Held in the stunning surrounds of Kokyo Gaien National Garden, the sprawling garden that surrounds the Imperial Palace, ‘Representation of Prayer’ one of the latest events held by Japan Culture Expo, was a lesson in history, tradition, culture and elegance. With ‘Humanity in Nature’ as the overarching theme, the performance explored how over 10,000 years, work in the arts has paid tribute to and expressed a reverence for nature.

Within Japan’s culture, an aesthetic sense of spirituality, one deeply entrenched in the appreciation for nature. It’s a spirituality that you can read in many forms of Japanese arts and crafts, like: prehistoric pottery; Buddhist and other sculptures; paintings on woodblock prints and folding screens; lacquerware and other decorative arts; kimonos and other textiles; Noh, Kabuki, literature; and of course traditional performing arts. It’s a tradition exemplified in the “Japan Cultural Expo special performance at the Kokyo Gaien National Garden: Representation of Prayer.”

Photos: © Japan Arts Council

The three-day performance series ran between March 12-14, and was a dedication to the ongoing recovery efforts from the Great East Japan Earthquake and for the rebuilding of Okinawa’s Shuri Castle. The event showcased a variety of theatre performances from Noh to Kyogen and the local Okinawa dance known as Ryukyuan Dance.

Photos: © Japan Arts Council

One of the event’s key highlights was – beyond the stunning location, of course – the performance of “Kusabira” (Mushrooms). A Kyogen (comedy) theatre performance, “Kusabira”, is the story of a young man who is troubled by enormous mushrooms invading his home. To help eliminate the mushrooms, the man contacts the mountain priest to perform a prayer, but in doing so, the priest brings the mushrooms to life, turning the poor man’s home into a mushroom farm.

Scenes from the "Kusabira" play

Photos: © Japan Arts Council

If you’ve never experienced Japanese performing arts before, but are interested, then this online experience is a great way to ‘dip your toe’ into the world of traditional Japanese theatre without having to commit to a marathon four-hour production. Held on a beautiful sunny day on the ground of the Imperial Palace, with the iconic Nijubashi Bridge in the background, the event is a visual delight, and the stream is online and accessible until the end of March.

Japan Cultural Expo special performance at
the Kokyo Gaien National Garden: Representation of Prayer
Details (in Japanese): https://japanculturalexpo.zaiko.io/e/representation-of-prayer