Kabuki School for Kids Raises Future Leaders of Traditional Culture

日本語で読む
If we do not nurture leaders of traditional culture, the culture itself will disappear before it can be learned—with that in mind, Kabuki production company Shochiku Co., Ltd. runs the Kodomo Kabuki School Terakoya (Kabuki school for children) in the Kabukiza Theatre in Tokyo's Higashi-Ginza area, where they teach Kabuki performance and Japanese etiquette. Fujima Kanjuro, the head instructor at the school's Japanese dance department, has a sense of urgency for Kabuki's future, but says with a smile, "I want to make Kabuki enjoyable for three generations of families. I hope many children who learn at the school will become Kabuki actors and Japanese dancers."
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Kabukiza Theatre in Tokyo's Higashi-Ginza district. Photo: PIXTA

Expanding Fans

According to the White Paper on Live Entertainment published by PIA Research Institute, the size of the Kabuki market has been mostly around 20 to 25 billion yen since 2000, except for a few sluggish years including 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, but there is a strong sense of uncertainty regarding the industry's future. Shochiku says, "It is important for Kabuki and other traditional performing arts to keep seeing new generations in the audience. We need to broaden the audience by attracting young people." Kanjuro also points out the grim fact that, "At present, only a few hundred people are involved in Kabuki performances. At this rate, we may not be able to preserve Kabuki culture."

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The Kabuki stage seen from the first level seating area at the Kabukiza Theatre. Photo: PIXTA

In 2014, Shochiku opened the school to provide children with the opportunity to experience traditional Japanese culture through Kabuki and to educate and train young generations. The school accepts children from age 4 up to junior high school and currently has about 120 students.

New students start with one year each of the basic and intermediate courses. In the third year, those who wish to go on can move to advanced. It also offers Kabuki and Girls' Dance courses for junior high school students for those interested in a career in Kabuki. In the basic course, students learn the foundations of Kabuki and Japanese dance, as well as dressing in a yukata (summer kimono), manner and bearing while in a kimono, and traditional Japanese etiquette such as "starting with a bow and ending with a bow." In the intermediate and advanced courses, more practical training is provided and "some have become child Kabuki actors," according to Shochiku.

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Children practicing for upcoming performances. Photo: courtesy of Shochiku

Understanding Japanese culture and cultivating sensitivity

In August 2024, students performed an original dance drama, "Momo Momo Katari," in the Kabukiza Tower hall. Based on the folktale "Momotaro," the play was written by Shochiku's Kabuki playwright Tobe Kazuhisa and directed and choreographed by Kanjuro.

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Children's Kabuki titled "Momo Momo Katari," produced by Shochiku. Photo: courtesy of Shochiku

A total of 18 students from the Advanced course participated in the performances, presenting the results of their year-long training to an audience of about 230 over 2 days. Tobe says that, to pass on the tradition, "it is important to have the best staff as well as props and costumes so that children can experience the real thing." The lines and choreography were not simplified for children but were the same difficulty as for adults because, "we want to have them take on the challenge of traditional culture," Kanjuro says.

Iwase Sota, a sixth grader who played the lead role, Momotaro, said after the performance, "I want to keep sharing Japanese traditional culture with many people and spread it overseas." As globalization progresses, there are fewer opportunities to learn about traditional culture, especially for the younger generation. Tobe stresses the importance of the school, saying, "Understanding the spirit of Japan will lead to understanding other countries' cultures and developing rich awareness in children."

*This article was originally published by Jiji Press on August 29, 2024.
The contents, affiliations, titles, etc. of the article are as of the time of the interview.

Interview and writing by Jiji Press
Translation by Endo Toshio