Taishu Engeki: Discovering “Popular Theater” in Japan

Taishu Engeki is a Japanese performing art with roots in Kabuki, yet it is seldom experienced by Western audiences. Professor Takahiro Takeuchi from Aoyama Gakuin University, through a recorded video lecture, will first explain the history of Taishu Engeki. Afterward, Junya Koikawa, a Taishu Engeki performer, will showcase his standard showtime preparations, such as applying makeup and putting on traditional kimono, followed by a live example of a Taishu Engeki performance, including how performers simulate katana samurai combat and forms of dancing. Free and open to the public. Photo caption and/or credit: Junya Koikawa