-The World of Tono Interwoven with Storytelling, Performing Arts, and Video
Tōno Monogatari, translated as “The Legends of Tono”, is a renowned work penned over 100 years ago by the father of Japanese folklore studies, Yanagita Kunio. In Legends of Tono, Yanagita Kunio recorded a plethora of tales from Iwate prefecture’s Tōno region, all recounted to him by Sasaki Kizen. The book contains a plethora of stories about the supernatural, spirits, and strange happenings from the region, as well as a basic ethnography of the locals and their lives and traditions.

In this one-of-a-kind performance, a “Tayū” (narrator) from the Japanese art of puppetry (Bunraku) will recite excerpts from Tōno Monogatari, accompanied by folk dances and puppet shows. The past and present will converge as landscapes from the modern day Tōno will be video projected alongside their descriptions from over a century ago.

Don’t miss this rare collaborative performance showcasing the vibrant culture of rural Japan.