Noh Seminar Series - San Francisco Bay Area
We are pleased to have participated in and sponsored many events held in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Thanks to the support and the patronage of the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco, Japan Airlines and The Japan Society of Northern California we are very grateful to have produced these long-awaited events.
We are inviting Otsuzumi Drummer of Okura-ryu, Shonosuke Okura and Noh Performer from Hosho-ryu, Masayuki Namiyoshi, in cooperation wtih Matsuno Kuhara Patrick and calligrapher Shioh Kato, who were the “team” that succeeded in bringing Noh theatre to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1989.
As you may know already, Noh is a Japanese traditional theatrical art that expresses the “soul of Japan”. This more-than-600-year-old art and it’s artists were awarded the title of World Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO in 2001. Both, Okura and Namiyoshi hold this title of Japanese Intangible Cultural Treasures (Overall Recognition) and with their stance on traditional art, they are also cultural event producers who are eager to introduce Noh to the world by innovative experiments in their performances.
The host organization is “Mary Sano Studio of Duncan Dancing”. Mary Sano is a pioneer of modern dancing and the joint performance of Mary Sano with Okura and Namiyoshi is planned for this year. This will surely to make history in the performing arts communities in the San Francisco Bay Area.
We would also like to acknowledge Seiichi Tanaka, the sensi of the San Francisco Taiko Dojo. He is greatly contributing to the operations of our Noh Seminar Series 2006 and is hosting the Noh Drumming class on March 18, 2006 for Taiko students. He is also interested in the introduction of the Otsuzumi drum into the Taiko drumming performances, which would be a truly unique experience.
We also produced a workshop taught by Okura Shonosuke at the Kojinan Zendo (Zen Temple) in Oakland. It was very well received and well attended.
We are honored to have shared the philosophy of Noh with the people of the San Francisco Bay Area and hope to interest more Americans in this fascinating performance of Noh.
Shonosuke Okura: Big Hand Drummer
In March 2006 Shonosuke Okura of Okura-ryo presented a special workshop in San Francisco California. Mr. Okura’s family has lasted for 650 years in the field of the hand drum, a tradition handed down from father to son. Okura is a holder of Important Intangible Cultural Properties. This 2 part series featured a performance at Mary Sano's Studio of Duncan Dance, and a special workshop for San Francisco Taiko Dojo students.
For more information please contact Nobuko Nin @ 415.331.6711
Download Event Press Release /
Download Okura Shonosuke's Bio 
Masayuki Namiyoshi: Noh Theatre Shitekata
In May 2006 Japanese holder of Important Intangible Cultural Properties Masayuki Namiyoshi presented a special workshop in San Francisco California. This 2 part series culminated in a performance by Namiyoshi on May 7, 2006 at Mary Sano's Studio of Duncan Dance.
For more information please contact Nobuko Nin @ 415.331.6711
Noh Techniques Educational Booklet
As part of the seminar series a booklet explaining the basic techniques of Noh philosophy was translated into english. We are posing this file here so that you may learn some of these techniques on your own.
Download the Noh Techniques Educational Booklet