Noh

EAS 333 - Spring 2015

Traditional
Japanese Theater

kabuki
bunraku
kyogen

 

Jeremy Robinson

robinjer@gvsu.edu

This class will explore the full range of traditional Japanese performing arts, especially the four main traditional genres of , kyôgen, kabuki, and bunraku but also arts such as gagaku, bugaku, biwa, kyôgen, and rakugo; as well as exploration of the role of performance in religious ceremonies, festivals, sporting events, and everyday life. There will be a strong emphasis on the way aspects of traditional performance are both preserved and adapted, manifesting in various ways in both modern performance and modern life.  The course will take full advantage of its setting to explore first the tradition of live performance in Tokyo and then that of Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara.  There will be at least six required field trips to view live performance as well as several optional supplemental field trips.  The general content of the course remains consistent from year to year, but the specific details are always tailored to the performances that are available each season, and specific readings will target those plays which we will be seeing in performance.  All readings will be in English translation, and no previous exposure to Japanese language or culture is required, but we will frequently make use of close reading to delve into the way the language itself plays a part in defining the performance.

Grades will be assessed as follows:
Attendance & Participation 30%
Six Reaction Papers 6 x 5% = 30%
Five Quizzes 5 x 3% = 15%
Final Project 15%
Final Project Presentation 10%

The class is taught in conjuction with JPN 280 - Japanese Language and Food Culture, with classes divided per the schedule below. In general, classes are held from 9am to noon on weekdays with additional field trips during some mornings, afternoons, and weekends. Attendance and participation accounts for 30% of the final grade, and missing even a single class will impact that grade substantially. Attendance means more than simply coming to class, and it is expected that you will have read the necessary assignments and viewed any videos listed on the daily schedule, and come to class ready to share your views on them with your fellow students. The class is so small that active engagement by all students is necessary. Another 30% of your grade will come in the form of six reaction papers. These are intended to give your reaction to the performances we will be attending and, while they do not need to be as formal as a research paper, they should go beyond simply stating your opinion and show that you have reflected on the perfomance in light of what we have studied in this class. You will submit these on the Blackboard discussion board by midnight the day folllowing each event, and other students' reaction papers will also be available for you to read. Five of these reaction papers are marked on the schedule below and for the sixth you will need to choose one of three optional performances, for which you also have to do additional preparatory readings. If you wish, you may choose to attend more than one of these performances and write one additional reaction paper for extra credit, but you will be required to cover the cost of the performance yourself. These three optional performances are:

Week three Rakugo @ Asakusa Engei Hall
Week four Manzai @ Namba Grand Kagetsu
Week five Takarazuka Revue @ Takarazuka Grand Theater

The remainder of the grade consists of five quizzes during class, a final project due by June 15th, and a presentation on that final project in class on that day. The content and format of all these assignments will be discussed in class.

There will be two required texts for this course. The first is available in the bookstore, and the link below is to Amazon if you wish to order it online. It is widely available both new and used. The second one, howerver, is out of print so you will probably be unable to find it new or used online. If you can't, I will provide pdfs of the entire work via Blackboard.

Traditional Japanese Theater Karen Brazell
A Guide to the Japanese Stage

Ronald Cavaye

Additional readings will also be made available in pdf format on Blackboard, and marked (BB) on the schedule below.  In addition to these readings, there will be many required viewings of video materials. These will either be screened as a group or made available for individual viewing, either on the Language Resource Center's eVideon video server (links on Blackboard) or through transfer of video files to individual students' computers.

 

 

Itinerary / Course Schedule

Week Zero - Arrival

Fri, 5/8

 

Arrive in Tokyo

 

Sat 5/9

Morning Afternoon

Language Practicum 1 - Japanese addresses and our neighborhood Language Practicum 2 - Trains and navigating Tokyo

Week One

Mon, 5/11

4:30am

9am - noon

 

Read:

Trip to Tsukiji fish market - meet in Hotel Juyoh lobby

Introduction to the Course

Robinson/Herlands

“Japanese Theater: A Living Tradition,” Brazell pp. 3-43


Tue, 5/12

9am - noon

 

JPN 280

 

Wed, 5/13

9am - noon

Field trip:

JPN 280

Trip to Ghibli museum (optional - student only)

 

Thu, 5/14

9am - noon

Read:




View:


The Four Primary Genres

Kamo,” Brazell pp. 44-60
“Kaminari,” Brazell pp.61-67
“Saint Narukami,” Brazell pp. 68-94
“Mount Tempai,” Brazell pp. 95-111

The Tradition of Performing Arts in Japan

 

Fri, 5/15

9am - noon

Quiz:

Read:


View:

Afternoon:
(optional)

Theater's origins in ritual

Quiz #1 in class

Raz, “The Audience is Formed,” pp. 5-41

Averbuch, “Shamanic Dance in Japan,” pp. 293-32
Gonick, “Introduction to Shinto Festivals,” pp. 18-55

8 Million Gods

You may want to wander around the various neighborhoods between our hotel and the Sensôji complex in the afternoon today. There will be preparations by various neighborhood groups getting their portable shrines (omikoshi) ready to be carried through the streets


Sat, 5/16

Field Trip:


Sanja Matsuri @ Sensôji Temple complex -- Meet in Hotel Juyoh lobby at noon
Reaction paper 1 on Sanja Matsuri due by Sunday-midnight


Week Two

Mon, 5/18

Field Trip:

9am - noon

Field Trip:

 

Early morning trip to Yodobashi market

JPN 280

Afternoon visit to ramen museum - Yokohama

Tue, 5/19

Field Trip:

9am - noon

Early morning trip to Toshima market

JPN 280

 

Wed, 5/20

9am - noon

Field Trip:

JPN 280

Afternoon visit to soy sauce factory in Noda

 

Thu, 5/21

9am - noon

Read:



Field Trip:


Origins of Edo Theatre / Sumo

“Performing Arts of Sixteenth-Century Japan,” Tsubaki pp. 3-14 (BB)
First half of "Social Environment of Tokugawa Kabuki," Shively pp. 193-208 (BB)
"Kabuki" in Cavaye, pp. 22-32
“Appeasing the Gods,” from With God on Their Side, (online) pp. 139-159

May Grand Sumo @ Ryôgoku Kokugikan - Depart immediately after class
Reaction paper 2 on Sumo due by Friday-midnight


Fri, 5/22

9am - noon

Read:




Kabuki

“Kabuki” in Cavaye, pp. 49-55, 59-64, 69-85, 95-98
"The Hamamatsu-ya Scene," Brazell pp. 484-505

Sat, 5/23

Field Trip:


Blue Moon Over Memphis - English language noh play
Meet at JR Nippori station south exit at 6pm


Week Three

Mon, 5/25

9am - noon

Read:



Field Trip:

 


Kabuki

Origins of kabuki acting,” Kominz pp. 16-30 (BB)
“Social Environment of Tokugawa Kabuki,” Shively pp. 208-235 (BB)
Summary of "Kami no Megumi Wagô no Torikumi," pp. 136-138 (BB)
Kabuki summaries (BB)

Kabuki Performance at the Kabukiza - meet in hotel lobby at 2:30pm
Keian Taiheiki, Jayanagi, Kami no Megumi Wagô no Torikumi
Reaction paper 3 on Kabuki due by Tuesday-midnight


Tue, 5/26

9am - noon

Read:

View:


Chikamatsu and Bunraku

"Bunraku," Cavaye, pp. 100-120
“Love Suicides at Amijima,” Brazell pp. 333-363

Bunraku


Wed, 5/27

9am - 10:30am

Quiz:

Read:

View:

Field Trip:




Kabuki vs. Bunraku

Quiz #2 in class

“The Courier for Hell,” Keene, pp. 161-194 (BB)
“A Message of Love from Yamato,” pp. 142-158 (BB)

Lover’s Exile
Fuinkiri

(Optional) Rakugo at Asakusa Engei Hall theater
Depart directly from class

Mon, 5/28

9am - noon

 

JPN 280

 

Fri, 5/29

9am - noon

 

JPN 280

 

Sat, 5/30

 

Check out of Hotel Juyoh - travel to Osaka by Shinkansen
Check into Umeda Dormitory

 

Week Four

Mon, 6/1

9am - noon

Read:





View:

Quiz:

Field trip:

"Elements of Performance," Brazell, pp. 115-125
"Nô" in Cavaye, pp. 161-180
“Atsumori," Brazell pp. 126-142
"Izutsu," Brazell, pp. 143-157
"Dôjôji," Brazell, pp. 193-206
"Hagoromo," pp. 96-107 (BB)

Atsumori, Izutsu, Dojoji (in class)

Quiz #3 - take home

Nô workshop - Meet in Umeda Dormitory lobby at 3pm

Tue, 6/2

9am - noon

Read:




View:

After class:



Field Trip:

 

Kyôgen

"Kyôgen" in Cavaye, pp. 181-192
Wells and Davis, "Farce and Satire in Kyôgen," pp. 127-150 (BB)
"The Delicious Poison," Brazell, pp. 235-244
"Mushrooms," Brazell, pp. 245-254
"Ebisu Bishamon" (BB)

Busu (The delicious poison)
Kusabira (Mushrooms)

Have read prior to afternoon performance:
"Tatsuta," pp. 293-308 (BB)
"Tsunemasa," pp. 51-56 (BB)
"Kokaji," pp. 265-269 (BB)

Depart for Kyoto directly after class
Lunch and walking tour of Nishiki Market and Gion area
Torchlit nô at Heian Jingû in Kyôto
Tatsuta, Tsunemasa, Hagoromo, Ebisu Bishamon, Kokaji
Reaction paper 4 on Nô due on Wednesday-midnight

Wed, 6/3

9am - noon

Read:

Cross Genre Adaptation: Atsumori

No readings - bring Brazell textbook to class

Thu, 6/4

9am - noon

Field Trip:

JPN 280

Fukujuen tea grinding/tasting in Uji
Meet in Umeda Dormitory lobby at noon

 

Fri, 6/5

9am - noon

Field Trip:

JPN 280

Hanshin tigers baseball game @ Koshien stadium - meet in hotel lobby at 5 pm.

 

Week Five

Mon, 6/8

9am - noon

Read:


View:

Field Trip:

 


Bunraku

"At the Farmhouse," Brazell pp. 376-392
"The Awaji Tradition" and "Song of Sambasô," Brazell pp. 393-407
"Love Suicide at Sonezaki" pp. 242-259 (BB)

Bunraku clips

Bunraku at National Bunraku Theater in Nipponbashi - meet in hotel lobby at 5pm
"Introduction to Bunraku" and "Sonezaki Shinjû"
Reaction paper 5 on Bunraku due Tuesday - midnight

Tue, 6/9

9am - noon

Quiz:

Read:


Modern variations on traditional theater

Quiz #4 (in class)

No readings - handouts will be distributed in class

Wed, 6/10

9am - noon

Field Trip:

JPN 280

Japanese sweets making course at Yoshihiro in Kyoto
Meet in Umeda Dormitory lobby at noon

 

Thu, 6/11

9am - noon

Field Trip:

JPN 280

(Optional) Takarazuka at the Takarazuka Grand Theater
Meet in Umeda Dormitory lobby at 1pm

 

Fri, 6/12

9am - noon

JPN 280

 

Week Six

Mon, 6/15

9am - noon

Final Project Presentations

 

Wed, 6/17

 

Check out of Umeda Dormitory
Shinkansen to Tokyo
Depart from Narita airport


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