Review: January 2019 New Year Kabuki: Part Two – Asakusa Kokaido Public Hall and the Kabukiza

Part two of a two part review!

Asakusa Kokaidō Public Hall Shinshun New Year Kabuki

The matinee kicked off with an Otoshidama – Nenshi Goaisatsu, a special kōjō (ceremony), for new year greetings during which one of the company appears on stage, on this occasion Onoe Matsuya, dressed in formal Edo era attire during which he described some of the conventions of Kabuki, highlights to watch out for in the upcoming performances and which are his favourite local hang outs.

…and of course the ever popular famous thief Ishikawa Goemon made his appearance with the first performance of the matinee in the very entertaining Edo style dance drama ‘Modorikago Iro ni Aikata’ (The Returning Palanquin). The two palanquin bearers, Yoshirō (Nakamura Tanenosuke), the chic one who is

Find Yourself in Tokyo

Those who wander aren’t always lost!

It’s pretty common these days for people of all ages to hit the open road in hope of ‘finding themselves’. Is it just a myth, or is there some truth behind that fact that experiencing a new culture or place can help us to have that lightbulb moment that changes our life forever? If it is true, there’s no better place to find yourself than in the colourful city of Tokyo. Popular with luxury travellers and backpackers alike, this brightly-lit city is on the map for all the right reasons. If there is a