Imoseyama Onna Teikin(妹背山婦女庭訓)’, ‘Oshu Adachigahara(奥州安達原)’, ‘Honcho Nijushiko(本朝廿四孝)’, ‘Taiheiki Chushin Koshaku(太平記忠臣講釈)’, ‘Sekitori Senryo Nobori(関取千両幟)’, ‘Keisei Awa no Naruto(傾城阿波の鳴門)’, ‘Omi Genji Senjin Yakata(近江源氏先陣館)’, ‘Kamakura Sandaiki(鎌倉三代記)’, ‘Shinpan Utazaimon(新版歌祭文)’, ‘Iga-goe Dochu Sugoroku(伊賀越道中双六)’.
The titles listed here are just a few of the plays written by Joruri playwright Chikamatsu Hanji(近松半二). Chikamatsu Hanji left his signature on more than 60 Joruri puppetry works during his lifetime. Moreover, he was highly praised as a master playwright even before his death, and in his essay collection ‘Hitori-sabaki(独判断)’, which was compiled after his death, he wrote about his masterfully unrestricted writings with the words ‘Alas, Hanji mastered play writer’s way’. In recent years, his life was depicted by the 161st Naoki Prize winner Oshima Masumi(大島真寿美) in ‘Uzu Imoseyama Onna Teikin Tamamusubi(渦 妹背山婦女庭訓 魂結び)’ (2019, Bungei Shunjyu), which attracted attention.
What deserves special mention is the large number of performative programmes. Hanji specialised in period pieces and created a series of grand concepts and profound and variable stages. Many of them were handed down as programmes for Joruri Bunraku puppetry and Kabuki. They have become an important aspect of Japan’s traditional performing arts heritage.
Despite the importance of his achievements, unfortunately, no exhibition bearing the name of ‘Chikamatsu Hanji’ has been held so far. The 2022 Spring Exhibition ‘The Genius of CHIKAMATSU Hanji: the prolific Ningyo-Joruri dramatist’ explores Chikamatsu Hanji’s place in the history of Japanese theatre by using the vast quantity of Japanese and early-modern theatre materials in the Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum’s collection.
Dates: 26 April (Tue.) to 7 August (Sun.), 2022
Opening hours: 10:00–17:00 (until 19:00 on Tuesdays and Fridays)
Closed: 29 April (Fri., National Holiday), 3 May (Tue.) to 5 May (Thu.), 1 June (Wed.), 15 June (Wed.), 6 July (Wed.), 20 July (Wed.)
* The schedule is subject to change depending on the circumstances, so please check the museum’s website for the latest information.
Venue: 2F Special Exhibition Room, Waseda University Theatre Museum
Free admission
Organiser: Waseda University The Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum / Collaborative Research Centre for Theatre and Film Arts
Sponsor: 2022 Arts and Culture Promotional Fund
※Please check ‘Our Requests to Visitors’ before visiting.
▼Related performance
Taking on One Whole Act of a Masterpiece
Plain Joruri Performance at Enpaku
Toyotake Rodayu and Tsuruzawa Seisuke Take on the ‘Sodehagi Saimon’!
Date and time: planned start 18:30, 24 June (Fri.), 2022
Venue: Okuma Memorial Auditorium
Appearance: Toyotake Rodayu VI (豊竹呂太夫, joruri), Tsuruzawa Seisuke (鶴澤清介, shamisen)
Interviewer: Kodama Ryuichi (児玉竜一, Deputy Director, Waseda University The Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum)
Content: Sodehagi Saimon(袖萩祭文) from plain Joruri ‘Oshu Adachigahara(奥州安達原)’
After talk
Organiser: Coten-goten Co., Ltd.
Co-organiser: Waseda University The Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum / Collaborative Research Centre for Theatre and Film Arts
※Click here for details
▼Related performance
Female Gidayu Performances at Enpaku
Female Gidayu is back for the first time in 46 years!
Date and time: planned start 14:00, 25 July (Mon.), 2022
Venue: Small Auditorium, Okuma Memorial Auditorium
Performers: Takemoto Ayanosuke (竹本綾之助, joruri), Tsuruzawa Kanya (鶴澤寛也, shamisen)
Commentary and interviewer: Harada Masumi(原田真澄)
Content:
▼ About female gidayu and the fourth act of ‘Imoseyama Onna Teikin(妹背山婦女庭訓)’
| Commentary: Harada Masumi (Assistant Professor, Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum)
▼ The fourth act of ‘Imoseyama Onna Teikin’ and the Golden Palace
| Takemoto Ayanosuke (joruri), Tsuruzawa Kanya (shamisen)
▼ After talk
| Takemoto Ayanosuke (joruri), Tsuruzawa Kanya, Harada Masumi (interviewer)
Organiser: Waseda University Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum / / Collaborative Research Centre for Theatre and Film Arts
※Click here for details
▼Exhibition catalogue information
‘The Genius of CHIKAMATSU Hanji: the prolific Ningyo-Joruri dramatist’
[Content]
Frontispiece: The world of puppet Joruri
Introduction
Purpose of the exhibition
Part 1. The allure of Chikamatsu Hanji
Submission ‘Miscellaneous feelings about Hanji’ Matsui Kesako
Interview ‘A collective illusion four-in-one’ Toyotake Rodayu× Oshima Masumi (interviewer: Kodama Ryuichi)
Part 2. The world of Chikamatsu Hanji
Chapter 1. Joruri playwright genealogy
Chapter 2. Catalogue of Chikamatsu Hanji’s works
Chapter 3. The development of Kabuki and the world of contemporary theatre
Chapter 4. Chikamatsu Hanji living in the modern age
Appendix. Bunraku puppets depicted
Part 3. Chikamatsu Hanji’s Works and Performances
Interview ‘The most dramatic of Joruri playwrights: Chikamatsu Hanji’ Uchiyama Mikiko
‘The life and style of Chikamatsu Hanji: A chronology of Chikamatsu Hanji’ Harada Masumi
‘Chikamatsu Hanji in Kabuki’ Kodama Ryuichi
Part 4. Materials
‘Video and audio materials of Chikamatsu Hanji: Signposts to the world of his works’ Iijima Mitsuru
‘Major sources for Chikamatsu Hanji’ Takai Shiho and Harada Masumi
‘List of original Chikamatsu Hanji works in collections’ Takahashi Wakako, Harada Masumi, and Jane Ma
Exhibition list
Acknowledgements
[Specifications] B5, softcover, cover, 144 pages
[Retail price] 1,818 yen + tax
[Supervision] Waseda University Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum
[Editor] Harada Masumi
[Supervision and editing] Kodama Ryuichi
*Sold at the 1F Library Counter of the Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum, the Office of the Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum (2F Building No. 6), and KINOKUNIYA WEB STORE
