Noh Performance Schedule for June
Sunday, June 1 19:30 ~ Free Admission
Daizen Shrine's Noh stage is the oldest existing Noh stage on the island
Daizen Shrine Takigi Noh Sagi Style Kyogen at Daizen Shrine Noh Stage
(In Takeda, Sado; closest bus stop: Takeda-bashi, Minami Line)
Performance: Tsuchigumo
{Story Outline}
After an attendant brings medicine to Yorimitsu Minamoto who has taken ill, an unknown monk stands by Yorimitsu's bedside and throws him a web of a spider. Yorimitsu attacks and the monk disappears, but when one of his warriors follows the blood trail and digs up and old burial site, the spirit of the spider appears. After mortal combat, the spirit of spider is defeated.
Saturday, June 7 19:30~ Free Admission
Shizaki Suwa Shrine's Tenryo Sado Ryotsu Takigi Noh
Tenryo Sado Ryotsu Takigi Noh Shiizaka Suwa Shrine Noh Stage
(Harakuro, Sado; closest bus top: Shizaka Onsen Mae, Minami Line)
Performance: Kumasaka (Earphone Guide available in Japanese and English)
* Live commentary by Makoto Kodama (Producer at Ishikawa Ongakudo Hogaku Department)
{Story Outline}
A monk from Kyoto was asked to say prayers for the soul of the deceased in Mino (present day Gifu area) by another monk. He was taken to a hermitage where he found the walls lined with weapons. When the monk came to his senses, he realized that the other monk was gone, and he was standing a field of grass. After talking to a passerby, the monk realizes that the other monk was a ghost of Chohan Kumasaka, a monk that was defeated by Ushiwakamaru (childhood name of Yoshitsune Minamoto.) When the monk starts praying for the dead monk's soul, the spirit appears and tells him how he met his bitter end as he was defeated by Ushiwakamaru.
Sunday, June 8 19:00 ~ Free Admission
Kanai Nohgaku-do was built in 1983 on the site of Mr. and Mrs. Hori's mansion to commemorate the couple's work for the former Kanai-cho.
Regular Tourism Noh at Kanai Nogaku-do
(Nakaoki, Sado; closest bus station: Nogyo Center on Main Line)
Performance: Tsurukame
{Story Outline}
In the New Year, the Emperor holds a ceremony of the four seasons at Gekkiuden. After the Emperor was greeted by officers and the citizens at Furomon (Gate of Eternal Youth,) the dance Tsurukame is performed for the Emperor. After the Emperor is presented with a lifespan of tens of thousands of years, the Emperor himself dances and returns to Choseiden.
Thursday, June 12 19:00~ Free Admission
Enjoying Noh Sado style is to enjoy Noh casually. At Ushio Shrine.
Annual Festival Eve Offering Takigi Noh at Ushio Shrine Noh Stage
(Niibo Katagami, Sado; closest bus stop: Nogaku-no-sato, Minami Line)
Performance: Tsurukame
{Story Outline}
See above
Saturday, June 14 18:30 ~ Admission Charge
"On'natachi-no Kokoromi" ~ An Evening of Bunya and Noh at Kanai Nogaku-do
(Nakaoki, Sado; closest bus station: Nogyo Center on Main Line)
Part I: Bunya Ningyo play Soga Kaikeizan, Noh excerpt Kosode Soga
Part II: Noh play Kurozuka
{Story Outline: Kurozuka}
A mountain priest Yukei and his party spend the night at a house in Adachigahara in Mutsu (in present day Tohoku area.) The old woman of the house tells her guests not to peek into the bedroom while she's away, and leaves the house to collect firewood. Suspicious, the priest looks into the bedroom and finds piles of corpses and bones. Realizing that they are in the house of an ogre, Yukei and his party flee. The old woman chases after them as an ogre, but as Yukei prays for her, she disappears into the night.
Sunday, June 15 19:30 ~ Free Admission
Kusakari Shrine Takigi Noh at Kusagari Shrine Noh Stage
(Hamochi Hongo, Sado; closest bus stop: Hamochi Hongo, Ogi Line)
Performance: Funabenkei (Earphone Guide available in Japanese)
{Story Outline}
Yoshitsune leaves Kyoto and heads to Daimotsunoura in Settsu (near present day Osaka) to cast off suspicions by his brother Yoritomo. He decides to return Shizuka Gozen to Kyoto at the urging of Benkei. Lady Shizuka misunderstands the order as coming from Benkei and appeals directly to Yoshitsune, but when she is told to go back by Yoshitsune himself, she performs a parting dance at the farewell banquet, then leaves for Kyoto as she throws away her Eboshi, a formal hat worn by aristocracy.
Sunday, June 22 19:30 ~ Admission: 2,000 yen
Kasuga Shrine Noh Stage Performance at Kasuga Shrine Noh Stage
(Aikawa Orito-mura, Sado; closest bus stop: Gobanshobashi, Nanaura Kaigan Line)
Performance: Funabenkei (Earphone guide available in Japanese and English)
{Story Outline} See above
Sunday, June 22 19:00 ~ Free Admission
Kumano Shrine Takigi Noh at Kumano Shrine Noh Stage
(Nibo Takei, Sado; closest bus top: Sado Koko-mae (Sado High School), Minami/Kuninaka Line)
Performance: Kyogen - Jishaku (Magnet); Noh - Yoshino Ten'nin
Saturday, June 28 18:30 ~ Admission Fee
"Zeami's sitting rock" can be found at Shoboji, where Zeami is said to have been placed upon his exile to the island.
Shohoji Candle Light Noh at Shohoji (Izumi, Sado) 18:30 ~ (Admission Fee)
(Izumi, Sado; closest bus stop: Izumi on Main Line)
Performance: Kayoi Komachi
{Story Outline}
A woman in the mountains of Yase brings berries and urinoki everyday to a monk who is staying there for the summer. Hearing what the woman said, the monk deduces that the woman is the spiriti of Onono Komachi. When the monk goes to Ichiharano and mourns for Onono Komachi, the spirit of Onono Komachi who wants to be punished and the spirit of Admiral Fukakusa who wants to stop it appear. The two spirits reenact how the admiral visited for one hundred nights to pledge his love to Onono Komachi, and the two finally depart this world in peace.
Two useful booklets for getting to know Noh in Sado
Noh Meguri Techo: Heisei 20 Edition (Sampling of Noh Booklet: 2008 Edition) is 100 yen and contains information about existing Noh stages and performance schedule around the island. Sadogashima Geino Tebikicho1: Sado de Noh-to De'au (Sado Island Performing Arts Booklet 1: Getting to know Noh on Sado Island) containing a history of Noh and the Noh experience on Sado as well as information regarding Noh stages and play titles for the beginning Noh aficionado is available free of charge. Both are available at Sado Tourism Association (Tel: 0259-27-5000). For more information, please contact Sado Bunkazai Kenkyujo at 0259-570-0118.
Photos courtesy of Sado Bunkazai Kenkyujo