Japan Festival 1991
VHS Colour Sound 1992 50:00
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Summary: A Video record of the 1991 Japan Festival held in London and across the UK.
Title number: 3286
LSA ID: LSA/4278
Description: A selection of the 350 events held across the UK as part of the Japan Festival between August 1991and January 1992. The video begins with the official opening ceremony of the Japan Festival on 16th September 1991 at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, where speeches are given by Prince Charles and by the Crown Prince of Japan (Prime Minister John Major is amongst those in the audience). Views from around the 'Visions of Japan' exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum. In Room 1 'Cosmos' the concept of 'Do' is introduced via design architecture and films. In Room 2 'Chaos' is presented through a depiction of contemporary Tokyo complete with traffic wardens, pachinko parlours, arcade games, karaoke and Godzilla. In Room 3 'Dreams' a vision of the future is presented with simulated images of a future world projected on to the museum walls. There follows recording of various Japanese performing arts exhibited around London during the festival including Grand Kabuki at the Royal National Theatre (showing Kagami Jishi); Sankai Juku the Butoh dance troupe perform 'The Egg Stands Out of Curiosity' at Sadler's Wells; a Bunraku puppet performance and Noh troupe Umewaka Kennoka at Queen Elizabeth Hall; a Kabuki style version of 'Jesus Christ Superstar' by the Shiki Company at the Dominion Theatre; the Pappa Tarahumara dancers at the Riverside Studios; and performances by dancers Saburo Teshigawara and Karas and Dumb Type. A number of exhibitions including Japanese robotics at the Science Museum, woodblock prints by Shiko Munakata at the Hayward Gallery, Kamakura sculpture and Nihonga painting at the British Museum, and exhibitions of sculpture by Katsura Funakoshi, photography, contemporary design, traditional handcrafts, Japanese tapestries, and decorative screens. The Matsuri festival in Hyde Park including drumming by Hachiman Daiko, a Yabusame tournament of Japanese weaponry, tea ceremont and face painting. Sumo wrestling at the Royal Albert Hall. Music performances from Sadao Watanabe at Ronnie Scott's Club in Soho, Toru Takemitsu directing the Takemitsu Signature at the Barbican Centre, the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra at Ulster Hall in Belfast and Ryuichi Sakamoto at the Hammersmith Odeon. The video concludes with some of the education events on Japanese arts and culture for schoolchildren. Throughout there are vox pops with British people on their experiences at the various events.
Credits: By: Mineo Aayamaguchi; By: Kayoko Mitsumatsu; On-line Edit: James Gormley;
Keywords: Art festivals; Contemporary dance; Dance; Puppets; Theatre; Traditional dance
Locations: United Kingdom; England; London; City of Westminster
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