Sound artist Hiei Kazumasa employs technology to plumb the possibilities of sonic expression. Takeichi Manabu is a Noh musician who plays the flute learned in the Fujita school. Active in various countries around the world, Takeichi is recognized as an Important Intangible Cultural Property (General Designation) and has won numerous other awards. The stage design is by ikebana artist Tsuji Yuki. This performance was held one night only at the Nagoya Castle Ninomaru Square.

Hiei Kazumasa

Sound & Media artist

Hiei uses technology to create works that explore the possibilities of sonic expression. In addition to his start in creating music with digital audio workstations in the 1990s and releasing sounds from King Street Sounds in New York, he is involved in research and development of electronic musical instruments at a musical instrument manufacturer. In addition, his sound media works, which focus primarily on interaction, have been exhibited at ZKM (Karlsruhe, Germany), the “SCOPE Art Show” (Miami), Star Gallery (Beijing), and other venues. He is a part-time lecturer at Nagoya University of Arts, Nagoya University, and Chukyo University.

Takeichi Manabu

Nogaku Flute Fujita School Important Intangible Cultural Property (General Designation)

Born in Aichi Prefecture in 1972, Takeichi in 1983 became a pupil of Fujita Rokurobyoue, the 11th-generation head of the Fujita school of Noh flute, and he graduated from the National Noh Theater in 1996. In 2002, he performed at a 9/11 memorial in New York. He received the 29th Art Creation Award in 2013. In 2016, he performed at the “Ichikawa Ebizo GRAND JAPAN THEATER” at Carnegie Hall in New York. Designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property (General Designation) in 2017. In 2018, he played for a Nomura Mansai performance at the Paris Japonism, produced by Sugimoto Hiroshi. In 2019, he received Nagoya City Arts Encouragement Award and attended the G20 Osaka Summit banquet. He also attended and performed at banquet hosted by the Prime Minister celebrating the Reiwa Emperor’s coronation.

Tsuji Yuki

Stage Art / Ikebana artist

Ikebana artist Tsuji Yuki is director of Tsuji Institute of space and art advisor at the Tokugawa Yoshinobu Residence Fugetsuro. With his basis in architecture, Tsuji approaches Ikebana as a unique spatial art that transcends existing frameworks, with elements including architectural design, stage and set design, sculpture, and product design. People, architecture, and plants—in considering the relationship of these three elements, Tsuji expresses spaces fusing the vitality of plants with humans’ creativity. In recent years, he has produced a variety of brands and artworks, both in Japan and abroad. He expresses the Japanese view of nature and aesthetics on the world stage.