A special message from beloved filmmaker Nobuhiko Obayashi, #botd in 1938. ❤️
A special message from beloved filmmaker Nobuhiko Obayashi, #botd in 1938. ❤️
This clip was taken ten years ago in 2015, when we launched “Nobuhiko Obayashi: A Retrospective”—the largest-ever North American retrospective on the prolific Japanese auteur behind the cult classic HOUSE (1977). Next month, we’re thrilled to revisit his extraordinary body of work with a special focus on his rarely screened hometown trilogy.
🎞️ “Obayashi ‘80s: The Onomichi Trilogy & Kadokawa Years” runs Feb. 7-14: https://japansoc.org/Obayashi80s
#NobuhikoObayashi #大林宣彦 #JapaneseCinema
A prismatic and dreamlike re-imagining of childhood, Shuji Terayama’s avant-garde masterpiece PASTORAL: TO DIE IN THE COUNTRY (1974) screens on imported 35mm Friday, Jan. 24 at 7 pm as the second film in our year-round “John and Miyoko Davey Classics” series.
🎞️: https://japansoc.org/4gzzFE2
#shujiterayama #田園に死す #pastoraltodieinthecountry
Watch modern benshi star Ichiro Kataoka deliver a captivating live performance for Daisuke Ito’s silent-era masterpiece, A DIARY OF CHUJI’S TRAVELS (1927).
With musical accompaniment by shamisen master Sumie Kaneko, our two-night program—“The Benshi Tradition and the Silver Screen: A Japanese Puppetry Spin-off”—kicks off tonight! Limited tickets are still available for Friday night’s benshi-narrated screening of CHUSHINGURA (1910-17), one of the representative works of Shozo Makino, hailed as the “Father of Japanese Film.”
Benshi, or Japan’s “movie talkers” of the silent film era, accompanied screenings with highly expressive performances that included narrating both the story and the characters’ dialogue, often giving their own outrageous twists and interpretations to the action unfolding on the screen. Due to their immense popularity, the benshi were powerful figures in the early film industry who were partially responsible for delaying the introduction of sound film for several years.
🎫: https://japansoc.org/4ik2c1B
#benshi #silentcinema #japanesecinema
Did you know that bunraku, Japan's traditional puppet theater, holds centuries of history and intricate craftsmanship? Here are 3 interesting facts about this UNESCO-recognized art form:
🎎 Bunraku dates back to around 1600, emerging from the unification of three Japanese folk arts: puppetry, narrative recitation and shamisen music. Literally translated as "delighting in the literary arts," bunraku brings to life historical epics, love tragedies and centuries-old legendary tales.
🎎 Each puppet comes to life through the seamless coordination of three puppeteers—one for the head and right arm, one for the left hand, and one for the feet. Unlike the other two puppeteers, who are cloaked in black robes to blend into the background, the main puppeteer (or "omo-zukai") performs with his face uncovered.
🎎 During World War II, the bombing of Osaka destroyed all puppet heads. In the aftermath, the late master carver and Living National Treasure Ōe Minosuke IV (1907-1997) dedicated himself to reviving the tradition of carving puppet heads. With few exceptions, puppet heads in bunraku performances today are Ōe’s creations, making them extremely precious.
✨ Want to see these incredible puppets up close? Visit Japan Society's #BunrakuBackstage exhibition for an in-depth look at the rich inner workings of bunraku theater. On view through January 19, 2025: https://japansoc.org/BunrakuBackstage
#bunraku #puppetry #japaneseart
Bronx-born LeSean Thomas, the visionary creator behind Netflix’s #Yasuke, shares how he first discovered Japanese anime as a teen growing up in NYC in the late 80s.
Kicking off tonight with a sold-out screening of Yoshiaki Kawajiri’s 1993 cult anime #NinjaScroll and an exclusive behind-the-scenes talk on YASUKE, our “Foreign Exchange” series continues all weekend with LeSean joining in person to introduce each film!
⚔️ Get your tickets to COWBOY BEBOP: THE MOVIE (2001), SWORD OF THE STRANGER (2007) and more! Full lineup: https://japansoc.org/ForeignExchange
💫 Watch Acky Bright's mural unfold in our gallery this month! Conceived as Acky’s design studio, “Acky Bright: Studio Infinity” is the first solo NYC exhibition dedicated to the rising manga artist known for his ‘kawakakkoii’ (cute and cool) illustration style and recent global campaigns with McDonald’s, Netflix and BMW.
In addition to new paintings and highlights from his promotional campaigns, the exhibition offers a unique opportunity to meet the artist through interactive live drawing sessions. 🎨✨
Check out his November schedule & book tickets at japansoc.org/AckyBright
#AckyBrightNYC
We're on NPR! 🎙️👏 Editor Jennifer Vanasco visited our gallery for the unboxing and installation of the puppets on view in our #BunrakuBackstage exhibition, joining artisans who flew in from Osaka, Japan.
Take a behind-the-scenes look at her visit, where Vanasco spoke with Japan Society's Gallery Director Michele Bambling and Artistic Director Yoko Shioya about the intricate process of installing the puppets and Japan's rich #bunraku puppetry tradition.
🎧 Listen to the full segment on NPR’s "All Things Considered": https://www.npr.org/2024/10/19/nx-s1-5137038/japanese-puppetry-comes-to-america
Last night, we celebrated the opening of our two fall exhibitions—"Bunraku Backstage" and "Acky Bright: Studio Infinity"—along with a spectacular performance of bunraku puppetry by Japan's historic National Theatre, marking its triumphant return to New York City after 32 years.
Thank you to our incredible members, friends, and all of the artists, both onstage and behind the scenes, who made this evening possible. 🎊
Both exhibitions are NOW ON VIEW through January 19, 2025. Our gallery is open 11am–7 pm, Thursday–Sunday. Plus, don’t miss Acky Bright’s live drawing sessions happening throughout the weekend!
Plan your visit at japansociety.org/gallery.
#BunrakuBackstage #AckyBrightNYC
Two Fall Exhibitions Opening Oct. 4
Traditional or contemporary art? 🤔 This fall, our galleries offer a taste of both. ✨ Join us NEXT WEEKEND for the opening of two captivating exhibitions—"Bunraku Backstage" and "Acky Bright: Studio Infinity."
A dramatic art integrating performances of skilled puppetry, shamisen music and narration, bunraku has evolved in Japan since the early 17th century and was recognized by UNESCO as a “masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity.” "Bunraku Backstage" offers a rare opportunity to get up close to this treasured art form, showcasing working puppets, props and instruments—on loan from the National Bunraku Theatre in Osaka—that are seldom seen outside of Japan. #BunrakuBackstage
"Acky Bright: Studio Infinity" spotlights the innovative work of rising manga artist Acky Bright, whose unique 'kawakakkoii' (cute and cool) style has shaped global campaigns with major brands like McDonald's and Netflix. Visitors can witness Acky's creativity firsthand during his freestyle live drawing sessions in the gallery all opening weekend (11 am to 7 pm, Friday through Sunday). #AckyBrightNYC
On view October 4, 2024–January 19, 2025.
Book tickets: https://japansoc.org/4gJE4Vi
10 days til opening! ✨
Alongside our fall #bunraku performances, "Bunraku Backstage" will offer a rare glimpse behind the scenes of one of Japan's most treasured art forms—featuring working puppets, props and instruments on loan from the National Bunraku Theatre in Osaka.
Opening October 4.
#BunrakuBackstage
It’s closing night, so we’re taking you behind the scenes of Basil Twist’s ‘Dogugaeshi’—a dazzling work inspired by a centuries-old theater tradition from Japan’s Awa region.
The origins of #Dogugaeshi trace back to 2003 when Japan Society commissioned Twist to create a piece based on traditional Japanese puppet theater. This led him to the mountains of Tokushima, where he spent months researching the dogugaeshi craft through conversations with locals and experts.
“Most of the screens I saw were torn, ripped, destroyed, or rotted,” Twist explained in a Japan Times article. "And that was kind of the state of the tradition itself."
Composed of beautifully hand-painted sliding screens that slide, flip, and reveal various sights and scenes, ‘Dogugaeshi’ takes viewers on a journey through past and present Japan, paying homage to a once-thriving yet disappearing art form.
