Comments on: Kabuki-za, Kyobashi http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2009/06/kabuki-za-kyobashi/ Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:30:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Velo http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2009/06/kabuki-za-kyobashi/comment-page-1/#comment-4759 Velo Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:56:11 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=2814#comment-4759 I'll have to try Dogs and Demons. I read Lost Japan, and agree with you on that one. I got nothing from it but extreme annoyance. Re: the the Alan Booth book, he makes more pointed observations about Noh, etc. in the very last chapter. I'm glad you're reading it. I think you two share similar sensibilities. It's not a page-turner by any means, but a very satisfying book. Too bad he didn't live to write another. I’ll have to try Dogs and Demons. I read Lost Japan, and agree with you on that one. I got nothing from it but extreme annoyance. Re: the the Alan Booth book, he makes more pointed observations about Noh, etc. in the very last chapter. I’m glad you’re reading it. I think you two share similar sensibilities. It’s not a page-turner by any means, but a very satisfying book. Too bad he didn’t live to write another.

]]> By: MJG http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2009/06/kabuki-za-kyobashi/comment-page-1/#comment-4737 MJG Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:55:58 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=2814#comment-4737 Gavin- Ah, good call, I meant to mention that in the article, thanks for noting. Velo- Interesting you should mention Alan Booth- I'm currently very slowly working my way through that same book- 'Looking for the Lost' in my edition. He talks about kabuki and noh though in a very limited way, and besides is a very interesting guy. I love how he's always drinking beer and chatting to grumbly locals who want to show him some culture. His whole 'legend tripping' thing of following famous people in their footsteps is something I'm wondering if I can't adapt to be a cousin to haikyo. Just need to learn something interesting about the history of rural areas... I got into Alan Booth randomly while searching for more books similar to Alex Kerr's 'Dogs and Demons', which blew my mind. I have since read Kerr's first book- 'Lost Japan', and that's what partly fuelled my appraisal of Kabuki. Basically- the whole book felt like a watered down version of the one to follow it, lingering unduly on and giving too much weight (in my opinion) to discussions of art and 'literati', basically bunches of layabouts smoking cigarillos and trying to one-up each other in decadence and niche-knowledge. Compared to the meat and bones of ' Dogs and Demons', it's a book full of soft and flowery sentiment. Gavin- Ah, good call, I meant to mention that in the article, thanks for noting.

Velo- Interesting you should mention Alan Booth- I’m currently very slowly working my way through that same book- ‘Looking for the Lost’ in my edition. He talks about kabuki and noh though in a very limited way, and besides is a very interesting guy. I love how he’s always drinking beer and chatting to grumbly locals who want to show him some culture. His whole ‘legend tripping’ thing of following famous people in their footsteps is something I’m wondering if I can’t adapt to be a cousin to haikyo. Just need to learn something interesting about the history of rural areas…

I got into Alan Booth randomly while searching for more books similar to Alex Kerr’s ‘Dogs and Demons’, which blew my mind. I have since read Kerr’s first book- ‘Lost Japan’, and that’s what partly fuelled my appraisal of Kabuki. Basically- the whole book felt like a watered down version of the one to follow it, lingering unduly on and giving too much weight (in my opinion) to discussions of art and ‘literati’, basically bunches of layabouts smoking cigarillos and trying to one-up each other in decadence and niche-knowledge. Compared to the meat and bones of ‘ Dogs and Demons’, it’s a book full of soft and flowery sentiment.

]]> By: Velo http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2009/06/kabuki-za-kyobashi/comment-page-1/#comment-4722 Velo Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:09:11 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=2814#comment-4722 Hiya, Michael. I had to chuckle at the honesty of your assessment of Kabuki. I'd love to here what you think of Noh! :-D We were treated to a show at Kabuki-Za by my one of my wife's NHK friends during our last visit, back in November. I had read about the demolition of the theatre and decided we needed to go, as it would be history by the next time we got to Tokyo. At first I was shocked at the nonchalance with which Japanese tear down old things, but perhaps in this case a new theatre might spark a little fresh interest in the under-70 audiance. I'm a little more sympathetic to the Kabuki form, I guess. I'm especially impressed with the art of "Mie," which literally freezes a climatic or highly emotional moment in time, like a panel from a vintage Ukio-e poster. But you're right. Too much of (what is left) of traditional Japanese culture is preserved in formaldehyde. Very dusty and musty. . . Have you read Alan Booth's books? I just finished "Searching for the Lost." He came over back in the 70s ostensibly to study Noh, and comments a lot on this "preservation" phenomenon. Cheers, Velo Hiya, Michael. I had to chuckle at the honesty of your assessment of Kabuki. I’d love to here what you think of Noh!
:-D
We were treated to a show at Kabuki-Za by my one of my wife’s NHK friends during our last visit, back in November. I had read about the demolition of the theatre and decided we needed to go, as it would be history by the next time we got to Tokyo. At first I was shocked at the nonchalance with which Japanese tear down old things, but perhaps in this case a new theatre might spark a little fresh interest in the under-70 audiance.

I’m a little more sympathetic to the Kabuki form, I guess. I’m especially impressed with the art of “Mie,” which literally freezes a climatic or highly emotional moment in time, like a panel from a vintage Ukio-e poster. But you’re right. Too much of (what is left) of traditional Japanese culture is preserved in formaldehyde. Very dusty and musty. . . Have you read Alan Booth’s books? I just finished “Searching for the Lost.” He came over back in the 70s ostensibly to study Noh, and comments a lot on this “preservation” phenomenon.

Cheers,
Velo

]]> By: Gavin http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2009/06/kabuki-za-kyobashi/comment-page-1/#comment-4704 Gavin Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:33:50 +0000 http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/?p=2814#comment-4704 See it while you can - it's scheduled for demolition... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7718442.stm See it while you can – it’s scheduled for demolition…

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7718442.stm

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