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- Experience Noh Theatre on Sado Island
Experience Noh Theatre on Sado Island
Sado is a great place to experience the captivating world of Noh theatre! Noh (能) is a form of classical Japanese performing art that combines drama, dance, singing and instrumental accompaniment with myths and legends as its main theme. Performed in Japan since the 14th century, it is characterized by its elegant costumes, mesmerizing masks, and poetic storytelling. On Sado, you can see Noh performed at local shrines, outdoors by the light of bonfires.
Noh has been cherished for generations on Sado Island, and the island has over 30 Noh Stages, and about 20 plays are still being performed each year. Noh uniquely evolved to be an art form dedicated at shrine festivals. While Noh in mainland Japan was originally meant to be enjoyed by the upper warrior class exclusively, on Sado it was opened up to a wide audience, including the common people, and became known as "the people's Noh."
Noh Performances on Sado in 2024
A shuttle bus will be run by Niigata Kotsu for select performances that will take you from lodging facilities in the vicinity to the venue. This bus will be available for the ■ Tenryo Sado Ryotsu Open Air Noh on 7/6（Sat）、9/7（Sat）、and 10/5（Sat). See here for more information.
| Date | Event | Venue | Program | Fee | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 6 (Sat) |
|
|
Akogi | 2,000 yen | 19:30 |
| July 28 (Sun) | Noh Performance at Honma Family's Noh Stage | Honma Family Noh Stage | Hashitomi | Free | 15:30 |
| August 18 (Sun) | Zeami Memorial Festival | Kanai Noh Gakudo | TBD | Free | 11:00 |
| August 24 (Sat) | Niku Shrine's Evening Noh Performance | Kanai Noh Gakudo | Shojo | Free | 19:00 *Onidaiko from 18:00 |
| August 25 (Sun) | Kamo Shrine's Evening Noh Performance | Kamo Shrine | TBD | Free | 18:00 *Mabayashi from 15:30 - 17:30 |
| September 7 (Sat) | Kusakari Shrine's Evening Noh Performance | Kusakari Shrine | TBD | Free | 18:00 |
| September 7 (Sat) |
|
|
Nue | 2,000 yen | 19:30 |
| October 5 (Sat) |
|
|
Ukai | 3,000 yen | 19:30 |
Fire-lit Outdoor Noh Theatre on Sado Island
Anyone can enjoy the beautiful art of Noh - even if you don't understand Japanese! This is especially true on Sado Island, where the majority of performances are held outdoors in the evenings and the atmosphere of the performance is half of the magic. It is a special treat to sit with an audience of locals and see a fire-lit Noh performance. As the fires crackle, and the sun sets, you are surrounded by darkness and the performance solemnly begins on the historic stage of a local shrine. The surrounding nature, the sounds of insects, breezes rustling the leaves and branches, and glimpses of the moon, give added impact, making the show even more dramatic. For the full experience, check out the performances below marked 'Fire-Lit Open Air Noh.'
Tour the Noh Stages on Sado Island
In addition to seeing an actual Noh performance, tour around and see all the Noh Stages on Sado Island! At one point in time,there were over 200 Noh stages on the island! Today, one third all of the remaining Noh stages in Japan are located on Sado Island - more than 30 stages. Eight are in active use for performances.
See here to read more about Noh on Sado
