the entrance hall was crowded with tourists waiting for the doors to open at 7:00 sharp - so much so that I was actually wondering if I would be able to get a seat as I had not made a reservation. However, when it came to it, there was no problem. The Gion Corner contains two theaters: one with a seating capacity of 1,000 which means that even in the busy seasons of spring and autumn they have enough seats to go round - negating the need for visitors to make reservations.

At 7:00 the performances started. Chado was first up and as the performance requires two volunteers, for those interested in Chado, all you have to do is to raise a hand. Being an expert in the way and protocol of Chado is not necessary and you don't even have to really like the taste of tea or of Japanese sweets. Indeed, this show even demonstrates a new type of tea ceremony which offers seats suitable for all those less than used to sitting on their knees. I recommend you experience this tea ceremony with it being so casual.

Overall, each of the seven performances has its own peculiarities and points of interest and all impressed. Even being Japanese, I wanted to learn more about my own nation's culture following this 50 minutes demo. When the performances were done, I had the opportunity to interview a woman from Naples, Italy; one of the volunteers in the tea ceremony. She said that she enjoyed her first tea ceremony in a relaxing mood but the performance she enjoyed the most was the finale - Bunraku and the climactic scene from Japan's favorite story of lost love; "Oshichi" - a play in which a young girl, Oshichi, struggles to save her lover. "I thought it was very passionate" the Italian woman said in an excited voice.

The Gion Corner of Kyoto attracts both Japanese and non-Japanese and the performances mentioned above encapsulate the very "essence of Japanese culture." Please take time out of your schedule to visit the theater.

Gion Corner

Kyoto in winter
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Let's try Hands-on activities

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