The 22nd Udaka Seiran Noh no Kai
GREETINGS
Last October, after a hiatus of four years, we were able to successfully hold the 21st Udaka Seiran Noh performance thanks to the generous support of many people. We would like to express our heartfelt thanks for their confidence and enthusiasm.
This year Norishige will perform the maibayashi of KUMASAKA while Tatsushige will perform the noh TADANORI. Kumasaka no Chohan was the legendary brigand who, at the age of sixty-three, faced Ushiwakamaru, famed since childhood for his almost supernatural grasp of the military arts. Tadanori was a warrior of the Heike clan whose aspiration was to be recognized as a poet. These two will appear on stage as ghosts to relate the story of the pivotal incidents in their lives.
In addition, Keiko has made the two masks used in TADANORI: Sankōjo, a representative old man’s mask and Chujo, “the Lieutenant General”a mask used for roles of noblemen or nobles who were also warriors. During the intermission she will talk about episodes during the process of their creation.
We sincerely hope you all will enjoy the occasion of this once-in-a-life time experience the three of us have created together. Please enjoy to the utmost your time with us today.
UDAKA Keiko, Tatsushige, Norishige
The 22nd Udaka Seiran Noh no Kai
Place:
The Kongo Noh theatre,
Nakadachiuri-agaru, Karasuma-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto. 602-0912.
Subway Karasuma-Imadegawa (K06), South Exit (n.6). walk South 300m.
Date & Time:
Sunday, 17th March 2024
13:30 -16:30 p.m. (doors open at 12:30)
Tickets Reserved seats:
SS 12,000yen
S 10,000yen
A 8,000yen
Open seats:
B 6,000yen
Students tickets:
3000yen (B seats only)
Ticket Reservations:
Tatsushige no Kai Business Office
E-mail : info@tatsushigenokai.com
Payment Method:
On the Day: in Cash or by Credit Card
Advance Payment: by Paypal
※Tickets will be sold on the day only if tickets remain from advance sales.
※Picture taking or any kind of recording during the performance is strictly prohibited. Please be sure to turn off your smartphone during the performance.
Program
Maibayashi: KUMASAKA
Shite: UDAKA Norishige
Flute: MORITA Yasuyoshi
Shoulder drum: SOWA Kōdo
Hip drum: TANIGUCHI Masatoshi
Stick drum: MAEKAWA Mitusnori
Chorus: KONGŌ Tatsunori, SŌMYŌ Tadasuke, MUKAI Hiroki
YUKAWA Ryo, NAKAMURA Hiromi, TAKAYA Daigo
Kyogen: SATSUMANOKAMI “The Lord of Satsuma”
Shite: SHIGEYAMA Motohiko
Ado: SHIGEYAMA Shime
Ado: SHIGEYAMA Ippei
Koken (Stage attendant): SUZUKI Minoru
30 minute intermission
※ Join UDAKA Keiko in the lobby where she will talk about her experience
creating the noh masks used in today’s performance.
Noh: TADANORI
Shite: UDAKA Tatsushige
Waki: OKA Mitsuru
Waki-tsure: ARIMATSU Ryoichi
Waki-tsure: HARA Riku
Ai-kyogen: SUZUKI Minoru
Flute: MORITA Yasuyoshi
Shoulder drum: SOWA Kodō
Hip drum: TANIGUCHI Masatoshi
Koken (stage attendants): KONGŌ Hisanori, HIROTA Yukitoshi, TESHIMA Yukihiro
Chorus: IMAI Kiyotaka, TANEDA Michikazu, HIROTA Yasuyoshi, IMAI Katsunori, TESHIMA Koji, SHIGEMOTO Masaya, UDAKA Norishige, YAMADA Isumi
SUMMARIES
Maibayashi: KUMASAKA
The famous bandit Kumasaka no Chōhan plans an attack to steal the treasure of the gold from merchant Kichiji where he stays at an inn as he makes his way to Oshu in present day Gifu prefecture. Unaware of this, Kichiji and his men enjoy partying together and getting drunk…
However, Ushiwakamaru, who is accompanying the merchants, senses that something is strange. He puts out the torches that light the inn and then lies in wait for the bandits. Seventy thieves rush in…. soon after learning of the demonic strength of Ushiwakamaru.
In this drama, the ghost of Kumasaka no Chōhan appears after his death to narratehow he was bested by Ushiwakamaru. The highlight of this narration is the skillful mastery by the noh performer of the naginata, a curved single-edged blade on a shaft similar to a halbred.
Ushiwakamaru was the childhood name of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, a tragic hero of the “Tale of the Heike.” As a child he was taught the arts of combat and military strategy by the tengu, or mountain goblins, of Mt. Kurama.
Kyogen: SATSUMANOKAMI ”The Lord of Satsuma”
A Priest on his way to worship at Tennoji Temple stops in at a tea shop when he gets thirsty and has some tea there. Being naive and knowing nothing of the world, the Priest starts to leave the shop without having paid for his drink. When the Tea Shop Owner stops him and asks for the payment, the Priest reveals that he doesn’t have any money at all. The Tea Shop Owner sympathizes and not only waives the fee, but also tells the Priest how he can ride the Kanzaki ferry, which lies ahead, for free. As the Ferryman loves puns, the Priest should say: "Funachin wa Satsumanokami,” (“the fare is on the Lord of Satsuma”). Then, when the Ferryman asks for the play on words, the Priest should answer: “Tadanori,” which is the name of the Lord of Satsuma, but, more importantly, means “to ride for free.” The Priest starts off well enough, but when he’s asked to explain the word play he has forgotten it, much to the consternation of the Ferryman….
Noh: TADANORI
A man who was once in the employ of Fujiwara no Toshinari (also known as Shunzei) has become a Priest after his master’s death and has now set off on a pilgrimage to the western provinces. When he comes to Suma Bay in Settsu, or present-day Hyogo prefecture, he meets an old man under the blossoms of a cherry tree. The Priest asks the Old Man for a place to stay for the night to which he replies that the shade of the blossoms is the perfect lodging. He explains that this is the final resting place of Taira no Tadanori who wrote in a poem, “If, as the dusk draws my journey to a close, I find lodging under the shade of this cherry tree, tonight let these blossoms be my host!” Further, he asks that the Priest pray for Tadanori. When the Priest begins to perform the sutras the Old Man is delighted. Saying “I will appear again tonight in your dreams,” the Old Man disappears.
That night the ghost of Tadanori appears to the Priest in his dreams, saying, “My poem was included in the “Senzaishu”, but, to my great regret it was presented as being anonymous. As Toshinari is no longer in this world, can you, as someone who was in his service, please tell Fujiwara no Teika, his son, about this and ask that he now include the poet’s true name. “
With this request, Tadanori then goes on to relate how, when the Heike clan was leaving the capital, he returned to Toshinari’s home for the purpose of asking that his poem to be included under his name; he then found a worthy opponent in Okabe no Rokuyata at the decisive Battle of Ichinotani, where, after clashing on their horses, Rokuyata struck off Tadanori’s right arm; of how, after Rokuyata had given Tadanori a chance to pray and then beheaded him, he found in the dead warrior’s quiver a poem card with the lines of the poem beginning, “If, as the dusk draws my journey to a close. “ Asking again for prayers on his behalf, Tadanori then disappears.
Taira no Tadanori, a warrior and leader of the Taira forces, was also a student of the poet and anthologist Fujiwara no Toshinari. As they were on opposite sides of the conflict between the Taira (or Heike) and Genji (or Minamoto) clans in the 12th century, as described in “The Tale of the Heike,” Toshinari was reluctant to include Tadanori’s verse in his name in the “Senzaishu” collection of poetry he had been ordered to gather, but instead included it as an anonymous verse.
PROFILES:
UDAKA Keiko
Born in Kyoto in 1980, Keiko graduated from the department of fine arts of the Kyoto City University of Art. As a child she had the experience of performing as a kokata, or child actor, and after graduation from university she devoted herself to creating noh masks under her father, Kongo school master actor Udaka Michishige. In 2007 she participated as mask exhibition supervisor for the Udaka-kai European Tour. She made news In 2022 when, in collaboration with the game Apex Legends, with over 100 million player worldwide, she created the “inner devil” mask of the character Wraith. In 2023 she took part in the short docuseries “The Nature and Spirit of Japan” with Keanu Reeves directed by Roman Cppola for Suntory Whiskey as she continues in activities beyond traditional boundaries.
UDAKA Tatsushige
Born in 1981, Tatsushige trained with the 26th head of the Kongō School, Kongō Hisanori, as well as with his father, Udaka Michishige. He first appeared on stage at the age of three, continuing to perform professionally from that time. In addition to his performance activities, he also produces Noh Workshops easily accessible to beginners which he has presented in Japan and abroad.In 2015 he established “Tatsushige no Kai” to produce his own performances and from 2017 he started his Youtube channel continuing his efforts to further promote noh. In 2019 he was designated Ambassador of Entertainment for Sekisemimaru Shrine. In 2020 he was the recipient of the Kyoto City Young Artist’s Prize. In 2023 he was certified as a designated representative of an intangible culture property. His activities are centered in Kyoto.
UDAKA Norishige
Born on August 12, 1985, Norishige trained with the 26th head of the Kongō School, Kongō Hisanori. Under the guidance of his father, Udaka Michishige, he performed numerous kokata roles. As a regular member of the Kongō troupe, he currently appears in the monthly subscription performances as well as other events in Kyoto and Matsuyama. In addition to leading the Ehime University Noh Club in Matsuyama he also coaches movement at the Shochiku and Toei Film Studios in Kyoto, and teaches elementary school noh classes and holds workshops at schools in his activities to promote noh. His first noh performance as a main actor was in “Shojō.” He has also performed the virtuoso noh plays “Shakkyo,” “Midare,” “Dōjōji,” and “Uchitomōde.” He performed the original noh “Ginō” in Matsuyama in 2022 and was awarded the Kyoto City Young Artist’s Prize in the same year.
Sponsor: Tatsushige no Kai
Co-sponsor: Matsuyama Keiunkai
Noh mask creation: UDAKA Keiko
Production: Tatsushige no Kai Office
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