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On June 1st and 2nd, 2019, the 70th annual Takigi Noh performance took place at Heian Shrine in Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan. Honoring the abdication of Emperor Akihito and the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito, the theme for the year’s Takigi Noh was “Celebrating a New Era”. Noh is the oldest style of Japanese theater still practiced today, which makes it quite a fitting form to celebrate such a momentous occasion. Selected scenes from the plays “Heian”, “Sōshiarai Komachi”, “Shakkyō”, “Hagoromo”, and “Ema”, performed by the Kanze and Kongō schools of noh, as well as the more comedic kyōgen via “Fukube no Shin Tsutomeiri” and “Niō” performed by the Ōkura school, were performed to mark the occasion, mixing classic performance staples with rarely performed ceremonial pieces. Takigi Noh is an event not to be missed if you find yourself in Kyoto in June, so make sure to check before you come or book your tickets in advance! For more information and photos: and
