Interviews
Hardship to be a Kabuki dancer as a woman
100 pounds, I carried 100-pound sack every day before I put this costume to dance. Or else you can’t manage. It’s that heavy. Try it. It’s heavy. And you have to put the kanzashi – that big kanzashi – geta, and this costume and underneath, you have another costume on. So you have to practice carrying it. That’s Kabuki. That’s why it’s for men. A woman cannot do it. It’s very heavy.
So you have to practice carrying a sack of rice every day and see your power – how you could carry that. And then you have to try this on. And then you have to start thinking about your dance – the weight…there’s a lot of training you have to go through. But this Daiichi-sensei gave me this kimono because he stayed with us and he wanted to repay us back. So he gave us this costume.
Date: November 30, 2004
Location: California, US
Interviewer: Nancy Araki and John Esaki
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
Explore More Videos
Japanese Americans are more aware of their Hapa identity
(b. 1965) filmmaker and artist
The performing arts not for Nisei
Senshin Buddhist Temple minister and co-founder of Kinnara Taiko.
American influences on Japanese taiko
Senshin Buddhist Temple minister and co-founder of Kinnara Taiko.
Appreciating Kinnara Taiko's approach to taiko
Senshin Buddhist Temple minister and co-founder of Kinnara Taiko.
A Japanese American gardening dance
Senshin Buddhist Temple minister and co-founder of Kinnara Taiko.
Playing traditional gagaku while creating an identity
Senshin Buddhist Temple minister and co-founder of Kinnara Taiko.
Taiko as self-expression
Co-founder and creative director of San Jose Taiko
A “principally-based” taiko group in England creating a global taiko community
Co-founder and creative director of San Jose Taiko
Parents didn't accept me playing taiko in the beginning
(b. 1949) Musician and arts educator and adminstrator.