＜Kikunojo Onoe and Ippei Shigeyama's "Itsei-kai Aug. 18-25 at Cerulean Tower Noh Theater

Kikunojo Onoe III, the fourth generation head of the Onoe school of Japanese dance (office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Iemoto: Kikunojo Onoe), and Ippei Shigeyama, a Noh actor of the Kyogen school of the Okura school Shigeyama Chigoro family, will hold the "Itsei-kai" at Cerulean Tower Noh Theater in Tokyo from August 18 (Sun) through 25 (Sun), 2024. This year's event, which marks 15 years since its first performance in 2009, will feature guests from the worlds of Kabuki, Noh, and dance, challenging new frontiers with a variety of guests, including not only classical Japanese dance and kyogen, but also new works of Japanese dance and kyogen that can only be seen at Itseo-kai. Kikunojo FAN CLUB and Club SOJA will start selling the tickets on June 10 (Mon), and general sales will start on June 17 (Mon).

Kikunojo FAN CLUB: https://fanclove.jp/club/kikunojo3

Club SOJA : https://kyotokyogen.com/soja/

Commemorating the 15th anniversary of "Itsu-Seikai

What is Isseikai?

The 15th anniversary of "Isei-kai" is the 15th anniversary of "Isei-kai", an annual dance performance by Kikunojo Onoe, a dancer, and Ippei Shigeyama, a Noh actor of Kyogen style, in which they pursue the possibilities of new forms of dance and Kyogen beyond each genre. In addition to performing classical works, the two groups have studied each other's genres and combined the similar but different performing arts of "dance" and "kyogen" to create and present new works as "Buyo Kyogen" each time in search of new possibilities that go beyond mere collaboration. To date, more than 10 original Itsu Seikai works have been created.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq-skZKYn0cYouTube

The "Itseo-kai" in 2024 will feature artists active in a variety of fields.

To commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Itsei-kai, we will welcome a total of 19 guest performers from the Kabuki, Noh, and dance worlds who have appeared on the stage over the past week.

Itseokai has been presenting original new works every year, collaborating with Noh actors and Kabuki actors, Bunraku puppets, and rakugo artists, with the aim of creating new works that transcend genre boundaries and allow Japanese dance and Kyogen to shine. There are various genres of "classical arts" such as Noh, Kabuki, Bunraku, Japanese dance, and Rakugo, and the entrance to these genres may often seem narrow in today's society. At Itseokai, we place great importance on how we can convey the appeal of these genres to everyone and how we can encourage them to enter into the depths of these genres.

Comment from Kikunojo Onoe and Ippei Shigeyama on the 15th anniversary

At the time of its inception, we were enthusiastic about "putting on a play that only the two of us could do! But as we have continued, we have also developed a desire to leave behind our own works. What is needed for that is to revive new works and to perform them with a new cast. The greatest appeal of the Itseokai's 15th anniversary performance is that you will be able to see a new Itseokai production with a new cast of guests who have performed in previous Itseokai productions, a new work "Gosatsu" created by Kikunojo and Ippei for this occasion, and various classical works at the same time.

Outline of the performance

Dates: August 18 (Sun.) to 25 (Sun.), 2024 (7 days, 11 performances in total, with a day off on August 21)

Cerulean Tower Noh Theater (B2F, 26-1 Sakuragaoka-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)

Organizer / Performers: Kikunojo Onoe / Ippei Shigeyama

Performers

Sunday, August 18: Ukon Onoe / Shigeru Shigeyama / Yomi Shimada

Monday, August 19: Koshiro Matsumoto / Munehiko Shigeyama / Takanobu Sakaguchi / Yoshikazu Shigeyama / Kyo Onoe

Tuesday, August 20 Takanosuke Nakamura / Munehiko Shigeyama / Takanobu Sakaguchi / Kikushiro Onoe

Thursday, August 22: Ichitaro Nakamura / Sengoro Shigeyama / Yoshikazu Shigeyama / Yokai Shimada / Sumiyuki Onoe

Friday, August 23: Nakamura Budotama / Shigeyama Sengoro / Hatori Michiko / Shigeyama Shichigoso

Saturday, August 24 Shigeyama Shimeyama / Shigeyama Chinojo / Tanimoto Kengo / Hatori Yoshito / Onoe Sumiyuki

Sunday, August 25: Matsuya Onoe / Chinojo Shigeyama / Kengo Tanimoto / Yoshikazu Shigeyama / Yoshito Hatori /

　　　　　　Shigeyama Shimekazu / Onoe Sumisetsu

Admission: 10,000 yen (*All seats reserved/tax included, seats cannot be reserved)

Ticket Reservations: Available from the following fan clubs from June 10 (Mon.)

　　　　　　　　Kikunojo FAN CLUB https://fanclove.jp/club/kikunojo3

　　　　　　　　Club SOJA https://kyotokyogen.com/soja/

　　　　　　　　From June 17 (Mon.): Available from O-Ustream and Sengoro Shigeyama HP

For ticket inquiries:

TEL : 03-3541-6344(weekdays 10:00-18:00)

MAIL: info@onoe-ryu.com

What is the Onoe school?

The Onoe school of Japanese dance was founded in 1948 by Onoe Kikugoro VI, a member of the Onoe Soke family of kabuki actors. The school is based on the words of the school's founder: "Dignity, freshness, and unexpectedness. Based on the philosophy of Japanese dance that Onoe Kikugoro VI followed, the Onoe School upholds elegant dance and the art of dance of high dignity, and continues to convey the charm of Japanese culture to people in Japan and abroad without ceasing.

Onoe Kikunojo III, the fourth head of the Onoe school

Born in 1976, Onoe studied under his father from the age of two and made his stage debut at the age of five. He has organized his own recital, "Onoe Kikunojo no Kai," as well as the "Itsei-kai" with Kyogen actor Shigeyama Ippei. He has also devoted himself to the creation of new works and has presented a variety of works. He has directed and choreographed various genres, including new Kabuki plays, Hanamachi dance, Takarazuka Revue, OSK Nippon Revue, and ice skating productions such as "Hyotsuya" and "Luxe.

Part-time lecturer at Kyoto University of Arts / Director of the Nihon Buyo Kyokai (Japan Dance Association)

Kikunojo Onoe

＜Choreography

His diverse works include the new Kabuki play "Touken Ranbu", "Twelfth Night of NINAGAWA" by Onoe Kikugoro Theatre Company, "Agari" by Kabuki NEXT, "Koi-Guri" and "Shishio" by Las Vegas Kabuki Company, "One Piece" and "Oguri" by Super Kabuki II, Takarazuka Revue Company, World Exposition, figure skating show "Ice Gloss", and many more.

<Direction

Directed "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" and "Suzunosuke Akado" in New Kabuki, "Tsukuyomi" and "Hikari" in OSK Nippon Revue, "Luxe" ice show starring Daisuke Takahashi, etc. He has also directed and choreographed the "Azuma Odori" dance performance in Shinbashi and the "Kamogawa Odori" dance performance in Ponto-cho.

Onoe Style website: https://onoe-ryu.com/

Instagram ： https://www.instagram.com/kikunojoonoe3

Kikunojo FAN CLUB : https://fanclove.jp/club/kikunojo3

Special offer: Kikunojo FAN CLUB PREMIUM members who see the play will receive a special present,

　　　There will be a special present for those who are PREMIUM members of "Kikunojo FAN CLUB" and see the play.

　　　We will inform you of the details separately.

＜Kikunojo FAN CLUB

The Fan Club offers a variety of contents such as video clips of Kikunojo Onoe talking about Japanese dance and his personal life, information on his appearances, and advance ticket reservations. The Fan Club also offers a variety of exciting events such as exclusive tea ceremonies and limited-edition goods.

Kikunojo FAN CLUB 2D code

About Kyogen The Okura School Shigeyama Sengoro Family

The Shigeyama Sengoro family is a family of Kyogen performers living in Kyoto and has a long history dating back to the early Edo period. In a document dated 1687 (Jokyo 4), a kyogen performer named "Shigeyama Tokubei" is mentioned in the area of Abura-no Koji-dori, Shijo-shitaeru, and it is known that Tokubei was a disciple of the 15th Soke, who was an official of the Himeji clan and of Honda Tadanori. (*Currently, Shigeyama Sengoro XIV is the head of the family.) Despite its long history, the Shigeyama Sengoro family has carefully passed down the words of Shoshige X (Senzaku II), "a kyogen performer like tofu," to the next generation.

Our goal is not to create a limited world of entertainment enjoyed only by a select few, but to create "tofu kyogen" that will always be loved by everyone, that will never grow tired of being performed, and that will be full of flavor.

Kyogenkata Noh performer Ippei Shigeyama

Born in 1979, Shigeyama made his stage debut at the age of 4 in "Narihira Mochi". In 1994, he formed the Hanagata Kyogen Boys' Troupe with Munehiko and Shigeru. Since 2000, he has organized "TOPPA!" with Senzaburo, Shobo (now Sengoro), Munehiko, Shigeru, and Doji, a preparatory training group for the promotion of educational classical Kyogen, and has appeared in NHK TV series "Kyo, Futari," "Audrey," "Gochisousan," and many other stage and commercial productions.

In 2006, he restarted "HANAGATA" with Shokuni (now Sengoro), Munehiko, Shigeru, and Doji, and since 2020, he has been planning, producing, and performing as "Cutting Edge KYOGEN" under the new name "HANAGATA". Since 2009, he has been organizing "Itsei-kai" (Itsu-Seikai).

Ippei Shigeyama

Sengoro Shigeyama Family ： https://kyotokyogen.com/

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/ippeishigeyama/

X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/ippeishigeyama

YouTube channel : https://www.youtube.com/user/clubsoja/