Noh, lacquer, and music—different fields representing traditional Japanese culture will come together on a single stage.
On Sunday, February 8, 2026, a stage performance titled "Eternal Beauty — A Celebration of Lacquer, Noh, and Music" will be held at Kanze Noh Theater (GINZA SIX, basement 3rd floor).
This performance brings together artists from different fields of Japanese culture—Noh theater, lacquer arts, and music—to create a one-night-only stage experience in the atmospheric space of Kanze Noh Theater.
Rather than preserving traditional culture as something complete and static, this event aims to demonstrate how it emerges in the present day and is passed on to the next generation through stage performance.
In recent years, interest in traditional culture has spread to audiences who were previously unfamiliar with it, thanks to films and stage productions. Against this backdrop, the performance aims to create a space where tradition can be experienced not as something distant, but as an expression that continues to evolve in real-time.
Where Instruments Themselves Become Expression — The "Instrument × Lacquer" Concept
This performance features special instruments that symbolize the "instrument × lacquer" concept. The piano and shakuhachi used in the performance are decorated with maki-e, a traditional Japanese art form, transforming them into visual expressions that form part of the stage, not merely tools for producing sound.
The maki-e decoration on these instruments is based on ancient Japanese techniques, with lacquer artists including Holders of Important Intangible Cultural Properties (Living National Treasures) and their successors involved in the creation. One distinctive feature of this performance is that instruments and fine art, performance and craft, are not separated but integrated to form the stage expression.
Performance Overview
Title: Eternal Beauty — A Celebration of Lacquer, Noh, and Music
Date & Time: Sunday, February 8, 2026, 2:00 PM start (doors open 1:30 PM)
Venue: Kanze Noh Theater (GINZA SIX, basement 3rd floor)
Organizer: Art & Science Symphony Association
Cooperation: Mejiro Lacquer Cultural Properties Research Institute, Kanze Bunko Foundation, and others
*For details, please refer to the official website and flyer.
About the Agency of Cultural Affairs Program
This performance is being held as part of the Agency for Cultural Affairs' 2025 "Support Program for Children's Performing Arts Appreciation at Theaters and Concert Halls." The program provides viewing support for those aged 18 and under. For details, please check the official website.
For Media Coverage and Materials
High-definition camera recording is planned for the day, and photo, video, and audio materials can be provided.
Even if on-site coverage is difficult, we can accommodate article creation with materials-only provision.
For interview requests, please contact us in advance.
