This is the fourth entry in our series on marketing Japan to affluent tourists. This week we turn our attention to theater.
Kabuki—that song-and-dance act featuring crossdressers and makeup that lays it on thick—is for many foreigners the most emblematic of Japanese theatrical forms, an Asian answer to the hoofing and high jinks of Broadway. Armed with a minimum amount of information about what to expect on the stage, most people attending their first Kabuki performance will be able to grasp the gist of things and enjoy the show, which is not surprising given that Kabuki was once popular, rather than high, culture.
The aforementioned cannot be said for Noh Theater. Foreigners thrown in unprepped for the Noh experience are liable to react the way viewers did to the only feature-length film made in Esperanto, Incubus (1966): “What the hell is this?” For those interested in a what-the-hell-is-this experience, the hyperlink at the end of this paragraph will bring satisfaction. Clicking on it will allow you to witness William Shatner of Star Trek fame flawlessly delivering his lines, I think. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=accFmyaOj7o
Noh is an ancient art form; however, it is anything but ossified. Indeed, on the day that this was written the English-language version of The Mainichi ran a piece entitled “Scottish Folk Musicians, Japanese Noh Artists to Perform Together in Tokyo on Jan. 17.” (https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20240113/p2a/00m/0et/013000c). Noh is alive; Noh is evolving. Nevertheless, to entice and hopefully secure devotees among well-educated, sophisticated, and well-heeled visitors consideration should be given to what information they will need to facilitate their viewing experience. We will cover this in next week’s entry.
Drinking Japan 