Shortly after 8 p.m. within the streets of Tokyo’s Asakusa district, a small stage comes alive with dancers in historic Japanese costumes reimagining red-light districts generally known as yukaku that flourished within the Edo and Meiji intervals.
In the present known as “Kaguwa,” performers dressed as courtesans, geishas and samurai entertain patrons with a blinding array of dances and stage exhibits, all with out uttering a phrase.
But this “neo-Japanesque” present, which started some 20 years in the past and was as soon as a serious draw for overseas guests, solely exists at present due to lead dancer and producer Kazumi, who introduced it again from the verge of disappearing for good after the coronavirus pandemic.
“I think part of the reason I did so is because I really love Kaguwa, and I believe that when people see it, they’ll understand it’s about collaborating across various genres to express Japanese culture non-verbally,” mentioned Kazumi, who requested that solely her first title be used.
Asakusa Kaguwa is definitely the third incarnation of the present, which first started in 2004 at one in all Tokyo’s largest dinner theaters situated in Roppongi, an leisure district famend for its nightlife. At that point, Kaguwa held a repute for prominently that includes drag queens who carried out whereas prospects dined.
In its heyday, foreigners made up round half of the viewers, with many tour teams hailing from Russia and Taiwan, in keeping with Kazumi, who joined the forged in 2009.
In 2018, when Kaguwa was pressured to relocate to a smaller venue in Roppongi as a result of city improvement, the present was redesigned to cater to inbound vacationers, and drag queens not carried out.
But points with the brand new administration and the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic meant Kaguwa’s revival was short-lived. Behind the scenes, a chapter orchestrated by the administration firm additionally left the dancers excessive and dry, with their final two months’ value of wage by no means paid, in keeping with Kazumi.
“With no work due to COVID, we struggled to make ends meet. We managed with the government’s COVID relief funds at first, but as work dried up further, some of us took part-time jobs or gigs,” she mentioned.
Nana Koda, 29, who joined Kaguwa 9 years in the past as her first full-time job after graduating from dance faculty, mentioned lack of alternatives through the pandemic made her really feel like she might need to stop dancing.
But like Kazumi, her love for Kaguwa made her persevere, and the pair established NJK Co to take over operation of the present. Their labors got here to fruition on Jan. 10 with the opening of Asakusa Kaguwa.
“I’ve always loved Japanese performances, so I wanted to preserve Kaguwa’s style somehow. The show really enables you to see various genres of Japanese culture being performed within a 50-minute timeframe,” Koda mentioned.
Kazumi mentioned Asakusa was chosen because the present’s new location as a result of its repute amongst overseas vacationers as an space brimming with conventional Japanese tradition. While the Roppongi venues supplied some catering, the present location extra resembles a bar or dwell music home, serving solely drinks and snacks.
“Of course, all the (dance) pieces themselves are brand new, but there’s this flow that’s been with us since the old days, where there’s always courtesan characters and traditional Japanese dance props like folding fans,” mentioned Kazumi.
The new present contains a choice of dances in numerous kinds, some exuding a historic taste, whereas others are extra modern. But the spotlight is a efficiency depicting the cruel situations courtesans have been made to endure prior to now — made extra poignant by the silence of the dancers.
Set towards a backdrop of legalized brothels that existed in Japan till 1958, the script for the efficiency was written by Michiru Egashira, a screenwriter identified for her work on the dwell motion collection adaption of the manga “Gokusen,” and 2005 drama “One Liter of Tears.”
“(Egashira) has been a fan of Kaguwa for a long time, and when I approached her about (writing), she was happy to contribute,” mentioned Kazumi.
Ping Tjuan Suharna, gross sales and advertising director of Japan Tabi Expert, a journey firm that plans journeys for Indonesian and different Southeast Asian guests, mentioned that Kaguwa is a welcome providing in Japan’s present panorama.
“Japan has fewer shows for tourists compared to other countries. For example, when you go to Korea, Nanta is amazing, right? If you go to Thailand, there are various cabaret-like shows. And if you go to France, there’s Moulin Rouge,” mentioned Suharna, who introduced vacationers to observe Kaguwa a number of occasions throughout its Roppongi period.
While overseas guests have but to be taught of Kaguwa’s newest revival, Kazumi hopes their curiosity will likely be stirred as she is within the course of of creating tickets accessible on worldwide journey websites.
“Our biggest strength is that our show is not just about dancing, but performing without words. And because it’s non-verbal, it’s something that international audiences can understand, which sets us apart from other shows,” mentioned Kazumi.
Koda mentioned she hopes Kaguwa will help overseas guests perceive how Japan nonetheless values cultural components like samurai and courtesans even when they not have a task to play in on a regular basis life.
“Although this show features kimonos and can be quite lavish, it’s not just about something old-fashioned. There’s also a glamorous aspect to it, and I hope people can see it in the context of modern times,” mentioned Koda.
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