Which is the most artistic and cultural city in Japan? In 2016 it’s Nara! Along with Ningbo China and Jeju-teukbyeoljachido in South Korea, the Culture City of East Asia project has designated Nara as one of the host cities for 2016.
Based on the European “Capitals of Culture” project, which has been held in two select EU member cities annually since 1985, Culture City of East Asia is a tri-national collaboration between Japan, China and South Korea designed to promote cultural exchange and understanding between the three nations. Every year each nation chooses a city, that is an example of how that nation’s arts and culture developed, to host a number of artistic and cultural events. The first Culture City of East Asia events were held in Yokohama, Japan; Quanzhou, China; and Gwangju, Korea in 2014. The 2016 event in Nara is called “ART CELEBRATION IN NARA - Beyond Space and Time,” and its events are composed of visual, performing and culinary arts designed to reveal the still living 1,300 year history of Nara.
The performing arts element of the event will feature 3 stage productions, one by the Nara Centennial Hall’s Manyo Opera Lab, and one each by renowned Shizuoka Performing Arts Center and the Osaka based Ishinha Revolutionary Theater Group. The Shizuoka Performing Arts Center’s production of “Mahābhārata – The Adventure of Nala,” a love story based on an ancient Indian epic verse, and Ishinha’s production of “Amahar,” a revolutionary non-traditional performance on a temporary outdoor stage, will take place at the Heijo Palace site from September 9th-12th and October 14th-24th respectively. Tickets to each event are ¥5,500 for general audiences, ¥3,000 for those under 25, or ¥10,000 for a set ticket. The Centennial Hall Manyo Lab’s production of “The Tale of the Japanese Envoy to China,” a story about the three men sent to China to learn more about Buddhism and governing in the 8th century, will be held in the large hall of the Nara Centennial Hall on October 1st and 2nd. Tickets start at ¥3,000 for B seats and go up to ¥10,000 for Special Seats. More details are available on the culturecity-nara.com website.
The visual arts division of the project features 2D and 3D art installations created by several internationally renowned artists at 8 of Nara’s most important temples and shrines: Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Shrine, Kofukuji Temple, Gangoji Temple, Daianji Temple, Yakushiji Temple, Toshodaiji Temple and Saidaiji Temple. The exhibition at Kofukuji Temple will coincide with the unique opening to the public of Kofukuji Temple’s 3-story and 5-story pagodas. The interiors of the pagodas have only once before been exhibited to the general public. This is the first time in history that both pagodas will be opened at the same time. Additional artworks by various Japanese artists will also be exhibited at various locations throughout the preserved Edo and Meiji era structures of the historic Naramachi district.
The food division of the event is designed to give visitors an understanding and appreciation of Nara, its history and culture through its food. A “Pop up Restaurant” will serve food, prepared by various celebrity chefs from around the world, telling the story of Nara and its connection to the Silk Road, and a workshop will be available to teach participants how to prepare various historical Nara dishes. The “Edible Landscape” event will see participants build a landscape out of ingredients and dishes encountered and produced in Nara before eating their creation.
Additional events include the Film Exchange Project, which will screen a total of 5 films shot in each of the Culture City of East Asia host cities (2 from China, 2 from Korea and 1 from Japan), and the Food Caravan Project. The ART CELEBRATION IN NARA - Beyond Space and Time runs from Saturday September 3rd to Sunday October 23rd.
Works consulted:
http://culturecity-nara.com/kotohogunara/en/index.html#id-overview
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishinha
http://ishinha.com/information/11801
http://www.murc.jp/english/think_tank/quarterly_journal/qj1402_05-2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Capital_of_Culture
http://www.yokohamajapan.com/upcoming-events/culture-city-east-asia-2014-events/