Noh in Kyoto

Last weekend we went to Kyoto to see Noh theatre by candlelight. The Noh was performed at Gokonomiya shrine which has a beautiful Noh stage. It was wonderful to sit under the stars watching such an old theatrical art. The costumes and the masks were stunning, so it didn't matter that we didn't understand a word. The first Noh play was called "Hajitomi (The Wicked Gate)". The Koomote (the young girl) was played by an actor with a booming bass and a dounble chin.

In between the two plays a Kyogen, comic play was performed.

These pictures are from the second Noh play "Funabenkei (Benkei on the Boat)"

We visited a beautiful temple complex, Enryaku-ji.

View of the Kyoto suburbs from the window of our Youth Hostel.

Sam's Bunkasai

Sam also had his last Bunkasai (school culture festival). As usual, there was a mix of the surprising, the pleasing and the disturbing.

These kids made a class flag - nobody could explain where they got this English from.

Here's some material advertising the disturbing (very J-horror) Ghost House...

...and the oh-so-cheery kids staffing said Ghost House.

Sam was also prevailed upon to sing and play the piano with a staff group. Japanese songs and Simon and Garfunkel featured. There was also a cartoon for promotional purposes (of course) - Sam's at top left.

Finally, outside the tea ceremony room (every school has one) they tried to make the grey, One-Flew-Over-The-Cuckoo's-Nest corridor look more inviting. A splash of colour for a day at least.