Information about the performance of

Gagaku & Budo –Japanese Court Music and Martial Arts– Meiji Jingu, a Shinto shrine in Tokyo, will make a performance of “Gagaku and Budo” in Europe in April 2016.

■Event: Gagaku & Budo –Japanese Court Music and Martial Arts– ■Program: Introduction of Japanese culture –Short film Budo (Martial Arts): Aikido and Kenjutsu by Masters at Meiji Jingu Budojo Gagaku (Court Music): Etenraku [Music of 3 wind instruments and 3 drums] Yoyogi-no-mai [Shrine maidens’ dance with music] Ran-ryo-ou [Dance with music] performed by Shinto priests and shrine maidens of Meiji Jingu

■Dates & Venues/ Ticketing Admission is free of charge.

① April 18 (Mon.), 20:30-22:00 You need to reserve your seats via website/telephone/Box office.

Triennale teatro dell’Arte [Viale Emilio Alemagna, 6, Milano] biglietteria@crtmilano.it tel. 02.72434258 http://www.triennale.org/teatro

② April 21 (Thurs.), 20:00-22:00 Istituto Giapponese di Cultura in Roma [Via Antonio Gramsce, 74]

http://www.jfroma.it No admission ticket is issued. First-come-first-served [seats are limited] ■Organizer: Meiji Jingu ■Sponsors: Japan Foundation (applying)／Toshiba International Foundation／The Nippon Foundation／The Tokyo Club

Mizuho Bank, Ltd.／Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd.／Aichi Sangyo Co., Ltd.／Kikkoman Corporation ／ TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION ／ IDEA Consultants, Inc. ／ KOTOBUKI SEATING CO.,LTD.／TOYOTA INDUSTRIES CORPORATION／The Japan-Belgium Society／ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS CO., LTD／NIPPON EXPRESS CO., LTD ■Patronage: Embassy of Japan in Italy／Camera di Commercio e Industria Giapponese in Italia (CCIGI) ■Collaborators: Instituto Giapponese di Cultura in Roma／CRT/Teatro dell’Arte／Triennale di Milano

Gagaku & Budo

In 2016, Japan and Italy will celebrate 150 years of their diplomatic relations and friendship. On the occasion of this anniversary, in April this year, Meiji Jingu, a prominent Shinto shrine in Tokyo, will organize in Italy and other European countries, performances of Gagaku and Budo, two of the jewels of Japanese tradition and culture. Gagaku, traditional court music, which has a melody that transports the audience to the ancient times of mythology, is said to be the oldest living form of orchestral music in the world. Traditional drums, flutes and other wind instruments accompany songs and dances. Being protected by the Imperial court, Gagaku was also played in major Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in homage to divinities who are purportedly entertained by the performance. The priests and the Miko, maidens serving the shrine, will unveil its spiritual significance.

Budo, with its spirituality directly inherited from the indigenous religion Shinto, will be represented by two Japanese traditional martial arts: Aikido and Kenjutsu, the art of the sword. The performance will thus provide the audience an excellent opportunity to discover the Shinto spirit in Budo. The performers will be masters from Meiji Jingu together with European amateurs who experienced the training course at Shiseikan, the dojo of Meiji Jingu.

Gagaku and Budo both represent the distillation of the Japanese spirit, which has been cultivated over countless generations. Thus, Meiji Jingu offers a rare opportunity to see two of them together in the same event. It is a unique occasion to be initiated into Japanese culture and its spirit.

Meiji Jingu Intercultural Research Institute http://www.meijijingu.or.jp/english/