Kyoto Takigi Nō｜京都薪能

The oldest style of Japanese theater still practiced today, tracing its origins back over six hundred years, nō (or "noh") is a highly stylized, ritualistic combination of narrative music and dance with actors donning rich costumes and masks to portray their roles. Dealing with supernatural and legendary subjects such as the ghosts of tormented warriors and gods who descend to walk among mortals or share a tale, nō performances are usually hours long and are composed of four nō plays with a kyōgen comedy in between. Some nō takes place at night on a stage lit with torches in a tradition called takigi nō (nō by firelight), and Kyoto residents and visitors have a chance to take part in such an event every year on June 1^st and 2^nd at the historic Heian Jingū, a shrine in the Okazaki area of the old capital.

Two nō schools, the Kanze and the Kongō, as well as the Ōkura school of kyōgen, put on five different plays each night, and as night fell the audience packed in for the rare opportunity to view nō on an open-air stage.  Each year a theme is chosen that will be reflected in the choice of plays.  For example, the theme of the 66th annual performance in 2015 was "The 120^th Anniversary of the Founding of Heian Shrine: Feelings of the Gods & Winds of Prayer", and the 2016 performance theme was "A Prayer for Recovery and Peace for the Olympic Year".

Tickets are available for 4,000 yen in advance and 5,000 yen at the door, and explanatory booklets in Japanese with a short English summary page are on sale with a commemorative clear file.

In recent years the Kyoto Takigi Noh event has become increasingly accessible even for visitors who don’t speak Japanese.  In addition to the English summaries in the official booklet there are also English language books among the noh-themed publications on sale near the seating area, and the Nō Association chairman's message is also translated live.

Take a look at the photos to explore the world of Kyoto's annual takigi nō and learn more about the plays and their captivating stories!

This year, DMO Kyoto has put together a tour for those interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the art of noh before viewing the firelight Takigi Noh performance. At the ROHM Theatre Kyoto, a certified Kyoto City Guide well-versed in noh will present "Welcome to the World of Noh – A Public Lecture for Appreciation of Kyoto Takigi Noh", which will introduce noh chanting, elements of the music, comedic kyogen theater, and a digest version of a noh play. After a bit of free time to explore the Okazaki Park area, participants will reconvene at Heian Jingu Shrine to enjoy the 74th Takigi Noh. 

Tickets to the tour cost 15,000 yen and can be purchased here on Peatix.