TOKYO GINZA "Summer Festival Noh Theater"

TOKYO GINZA "Summer Festival Noh Theater" will take place over five days at the Kanze Noh Theater, located on the B3 floor of GINZA SIX. The event presents a unique opportunity to observe, explore, and appreciate Noh in a summer festival atmosphere.

The venue will reflect the essence of summer in Japan, with decorations including lanterns, reed screens, wind chimes, and morning glories. A life-size banner featuring the ghost of Tomomori from the Noh play Funabenkei will be displayed as one of the event’s most visually striking spots.

An exhibition of high-quality Noh masks and costumes from the Kanze family collection will be featured. Over 50 Noh masks will also be available for visitors to handle, with guidance provided by Noh performers for those wishing to experience how the masks are worn.

Multilingual support will be provided, including English subtitles for the movies and on-site assistance from interpreters for non-Japanese-speaking guests.

Workshops with Performers

Workshops will take place twice daily, at 2:25 PM and 6:00 PM, each lasting approximately 45 minutes. These sessions will introduce participants to Noh’s movements and vocal techniques, offer demonstrations of costume dressing from Funabenkei, and include short performances in full costume and mask. English interpretation will be provided for each session.

Two screenings per day will present large-screen films:

• A behind-the-scenes tour of Kanze Noh Theater, guided by guided by Saburouta Kanze

• "Kami - Oni - Uruwashii: The Three Great Noh Plays", a visual presentation utilising advanced CG, subtitled in English.

Merchandise and Photo Opportunities

A variety of original goods will be available at the souvenir shop, including Snoopy items dressed in Noh style, cookies, and items featuring traditional Kanze patterns. Photography will be permitted throughout the venue, except during the film screenings. Visitors who upload photos to social media during the event will receive a prize by lottery (no blank tickets included).

About Funabenkei

Funabenkei (船弁慶) is a famous Noh play based on a dramatic episode from Japanese history and legend. The title translates roughly to “Benkei on the Boat”, and it features two of Japan’s most iconic historical figures: Minamoto no Yoshitsune, a brilliant military commander, and his loyal retainer Benkei, a warrior monk.