OSAKA -- Cool Japan Park Osaka, a concert hall that opened on Feb. 23 in Osaka Castle Park in Osaka, kicked off with three unique performances aimed at attracting foreign visitors by distilling the essence of Japanese culture. Since its opening, the three different-sized stages at this new hot spot have become a showcase for Japan's culture.
The show "KEREN," organized by entertainment company Yoshimoto Kogyo Co., began an extended run at the theater's 1,144-seat WW Hall on Feb. 25.
To enhance the experience for foreign theatergoers, the performances feature little dialogue over the entire 70-minute running time. Audience members are transported to a unique world through dynamic dance routines and immersive special-effects images rendered by Moment Factory, a Canada-based multimedia studio.
The show opens to a view of a beach in ancient Japan and reverberating taiko drums. Just when it seems ghostly apparitions have materialized on stage, the setting suddenly jumps across time to the spectacle of modern-day salarymen dancing in unison.
Next come tap-dancing monks and energetically dancing high school girls, before a scintillating finale. The show lacks a coherent story, but the common thread of Japan's rich cultural heritage runs through every twist and turn.
"It's fun to see 10 different attractions at an amusement park," said scriptwriter and producer Tetsuo Takahira. His comparison rings true: The show features a range of different eras and settings that leave a powerful impression.
Before the show, an image is projected onstage of a neon city made to look like Osaka's iconic Minami area. Overall, the show's theme seems to be a harmonious atmosphere created from the fusion of Japanese and Western culture and varying historical periods.
Before the show's regular theatrical run, a number of celebrities associated with Yoshimoto Kogyo were treated to a preview. "You could really see a wide selection of Japan's history and culture," said Ringo of the comedy duo Highheel.
"I really couldn't tell exactly what was going on, but it was dynamic. It's worth seeing even for Japanese people," added comedian Kiyoshi Nishikawa.
The hall's mid-sized TT Hall, with 706 seats, featured another dialogue-free show called "Energy -- Warau Kinniku" on March 8-17. Billed as a "sports musical," the show featured performances full of vigorous physical activity.
SS Hall, the venue's smallest stage with a seating capacity of 300, hosted a festival to spotlight the traditional performing arts of the Kyoto-Osaka region on Feb. 25-27.
On the festival's first day, traditional artists including noh performer Otsuki Bunzo, who plays shite lead roles, bunraku puppeteer Yoshida Kazuo, and chikuzen biwa player Okumura Kyokusui -- all living national treasures -- gave intimate, subtle performances.
Katsura Bunshi VI, a heavyweight in the world of Kamigata rakugo comic storytelling in and around Osaka, lit up the stage with a rakugo piece he wrote.
The audience is seated close to the stage, allowing an up-close-and-personal look at the delicately beautiful performances. The veteran artists and intimate space helped make palpable the depth and profundity of Japanese traditional arts.
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