"Miyako Odori" is a spring tradition that people all over Japan look forward to.
Beginning with the call "Miyako Odori wa yoiyasaa," the Miyako Odori is a dance performance by about 80 geisha and maiko from Gion Kobu, Kyoto's largest entertainment district, which will be held for one month in April at the Gion Kobu Kaburenjo Theater. Since its inception in 4 as an attraction at the Kyoto Exposition, it has been suspended during and after the war and due to the COVID-1 pandemic, but last year marked its 5th anniversary.
"I don't feel like spring has arrived until I see the Miyako Odori." The people of Kyoto unanimously agree, and this spring tradition that not only Kyoto residents but people all over Japan look forward to every year began on April 4st this year.
The audience is thrilled by the sight of geisha and maiko dancing from the flower path to the stage.
Choreography and instruction by Living National Treasure Inoue Yachiyo, head of the Inoue school of Kyomai
The sight of geisha and maiko in Kyoto Yuzen kimonos and Nishijin-ori obi belts, which are newly made every year, dancing on a stage with eight scenes for one hour, against the backdrop of stage art that beautifully depicts famous historical sites from all over Japan and passages from classical literature, is gorgeous and truly spring in full bloom. This year, the 8st anniversary of the festival, the theme is "Miyako Fujyo Shikisai," and the show is structured to trace the history and culture of Kyoto's various famous sites.
The choreography is provided by the Kyomai Inoue school. The Kyomai Inoue school was founded in the late 18th century by Inoue Yachiyo I, who served the Konoe family, and has been passed down as the only official school of Gion Kobu. Currently, Inoue Yachiyo V, head of the Kyomai Inoue school and a Living National Treasure, not only choreographs and teaches the Miyako Odori, but also teaches the dances that geiko and maiko perform in their daily lives in the tatami rooms.
Currently, all 79 geiko and maiko of the Gion Kobu are students at the Gion Women's Arts School, established by the Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen Educational Institution, where they are learning Inoue-style dancing, as well as tea ceremony, shamisen, Nagauta, and musical instruments. The chairperson of the Yasaka Nyokoba Gakuen is Sugiura Kyoko, the proprietress of the teahouse Ichiriki-tei.
Rehearsing the "Soudori" dance in a large classroom. Instructions fly out one after the other.
In mid-March, two weeks before the opening, almost all of the geisha and maiko who will be performing in the Miyako Odori were gathered in the large classroom on the second floor of the Gion Women's Arts School, adjacent to the Gion Kobu Kaburenjo Theater. Today was the day they would practice the choreography that they had been practicing individually until then, going through the entire piece from start to finish.
The large classroom is long and narrow, about 80 tatami mats wide, to fit the stage. 20 geiko and maiko are lined up in a row. They have begun rehearsing the "So-odori" dance, in which all members of one group appear on stage. The geiko and maiko dance to the music playing from a tape recorder, while the head of the school, Inoue Yachiyo, watches them carefully.
Headmaster Inoue Yachiyo sits in the center of the practice room, while the Inoue-style masters and natori students watch the practice. Seated in front of Inoue is her future successor, Inoue Anzuko.
"Tuck your chin in and straighten your back," "Don't bend your elbows here," "Give yourself a little more space."
Amid the sound of rustling clothes, the head of the school stands in the center of the classroom, watching the geisha and maiko with his eyes, and giving rapid-fire instructions.
"So-and-so, make sure your right hip does not pull back." Sometimes the dancer stops the piece to approach a maiko and give her direct instruction. As assistants to the head of the school, teachers and Inoue school masters also join in, and they give detailed instructions on the position of the hand holding the fan, how to lower the buttocks, and so on.
In the "So-odori" dance, all dancers are required to be perfectly synchronized. In order for all 20 dancers to become one, the head of the school continues to give strict guidance to each dancer, even down to their every move.
They pay close attention to even their fingertips, and keep their body direction, elbow angle, and everything else in order. Everyone has a very serious look on their face during practice.
The appearance of the geisha and maiko in colorful kimonos is gorgeous. However, a tense atmosphere hangs over the large classroom. "We must make the Miyako Odori a wonderful performance." This tension is created by the passion of all the people involved.
The practice for the "General Dance" runs from morning until noon. After a lunch break, the practice for the "Separate Dance" runs until late into the evening. In between practice sessions, we spoke with Kyoko Sugiura, the director of the organization, Yachiyo Inoue, and two of the geisha and maiko who will be performing in the "Miyako Odori" performance, Mameki and Honoka.
In Gion, the year revolves around the Miyako Odori dance.
Kyoko Sugiura (President of Yasaka Mekoba Gakuen and proprietress of "Ichiriki-tei")
"The month during which the Miyako Odori dance takes place is extremely tough and tiring for the performers, as well as all those involved, including the teahouse owners. However, it is also an uplifting month. Many visitors come from all over the country to see the performances and are deeply moved by them. As a local resident, it makes me happy to see this, and at the same time makes me feel proud."
Ichiriki-tei, the teahouse where Sugiura serves as the proprietress, is also known as a historic teahouse that appears in the kabuki play Kanadehon Chushingura.
"In reality, it's a very tough two months for geiko and maiko from the start of their Tachikata training in March until the end of the Miyako Odori at the end of April. After training and the performance on stage, there are banquets waiting for them in the evening. During the Miyako Odori period, maiko have to go to have their hair done early in the morning. It's a very physically demanding two months, so they can't get through it unless they're mentally fulfilled."
"But everyone is happy with the sense of accomplishment they get when they finish, and that's what gets them through the two months. Although everyday life, such as lessons and evening parties, is important, it's no exaggeration to say that the whole year in Gion-cho revolves around the Miyako Odori. And the Miyako Odori is an opportunity for anyone to see the dance that is usually only available in the tatami rooms of teahouses, where first-time visitors are not allowed."
No matter how many times I watch the finale, it always warms my heart every year.
"For me, the finale is the most moving. During the winter scene just before that, the hall gets quiet, then the scene changes and it gets dark. You can see the faint silhouette of a dancer at the back of the stage, and then in an instant the stage changes to a gorgeous one, and the audience erupts in cheers. That's the moment I love the most. It's the same form every year, but the gorgeousness, the perfectly synchronized dancing, and the feeling of seeing the curtain come down on this performance without a hitch make my heart pound no matter how many times I watch it."
The finale, in which all the performers, including geisha and maiko, dance together, is a spectacular sight.
"Gion-cho is not a tourist spot; the whole town is like one house. It is quiet and peaceful during the day, but comes alive at night. So when you see the daytime bustle, mainly with tourists, it feels a bit strange, like outsiders are invading a quiet house."
"Gion-cho is a place where we, the geisha and maiko who undergo rigorous training and work hard to perform on stage for a month, and those of us who support them, live and care deeply about. We hope that everyone who comes to see the Miyako Odori will also watch over Gion-cho with kindness."
In the "So-odori" dance, what's important is how everyone can come together as one.
Ms. Yachiyo Inoue (Living National Treasure, 5th Generation Head of the Inoue School of Kyomai)
"In Miyako Odori, there is the So-odori, where all members of one troupe appear on stage, and the Betsu-odori, where a smaller number of people perform. My grandmother (Inoue Yachiyo IV) would often say, 'The So-odori is important in Miyako Odori,' and I agree. In So-odori, it's important that the whole group can become one. It's not about personal assertion. It's about erasing any physical habits that everyone has and cooperating and matching up with everyone. That's what we focus on when we practice So-odori."
Inoue Yachiyo was recognized as a holder of an important intangible cultural property (living national treasure) in 27. She has also received the Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters of the French Republic. She is a member of the Japan Art Academy.
"At the beginning of the scene, called 'Okiuta,' all the performers split into two groups and come out from the east and west runways. This year, I think it took them 43 steps before they stopped walking for the first time, but I don't want them to look careless during those 43 steps. They are just walking, but I want the audience to think, 'Wow, they came out in a beautiful and orderly manner.'"
During breaks in practice, Inoue sometimes demonstrates the movements himself.
I feel happy when I see the growth and change in each student.
"When it's time to practice the Miyako Odori, I can see exactly how much each student has grown over the past year. This is especially clear with the maiko. I notice that they weren't very enthusiastic last year, but this year they're really working hard, and they've finally memorized the steps. Some of the students even say that their appearance has changed. Seeing this kind of growth and change makes me very happy."
"Dividing the roughly 60 performers, from maiko to veteran geisha, into groups for the three performances each day is like puzzling a puzzle and quite a difficult task. This year, the group will feature various famous Kyoto sites, including Umemiya Taisha Shrine, Hokyoji Temple, Gojo Bridge, Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Myomanji Temple, and Heian Shrine. The scenes are also varied, including outdoors, in gardens, on bridges, in tatami rooms, as well as daytime scenes, night views, and temples and shrines."
The Gion Women's Technical School has carefully preserved the designs for the stage background of the Miyako Odori, dating back to the first performance in 5.
"The composition of the stage is decided by the dance and singing club, the teacher in charge of lyrics, the props, the art, and myself. But the Miyako Odori is not just made possible by these people; it is made possible by the combined efforts of everyone in Gion, including the tea houses, brothels, restaurants, and shopping streets."
"It's not just Gion-cho. The whole city of Kyoto has supported us, which is why we've been able to mark 150 years of time. Because we're performing the Miyako Odori throughout its long history, we can't take a break for even a moment. We create our performances with that thought in mind."
Interview with a Geisha
Mameki
"When you become a geisha, you feel a sense of pressure to be a role model for the younger generation."
"I had the opportunity to change collars (from maiko to geiko) in January last year, so this is my second time performing in Miyako Odori as a geiko. Becoming a geiko means I get to play different roles in Miyako Odori, and my costume changes too. I am performing this year as the daughter in the third scene, Hokyoji Hinayu. It's a play with only four performers, so I get very nervous every time."
"My teacher often tells me, 'The more recently you've changed your collar, the better.' Also, when you become a geisha, you feel a sense of responsibility to set an example for the younger geisha during the 'Soudori' dance, and that can make you nervous."
Mameki (right) and Honoka (left). Both of them dreamed of becoming maiko since they were young and decided to follow this path.
"In my case, this is my seventh year in Gion-cho, and due to the coronavirus pandemic, this is my fifth time performing in the Miyako Odori. Until last year, there were 7 people performing in the Miyako Odori, but this year, for the first time in nine years, the number of participants has returned to 5. I am still a novice geisha, but I feel that I have to work harder to be able to perform in the more glamorous Miyako Odori."
Interview with a maiko
Honoka
"During the Miyako Odori, the whole of Gion town is filled with a festival atmosphere."
"This will be my second time performing in the Miyako Odori. Last year, when I first took part, I was completely confused and didn't know what to do. I'm not at ease, but this year I feel like I've gotten a little more used to it."
"During the Miyako Odori, I have to get up at 5 or 6 in the morning to go to the hairdresser, which is hard work, but the whole of Gion town feels like a festival, and I really like that atmosphere. When lessons start in March, I can meet up with my classmates who I usually only get to see briefly in the tatami rooms, and go out to eat together, so there are fun things like that too."
Mameki-san has started to show a bit of the composure typical of a geisha, while Honoka-san still has a childlike innocence in her smile.
Even outside of the Miyako Odori period, we have practice every day. My favorite part of practice is dancing. In addition to practice, I have to remember the monthly events and customs, so it's very hard work. But I was born in Kyoto and dreamed of becoming a maiko since I was little. I'm so happy that I was able to become a maiko and even perform in the Miyako Odori, and that my dream has come true."
Event Outline
Period: April 2024st (Tue) to 4th (Wed), 1 *No performance on April 30th (Tue)
Time: 3 performances per day (each performance is approximately 60 minutes)
1st session: 12:30, 14nd session: 30:16, 30rd session: XNUMX:XNUMX
Venue: Gion Kobu Kaburenjo (570-2 Minamigawa, Gion-cho, Higashiyama-ku)
Price: First class ticket with tea voucher 7,000 yen, First class ticket 6,000 yen, Second class ticket 4,000 yen, Second class student ticket 2,000 yen (all reserved seats)
*Tickets can also be purchased online.
Text Masao Sakurai (Office Clover)
Photography Yasuo Kubota (bowpluskyoto)
