​Shuji Terayama’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle

 Japan Society


CONTEMPORARY THEATER | NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Wednesday, January 15 at 7:30 pm—Followed by an opening night reception
Thursday, January 16 at 7:30 pm—Followed by an artist Q&A
Friday, January 17 at 7:30 pm—Preceded by a pre-performance lecture
Saturday, January 18 at 7:30 pm

“…A combination of fashion, magic, evil and eroticism…” – Shuji Terayama

Playbill (PDF) →
Bluebeard is given a Harajuku makeover in Duke Bluebeard’s Castle, a wild burlesque-like subversion of the French gothic horror legend. Shuji Terayama, father of Japan’s angura (underground) theater movement in the 1960s and ’70s, was repeatedly drawn to the story of Bluebeard’s wives and the locked castle door, culminating in this mind-bending game of cat-and-mouse that questions the very nature of theater itself. Saturated with dark magic tricks, fiddlers and accordion players, aerial dance and more, Project NYX, led by Kanna Mizushima, brings a cross-dressing cast of nearly 30 members to Japan Society for a production directed by illustrious Korean-Japanese experimental theater director Kim Sujin. Find out who escapes the castle in this macabre, magic-infused Lolita fashion spectacle.

On Friday, January 17, a pre-performance lecture on Shuji Terayama led by University of California, Los Angeles Professor Emerita of Theatre Carol Fisher Sorgenfrei will begin at 6:30 pm. All ticketholders for Duke Bluebeard’s Castle are welcome to attend this one-night-only pre-performance event with a valid ticket as space allows.

Performed in Japanese with English supertitles.

The Benshi Tradition and the Silver Screen: A Japanese Puppetry Spin-off​

December 12 & 13 at 7:30 pm
Benshi, Japan’s riveting “movie talkers” of the silent film era, drew in audiences with their live film narration and dramatic character portrayals, often with musicians providing accompaniment. This rich period of early Japanese cinema has a direct structural connection to the Japanese puppet theater tradition, in which chanters narrated stories and gave voice to silent puppets alongside theatrical shamisen music. In this two-night program, modern benshi star Ichiro Kataoka and NY-based shamisen player Sumie Kaneko come together for two screenings of stories set in the samurai era.

Japan Society

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Fall foliage brunch cruise on a yacht called  the Manhattan, at Pier 62.

"Great Absence" 
​『 大いなる不在』 
Oinaru Fuzai

New York Premiere – Followed by Lifetime Achievement Award Presentation for Tatsuya Fuji, Q&A with Kei Chika-ura and Tatsuya Fuji, and Reception. 

Dir. Kei Chika-ura, 2023, 133 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Tatsuya Fuji, Mirai Moriyama, Yoko Maki, Hideko Hara.

Thursday, July 18, 2024
6:30 pm
​Japan Society, NYC

"Shadow of Fire" ​
『ほかげ』
Hokage
U.S. Premiere & Centerpiece Film – Followed by Mirai Moriyama CUT ABOVE Award presentation, Q&A with Shinya Tsukamoto and Mirai Moriyama, and Reception. 

Dir. Shinya Tsukamoto, 2023, 95 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. Shuri, Mirai Moriyama, Oga Tsukao, Hiroki Kono.

Wednesday, July 17, 2024
6:30 pm
​Japan Society

Part of JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film 2024
July 10—21, 2024

JAPAN CUTS is the largest showcase of contemporary Japanese cinema in North America and an annual highlight of New York’s cinema scene.

"Lumberjack the Monster" 
『怪物の木こり』
Kaibutsu no Kikori

Dir. Takashi Miike, 2023, 118 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Kazuya Kamenashi, Nanao, Riho Yoshioka, Shota Sometani, Shido Nakamura.

​Monday May 6, 2024
8PM
Japan Society, NYC

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Thursday, May 2, 2024
2:00 pm
Japan Society, NYC

Keynote Sessions

U.S.-Japan Economic & Business Outlook for 2024 and Beyond

Amidst the backdrop of soaring Japan stocks and a resilient U.S. economy, the business landscape in the United States and Japan is characterized by growth and promising opportunities. In 2023, the U.S. economy demonstrated robust growth, carrying forward the positive momentum into 2024. Meanwhile, Japan’s Nikkei stock index soared to an all-time high in February 2024, propelled by optimistic expectations for strong corporate performance, surpassing the previous record set in 1989. As we venture further into 2024, questions loom regarding the trajectory of both economies. What lies ahead for the United States and Japan? How do global leaders perceive these pivotal markets? In this program, keynote speakers explore the current economic climate in the United States and Japan, and potential opportunities shaping the U.S.-Japan business landscape.

Keynote #1
Speaker:
Haruhiko Kuroda, Former Governor, Bank of Japan; Visiting Professor, International and Public Affairs, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University
Presider: 
Merit E. Janow, Dean Emerita, & Professor of Practice, School of International & Public Affairs, Columbia University; Chair of the Board of Directors, Japan Society

Keynote #2
Speakers:
Takeshi Niinami, President & CEO, Suntory Holdings Limited
Douglas Peterson, President & CEO, S&P Global

Presider: 
Eri Kakuta, Partner, PJT Partners

Panel Discussion

Technology Innovation in the U.S. & Japan: What’s Ahead?

The past decade has witnessed remarkable technological breakthroughs, from artificial intelligence to robots to electric vehicles, sparking competition among nations to remain at the forefront of progress. As technological advancement accelerates, countries such as the U.S. and Japan must strategically adapt to these shifts to maintain their competitive edge. In which areas do the U.S. and Japan excel in terms of technology, and how can they leverage each other’s strengths through collaboration? This program explores the digital transformation strategies of Japan and the U.S., discussing their stance on technology and innovation, identifying opportunities and challenges, and highlighting areas for potential cooperation between the two nations.
Speakers:
Linda Kirkpatrick, President, the Americas, Mastercard
Sidney Olinyk, Founder & CEO, Duco
Akihisa Shiozaki, Member, House of Representatives and Liberal Democratic Party; Parliamentary Vice-Minister, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan

Moderator:
Joshua W. Walker, Ph.D., President & CEO, Japan Society

『機動戦士ガンダムSEED  FREEDOM』
Kido Senshi Gandamu Shido Furidamu

The East Coast Premiere of the feature film Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM.
With Gundam displays from Tamashii Nations and Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles America, and a conversation with Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld. (U.S. voice of Lunamaria Hawke)

Sunday, March 31, 2024
​4:00 pm
​Japan Society, NYC
japansociety.org/events/mobile-suit-gundam-seed-freedom/

Sunday, February 25, 2024 4:00 pm
Japan Society, NYC

​Cast and Producers In Attendance
Justin Marks, Co-Creator, Executive Producer, Showrunner, Writer
Rachel Kondo, Co-Creator, Executive Producer, Writer
Michaela Clavell, Executive Producer 
Hiroyuki Sanada, Producer / Star, “Toranaga”
Anna Sawai, Star, “Lady Mariko”
Eriko Miyagawa, Producer
Frederick H. Katayama, Moderator

FX’s Shōgun, an original adaptation of James Clavell’s bestselling novel, is set in Japan in the year 1600 at the dawn of a century-defining civil war. Producer Hiroyuki Sanada stars as “Lord Yoshii Toranaga” who is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him. When a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village, its English pilot, “John Blackthorne” (Cosmo Jarvis), comes bearing secrets that could help Toranaga tip the scales of power and devastate the formidable influence of Blackthorne’s own enemies — the Jesuit priests and Portuguese merchants. Toranaga’s and Blackthorne’s fates become inextricably tied to their translator, “Toda Mariko” (Anna Sawai), a mysterious Christian noblewoman and the last of a disgraced line. While serving her lord amidst this fraught political landscape, Mariko must reconcile her newfound companionship with Blackthorne, her commitment to the faith that saved her and her duty to her late father.

The 10-episode limited series features an acclaimed Japanese cast, unprecedented for an American production, including Tadanobu Asano as “Kashigi Yabushige,” a notorious backstabber and close ally of Toranaga; Hiroto Kanai as “Kashigi Omi,” the young leader of the fishing village where Blackthorne’s ship was found; Takehiro Hira as “Ishido Kazunari,” a powerful bureaucrat who is Toranaga’s chief rival; Moeka Hoshi as “Usami Fuji,” a widow who must find new purpose amidst her lord’s fight; Tokuma Nishioka as “Toda Hiromatsu,” Toranaga’s trusted general and closest friend; Shinnosuke Abe as “Buntaro” (“Toda Hirokatsu”), Mariko’s jealous husband; Yuki Kura as “Yoshii Nagakado,” the brash son of Toranaga with a strong desire to prove himself; Yuka Kouri as “Kiku,” a courtesan renowned for her artistry throughout Japan; and Fumi Nikaido as “Ochiba no Kata,” the revered mother of the heir who will stop at nothing to put an end to Toranaga and his threat to her son’s power.
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Shōgun is created for television by Rachel Kondo & Justin Marks, with Marks serving as showrunner and executive producer alongside Michaela Clavell, Edward L. McDonnell, Michael De Luca and Kondo. The series is produced by FX Productions.

『湯を沸かすほどの熱い愛』
Yu wo Wakasu Hodo no Atsui Ai

Friday, February 23, 2024 7:00 pm
​Japan Society, NYC

New York Premiere. Introduced by filmmaker Ryota Nakano and followed by a Q&A and reception. Rie Miyazawa stars as Futaba, a single mother diagnosed with terminal cancer. With little time left, she sets out on a mission to reconnect her family, reuniting with her husband, reassuring her daughter, and bringing both together to save the family business. A popular and critical hit, Her Love Boils Bathwater won Rie Miyazawa Best Actress and Hana Sugisaki Best Supporting Actress at the Japan Academy Awards, and the film was Japan’s official entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars.
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Dir. Ryota Nakano, 2016, 125 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Rie Miyazawa, Hana Sugisaki, Joe Odagiri.

Students from three public high schools in NYC had a chance to learn Nihon Buyo (Traditional Japanese Dance) at Japan Society. In this workshop, students learned about the history of this centuries-old Japanese dance style, as well as its roots in kabuki theater, instructed by Fujima Naozo, accompanied by Tosha Yakimaru (Hayashi-kata/percussion), Tosha Rokon (Hayashi-kata/percussion), and Tosha Suiho (Fun/flute).

Japan Society Performing Arts
Thursday, December 7, 7:30 pm
   —Pre-concert lecture at 6:30 pm 
   —Followed by a Private Gathering for Artists and Members
A paid livestream option is also available for this event.

Playbill (PDF) →
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In collaboration with experimental sound artists Tania Caroline Chen and Victoria Shen, Tomomi Adachi recreates the essence of John Cage’s historic visit to Japan in 1962, often referred to as “Cage Shock.” Through renditions of Cage’s iconic pieces, such as Haiku and 0’00”, Adachi captures the spirit of that transformative tour. The program also features Toshi Ichiyanagi’s Sapporo, which premiered in 1962 and was conducted by John Cage. Ichiyanagi (1933-2022), an esteemed Japanese composer and the first husband of Yoko Ono, developed a close friendship with Cage during his 1950s residency in New York City and played a pivotal role in organizing Cage’s inaugural trip to Japan, with visits to Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and the city of Sapporo.
A lecture on how the pieces in this radical program were received in Japan at the time, led by John Cage scholar Dr. James Pritchett, precedes the concert.

For this concert, International Contemporary Ensemble members include Kyle Armburst (viola), Katinka Kleijn (cello), Michael Nicolas (cello) and Mike Lormand(trombone).

Special screening of Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Latest Film, “Monster”（怪物), with the guest speaker Yuji Sakamoto, who won the best screenplay at Cannes film festival 2023.

『ゴジラ-1.0』 
Gojira Mainasu Wan
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Tuesday, November 28, 2023
7:00 pm
Japan Society, NYC

"Poupelle of Chimney Town" 
​『えんとつ町のプペル』
​ japansociety.org/events/poupelle-of-chimney-town/

Saturday, November 18, 2023
​6:00 pm
Japan Society

Screening of the original 35mm  "Godzilla " from 1954.
Oct 14, 2023
9pm 
Japan Society