Performance: “Heart Field”

Gagaku—a form of ancient Japanese court music—is said to have originated 1,400 years ago when it was brought to the Yamato Imperial Court from China and the Korean Peninsula. 2021 marks the 1400th anniversary of the death of Prince Shotoku’s mother, Empress Hashihito, and in February of the following year, Prince Shotoku’s death.

After a dedication, Tennojigakuso Garyokai Kai performed for the first time on the stage of Takano shrine with commentary by Mr. Shinryu Ono (Vice President of the Tennojigakuso Garyokai. On the day of the event, local Nawaya will be serving “Sea Soup” made with ingredients from Kyotango.

DATE

Sunday, December 12, 2021, from 10:30 a.m. to noon

VENUE

Takeno Shrine (249 Miya, Tango-cho, Kyotango City, Kyoto Prefecture)

PERFORMANCES

“Etenraku” (Kangen music, wind, and string instruments)

“Prince of Lanling”

“Bato” (bugaku, traditional Japanese court music accompanied by dancing)

Performer: Tennojigakuso Garyokai

ORGANIZER

NPO TOMORROW

Special Cooperation: Takeno Shrine, Itsukinomiya Shrine, Tennojigakuso Garyokai, Nawaya

Modern gagaku, with its costumes, instruments, and staging that have been handed down since ancient times, is often dedicated in ceremonies such as shoryoe, the annual memorial service for Prince Shotoku, and although it is a performing art that Japan is proud of, opportunities for the general public to experience it are very limited. It is also a traditional performing art that requires a great deal of skill, which means that opportunities for new approaches to performance are extremely rare.

In a time when we are losing skilled performers and craftspeople due to an aging population and a marked decline in the industry, TOMORROW FIELD’s goal with the “Performing Arts Project: Cultivating Heart Field” is to nurture the sensibilities of viewers through new artistic expression that weaves together people, talent, and technology. In addition, with a view to improving the performance of and access to gagaku, we aim to make this performance the first in an initiative that will lead to future links between traditional performing arts and the present.

TENNOJI GAGAKU (Tennoji-gakuso Garyokai) is an organization that teaches and perfoms court music and dance with a focus on gagaku, which is said to have been established at Shitennoji Temple, Osaka, in the 7th century after Prince Shotoku ordered the temple to make offerings to the three treasures (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) through foreign music, the predecessor of gagaku. The fundamental purpose of this organization is to perform music and dance for shoryoe, the annual memorial service for Prince Shotoku, and as one of sanpogakuso, it has supported the dissemination of gagaku in Japan.

We believe that Article 17 of the Constitution, which begins with the phrase, “Harmony is to be valued,” conveys the wish for world peace that transcends all boundaries and is the wish of every citizen of the world.

One of the missions of TOMORROW FIELD is to help all people living in the present age to become a part of building a better future through creative approaches to food, art, architecture, and crafts. We believe that the beauty of bugaku—its instruments, costumes, and people—is an opportunity to cultivate our heart field.