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Matsukaze
is a play of the third category, the woman's mode, by Kan'ami, revised by Zeami Motokiyo. One of the most highly regarded of Noh plays, it is mentioned more than any other in Zeami's own writings, and is depicted numerous times in the visual arts. Plot The two main characters are the lingering spirits of the sisters and , who in the 9th Century lived on the Bay of Suma in Settsu Province, where they ladled brine in order to make salt. A courtier, Middle Counsellor Ariwara no Yukihira, dallied with them during his exile to Suma for three years. Shortly after his departure, word of his death came and they died of grief. They linger on as spirits or ghosts, attached to the mortal world by their emotional attachment to mortal desires: this is a common theme in Noh. The play opens with a traveling priest asking a local about a memorial he sees. The local explains that the memorial is to the two sisters. This is followed by a scene in which the sisters, ladling seawater into their b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Toshio Hosokawa
is a Japanese composer of contemporary classical music. He studied in Germany but returned to Japan, finding a personal style inspired by classical Japanese music and culture. He has composed operas, the oratorio ''Voiceless Voice in Hiroshima'', and instrumental music. He was the cofounder and artistic director of a Japanese festival for contemporary music and has been a composer in residence at international festivals such as the Venice Biennale, Lucerne Festival, Warsaw Autumn and Rheingau Musik Festival. His operas premiered at the Munich Biennale and La Monnaie, among others. Career Hosokawa was born in Hiroshima. He first studied piano and composition in Tokyo, then from 1976 with Yun Isang at the Berlin University of the Arts. From 1983 to 1986, he studied with Klaus Huber and Brian Ferneyhough at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg. In 1980, he first took part in the Darmstädter Ferienkurse, including the performance of his compositions. He lectured there regularly ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Noh Plays
is a major form of classical Japanese dance-drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Developed by Kan'ami and his son Zeami, it is the oldest major theatre art that is still regularly performed today. Although the terms Noh and '' nōgaku'' are sometimes used interchangeably, ''nōgaku'' encompasses both Noh and ''kyōgen''. Traditionally, a full ''nōgaku'' program included several Noh plays with comedic ''kyōgen'' plays in between; an abbreviated program of two Noh plays with one ''kyōgen'' piece has become common today. Optionally, the ritual performance ''Okina'' may be presented in the very beginning of ''nōgaku'' presentation. Noh is often based on tales from traditional literature with a supernatural being transformed into human form as a hero narrating a story. Noh integrates masks, costumes and various props in a dance-based performance, requiring highly trained actors and musicians. Emotions are primarily conveyed by stylized conventional gestures whi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kan'ami
was a Japanese Noh actor, author, and musician during the Muromachi period. Born in Iga Province, Kan'ami also went by and . He is the father of the well-known playwright . Theater Kan'ami's career began in Obata, Nabari-shi, Mie when he founded a sarugaku theater group in the Kansai region on the main Honshu island. The troupe moved to Yamato and formed the Yuzaki theater company, which would become the school of Noh theater. He grew in popularity and began making trips to Kyoto to give performances. In 1374, the shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was in the audience of a performance and was so impressed by it that he became Kan'ami's patron. Kan'ami was the first playwright to incorporate the Kusemai song and dance style and Dengaku dances from rustic harvest celebrations. He trained his son Zeami Motokiyo in his style, and his son eventually succeeded him as director of the Kanze school of Noh. Kan'ami died in Suruga Province. Notable works *'' Sotoba Komachi'' *''Ji'nen koji' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zeami Motokiyo
(c. 1363 – c. 1443), also called , was a Japanese aesthetician, actor, and playwright. His father, Kan'ami Kiyotsugu, introduced him to Noh theater performance at a young age, and found that he was a skilled actor. Kan'ami was also skilled in acting and formed a family theater ensemble. As it grew in popularity, Zeami had the opportunity to perform in front of the Shōgun, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. The Shōgun was impressed by the young actor and began to compose a love affair with him. Zeami was introduced to Yoshimitsu's court and was provided with an education in classical literature and philosophy while continuing to act. In 1374, Zeami received patronage and made acting his career. After the death of his father in 1385, he led the family troupe, a role in which he found greater success. Zeami mixed a variety of Classical and Modern themes in his writing, and made use of Japanese and Chinese traditions. He incorporated numerous themes of Zen Buddhism into his works and lat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Suma-ku, Kōbe
is one of 9 wards of Kobe, Japan. As of February 1, 2012, it has an area of 30.0 km², and a population of 166,324, with 71,745 households. There is a white sandy beach in this ward, which attracts tourists to the Kansai region for sun bathing and popular events during the summer season. The beach is also a location in the Japanese literary classics ''Ise Monogatari, '' Genji Monogatari'', and ''Heike Monogatari''. Suma is often referred as an ''utamakura'' or ''meisho'', and is mentioned frequently in ''waka'', and in Noh, Kabuki and Bunraku dramas. Nowadays, people mainly live in Myodani, Myohoji and other northern parts of the ward. Myōdani Station is a major station in western Kobe. Places of interest * Suma Rikyu Park * Suma Public Aquarium Notable people * Shintaro Ishihara - Governor of Tokyo * Yone Suzuki - businesswoman, lived in Suma-ku before 1927 *Nobu Jo - social worker, founder of a suicide prevention campaign in Suma See also * Japanese cruiser Sum ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kokin Wakashū
The , commonly abbreviated as , is an early anthology of the ''waka'' form of Japanese poetry, dating from the Heian period. An imperial anthology, it was conceived by Emperor Uda () and published by order of his son Emperor Daigo () in about 905. Its finished form dates to 920, though according to several historical accounts the last poem was added to the collection in 914. The compilers of the anthology were four court poets, led by Ki no Tsurayuki and also including Ki no Tomonori (who died before its completion), Ōshikōchi no Mitsune, and Mibu no Tadamine. Significance The ''Kokinshū'' is the first of the , the 21 collections of Japanese poetry compiled at Imperial request. It was the most influential realization of the ideas of poetry at the time, dictating the form and format of Japanese poetry until the late nineteenth century; it was the first anthology to divide itself into seasonal and love poems. The primacy of poems about the seasons pioneered by the ''Kokinsh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Settsu Province
was a province of Japan, which today comprises the southeastern part of Hyōgo Prefecture and the northern part of Osaka Prefecture. It was also referred to as or . Osaka and Osaka Castle were the main center of the province. Most of Settsu's area comprises the modern day cities of Osaka and Kōbe. History During the Sengoku period, the Miyoshi clan ruled Settsu and its neighbors, Izumi and Kawachi, until they were conquered by Oda Nobunaga. The provinces were ruled subsequently by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The regents of Hideyoshi's son soon quarreled, and when Ishida Mitsunari lost the Battle of Sekigahara, the area was given to relatives of Tokugawa Ieyasu. It was from then on divided into several domains, including the Asada Domain. Sumiyoshi taisha was designated as the chief Shinto shrine (''ichinomiya'') for the province. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ariwara No Yukihira
was a Japanese Heian period courtier and bureaucrat, who held a number of positions over the course of his life. At one time or another, he was governor of the provinces of Harima, Bizen, Shinano, and Bitchū. He also served as , , and inspector ('' azechi'') of Mutsu and Dewa provinces. Yukihira was also a poet, many of his works being published alongside those of his brother, Narihira. He also established a school, called Shogaku-in, for the purpose of educating members of the Ariwara family. His most famous poem, no. 16 in the ''Ogura Hyakunin Isshu is a classical Japanese anthology of one hundred Japanese ''waka'' by one hundred poets. ''Hyakunin isshu'' can be translated to "one hundred people, one poem ach; it can also refer to the card game of ''uta-garuta'', which uses a deck compos ...'' is as follows: Reference list Bibliography 818 births 893 deaths Kuge Ariwara clan Japanese male poets 9th-century Japanese poets Hyakunin Isshu poets [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Royall Tyler (academic)
Royall Tyler (born 1936) is a scholar, writer, and translator of Japanese literature. Notable works of his include English translations of ''The Tale of the Heike'' (平家物語, ''Heike Monogatari'') which won the 201Lois Roth Award as well as '' The Tale of Genji'' (源氏物語, ''Genji Monogatari)'' which was awarded the Japan-US Friendship Commission Translation Prize in 2001. Tyler's first book of poetry was published in 2014, entitled ''A Great Valley Under the Stars'', and his published collection of poetry, ''Under Currockbilly'' which recounts his life during the year 2014, suggests he has spent periods of his life in France, Japan, the United States, Australia, and elsewhere. Academic career Tyler completed his B.A. in Far Eastern Languages at Harvard University in 1957. He then obtained a master's degree in Japanese history and PhD in Japanese literature at Columbia University where he was supervised by Donald Keene, a well known scholar of Japanese literature. He ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hikaru Genji
is the protagonist of Murasaki Shikibu's important Heian-era Japanese novel '' The Tale of Genji''. The story describes him as a superbly handsome man and a genius. Genji is the second son of a Japanese emperor, but he is relegated to civilian life for political reasons and lives as an imperial officer. The first part of the story concentrates on his romantic life, and in the second, his and others' internal agony is depicted. He appears from the first volume "Kiritsubo" to the 40th volume "Illusion". " Genji" is the surname as a noble demoted from royalty. His true given name is never referred to in the story, like most other characters. "Hikaru" means "shining", which is a nickname deriving from his appearance. He is also referred to as , sometimes abbreviated as . He is often called Genji when speaking of the story. It's implied that Hikaru Genji was extremely attractive and talented, easily gaining the favor of those around him at a young age. Describing his superlative ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
