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15th Annual Honolulu Festival （2009）
Feature Interview with Man Nomura

Man Nomura, Noh's Izumi School Kyogen Master and Living National Treasure of Japan, brought the stage performance Daidengaku to the 15th Annual Honolulu Festival. A grant was awarded to him by Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs to accomplish this task. This was an amazing opportunity for the people of Hawaii and those from all over the world to experience Japan's wonderful art and culture.

We were fortunate to have some time to sit down with Man Nomura who was in Hawaii for the Honolulu Festival and Daidengaku.

--- We know that you watched the performances of Daidengaku and Tenshumonogatari at the Honolulu Festival as a spectator, how was it?

Daidengaku

Tenshumonogatari(Tale of Tenshu)

Tenshumonogatari, a narrated play

This might be a feeling shared by many, but watching the two performances made me realize that there are no boundaries when it comes to culture and art. The human spirit has the ability to mingle with and focus on culture and art. Usually I am the performer on stage. But this time, because I was part of the audience, I could strongly reaffirm that there are no boundaries.

I could feel vitality, energetic motions and superb musical rhythm in Daidengaku.

Tenshumonogatari truly honors the beauty of the Japanese language. Of course there are the details of the story that one needs to understand. But as I watched the performance, I thought how wonderful it would be if we could all grasp the beauty of the language instinctively.

--- There was an older Japanese American watching the performance with tears in her eyes. Perhaps she was feeling the beauty of the Japanese language...

Should we say that words have transparency? These words are not wasteful. They are sharpened and polished. Such words reverberate in our hearts and surpass all boundaries. I believe that is possible.

--- This means that Japan's beautiful words can be passed on to posterity, even in foreign countries. I guess it means that it must be passed on, doesn't it?

Man Nomura, Noh Actor

I think that the beautiful Japanese language is slowly disappearing. The Japanese language that I speak on stage is an ancient language, a language of the past. Therefore it is hard for the audience to grasp it directly. However, Tenshumonogatari uses a Japanese language that is more contemporary. This means that it can be passed on to posterity.

Things were different in the past with "big families," or should I say "multigenerational families," when everyone used to live together and were close knit. For example, when young people are sad, the only word they use is "sad" (kanashii). But if they lived with older people, they would also know the word "sorrowful or pitiful" (aware). There was variety in the vocabulary in the "multigenerational family" structure. The choices of words seem to be disappearing in today's daily language. It would be nice if the seniors of our generation would value their vocabulary more and make use of what they know.

--- Keiko Matsuzaka who is performing at the Honolulu Festival mentioned that Daidengaku has created a closer community where ever it has been performed. For example, it has created a closer local community in the city of Ito in Shizuoka Prefecture and at Yamashiro Onsen in Ishikawa Prefecture. It has also created a more cohesive family unit. Matsuzaka is performing with her daughters. Performing in Daidengaku together has brought them closer. They are able to talk about things that they never could talk about in the past.

The two works of art that were brought to Honolulu this time, Daidengaku and Tenshumonogatari, have unique qualities. Tenshumonogatari has what I just mentioned, the Japanese language, or should I say the words with emotions and beauty. Daidengaku has the human instinct . These qualities are like two wheels on a cart, they go hand in hand. We can continue to promote cultural exchange with these forms of art.

--- Daidengaku was a popular form of art in Japan during the medieval period. Then it vanished. Your son, Mannojo, was able to revive it in this modern period. What did he think would be the significance of this revival?

Man Nomura, Noh Actor

The common people of medieval times had energy and vitality to survive. Each generation after that also had their own energy and vitality. This is reflected in one's life through emotions. There are feelings of joy, anger and many other human passions. Human beings have the strength to overcome challenges. I believe that my son was able to dig these feelings up once again. He was able to get to the bottom of it.
It might be inappropriate for someone like me to say this but, the people and society of today need art and culture, now more than ever, to increasingly enrich their lives because of the economic conditions that they face. I think art and culture will play a more important role now and in the future.

--- A goal of the Honolulu Festival is to pass on the cultures and traditions of the Pacific Rim to the people of the world and to the children of the next generation. You are part of Kyogen, a very traditional culture of Japan. How would you like to pass this culture to the next generation?

I'm going off on a tangent a bit but, for example, the goal of the next Olympics to be held in London is to make it not only a sports event but a festival for sports and culture. If Japan is able to host the 2016 Olympics in Tokyo, the idea is to have the theme of "Culture and Sports."
When we speak about the classics of the old days, there was the stage and the audience. That was the structure. But as time passed on, everyone was eager to participate. It wasn't just about gaining knowledge. It was about becoming knowledgeable about culture by experiencing it physically. Even for me, when I perform, it's not just a mental thing. I've been doing this since I was a little child so I'm not performing only from theory. I am expressing the art with my body. So when my mind thinks of what I want to do, my body produces the result. I hope that the children of our future will have the chance to experience such things.

Man Nomura, Noh Actor

Height and depth are very important in traditional forms of art. I guess you can also refer to it as length and breadth. In other words, to spread something means to widen, but unfortunately, it may become shallow. That is why we need to incorporate length and breadth or height and depth, and width in our traditions. This is also true about how to live your life. This is true about the relationship between countries as well.

As I mentioned before, when we talk about passing down our art and tradition, "the big family" is most important. It is the framework. I don't know much about the details, but I know that in Hawaii there exists a wonderful structure of family institution like "the big family."
Culture becomes confined and narrow when it is like a nuclear family.

--- In the Hawaiian language we refer to family as "ohana." This word is often used to describe family or the relationships between people.

I can feel the warmth and depth of Japan's good old family institutional feelings in "ohana."
Japan has become a nuclear family gradually. There is the fear that spiritual and cultural values are fading away. The family needs to support such things.
We were raised in such a way that the father and mother had to be strict. They had to discipline their children. Traditionally, the persons who were directly responsible had to teach difficult things and be strict in their ways. But a grandfather who is from the former generation could explain the same teachings differently by saying, "This is interesting," or "This is fun." Such profoundness is invaluable. Of course, it can't be only "interesting or fun." There needs to be both. There needs to be a balance. Such ways need to be delicately, properly and wonderfully interwoven, not only in our arts but in our daily lives. I really think that this is important.

--- The Izumi School of Kyogen has a long history of 300 years. You have been able to continue because you have the interwoven "big family" structure.

Man Nomura, Noh Actor

Yes, our culture will continue to be interwoven. We need to have patience to pass down tradition. We all want our beautiful flowers to bloom immediately. But it is hard to achieve that in one generation. Our roots are similar to weeds. They have the strength to grow no matter how much they are stomped on. Hopefully, a beautiful flower will blossom. This wonderful flower may become a rootless weed if something goes wrong. But the roots are strong. So even if it withers, the beautiful flower will blossom once again. This type of effort needs to be expressed in many forms. We need such effort to overcome challenges in our nation and in the human race. We must do what is right on many levels and in many places.

As for me, at this point in my life, I want to be in the position to say "It's interesting," or "It's fun." I have already been in the position of saying, "It's difficult," or "This is hard." I have already done that. That's how it should be... for us old folks. (Laughter)


	Man Nomura Izumi School Kyogen Master. Living National Treasure of Japan. Designated Important Intangible Cultural Asset of Japan. Born in Tokyo, the oldest son of sixth generation Manzo Nomura. Named fourth generation Mannojo Nomura in 1950. Named seventh generation Manzo Nomura in 1993. Named first generation Man Nomura in 2000. Besides performing on stage, Man Nomura is Board Chairman of Association for Japanese Noh Plays, President of Japan Council of Performers' Organizations, Chairman of NPO ACT. JT. He is involved in Japan's art, the development and promotion of Japan's culture.