The arts of the Geisha are not often witnessed by foreigners or even the ordinary Japanese, so I was told by my host Takehara-san.  The six Geisha districts of Tokyo, Shinbashi, Akasaka, Asakusa, Kagurazaka, Mukoujima and Yoshicho, have teamed up with Muromachi Fukutokujuku to present performances that are a great way to “feel”  Japanese culture […]

A copper statue of the famous Kabuki actor Danjuro Ishikawa the 9th (1838 – 1903) in the costume of Shibaraku, a role he perfected.  Shibaraku, "Stop a Moment!" in English, is one of the eighteen great Kabuki plays that was originally performed by the first Danjuro Ichikawa (1660-1704) who pioneered the strong, masculine aragoto (rough […]