Let’s talk story about Honolulu and some of the neat things happening here in Hawaii.     Home l Privacy l 15th Annual Honolulu Festival （2009） Feature Interview with Keiko Matsuzaka Actress Keiko Matsuzaka has performed for ten years in Tenshumonogatari. She would like to continue her lifework in Hawaii. From an idea she had as a mother raising two children and living overseas, her desire to spread Japan's culture to people all over the world through her work has become a reality. Her work keeps growing. We were given the opportunity to sit down with her upon her completion of her first performance in Hawaii at the 15th Annual Honolulu Festival. --- First of all, can you tell us how you began to perform Tenshumonogatari? This all began when I was living in New York and raising my small children. There were opportunities to see academic performances such as Kabuki but as a mother of small children I always wished that we could all go to see the graceful and gentle fairy tales of Japan as a family. Tenshumonogatari, masterpiece of writer Kyoka Izumi is my favorite. I wondered if that piece of work could become the fairy tale that I had envisioned. That became a reality. It was probably about ten years ago that I first performed Tenshumonogatari as a recitation and music program for the members of New York's Japan Society. After that, I organized a Recitation Gathering at Suntory Hall in Japan. Then Mannojo Nomura Sensei, the Kyogen Master who created Daidengaku, made Tenshumonogatari into a play. We performed it at places such as the Noh theatre in Shibuya's Cerulean Tower. We reconstructed the format last year and made it into a narrated play and included the participation of local citizens. Rintaro Mayuzumi Sensei, NHK's Executive Director and a classmate of Mannojo Sensei, was kind enough to produce and direct the new Tenshumonogatari. That is how the new play came to be. My goal is to continue this work in Japan and in Hawaii for ten years. --- What are your impressions of performing for the first time in Hawaii at the Honolulu Festival? We had the opportunity to focus on our performance and do a good job because the spectators were able to concentrate on viewing our performance in the spacious Hawaii Convention Center in an area with over 1000 seats. The version that we performed was shortened to thirty minutes. That allowed us to keep the tempo moving. We knew that there would be many in the audience who did not understand Japanese. Therefore, each of the characters was reminded to take that to heart and not rely strictly on language as a form of expression. So the work had more depth and there was great response from the audience. Mayuzumi Sensei who produced the play was also pleased and said, "This is our best performance so far." I felt that Tenshumonogatari was able to mature and progress with this opportunity to perform in Hawaii. Performers were from Hawaii and Japan's Yamashiro, Ito, Takasaki and Kyoto. It was a great opportunity to promote cultural exchange. Everyone said, "Please continue this program forever," and, "We will continue practicing from tomorrow!" The positive response was more than what I expected. I believe that everyone's positive attitude was the main reason that brought about our success. They all said, "Let's succeed by joining hands and doing this together." We were discussing that perhaps this is Hawaiian power. I also appreciate the spirit of volunteerism that I saw in Hawaii. Many worked long hours behind the scene to support our efforts. I feel that we were able to perform in Hawaii because of the volunteers' support. --- You performed with your daughters this time. How was it? They were honored to perform for over 1,000 spectators on such a huge stage. They appreciated the opportunity to promote cultural exchange in such a way and to gain that experience. My daughters, Monet and Marisa, play the roles of lady attendants in Tenshumonogatari. In Daidengaku, I play the role of the shrine maiden and they assist me in bestowing the offerings to the god. I thought it would be wonderful if we could all be in Daidengaku as a family. I requested to Mayuzumi Sensei, "Please allow my two daughters to perform. I realize that they can only say a few lines and that is sufficient." However, he created many lines for them, giving them roles as lady attendants and including a scene where we danced together. It really surprised me and I wondered whether they could do all that. The girls were overwhelmed by the practice and they shed a few tears at the beginning. I think they were frustrated because they couldn't do their parts perfectly by themselves. But after about a month of practice, their voices got stronger. Now we are able to dance together like this. The girls were able to overcome a challenge. --- Do you advise the girls about the practice for Daidengaku and Tenshumonogatari? I am a lenient parent. I am not like my character Ikushima in "Atsuhime". (She laughs. Matsuzaka plays a strict mentor to Atsuhime in this television series.) I was not very strict with them when they were growing up because I was busy and had to be away from home quite frequently. But ever since they started to practice I have told them to practice every day, even if it's for five minutes. It could even be as simple as visual training. They have been told by me to do this even if they have homework or exams. It's not necessarily true that being a good performer is going to move people emotionally. It's not about being good or bad. They will develop sincerity and good faith if they practice and do their best every day. So I tell them to practice each day. This has allowed us to have a relationship apart from being a mother and child. It has allowed us to talk about many meaningful things. This has made our family life a lot more fun. --- You had mentioned that you would like for the audience to see what is "authentic." I think that upon seeing the performance that there was authenticity throughout, even the costumes. Thank you very much. I am glad. Costumes are very important. They are important because costumes are a form of expression. The costumes and the coordination of it all are handled by a person who is responsible for many big projects in Japan. --- So that means that an "authentic" person is in charge. Yes, that is true. The people that I respect and like very much have been kind enough to get involved in this project. They do it not for business but for the purpose of cultural exchange. These wonderful people have come together with their "hearts" and their "spirit". It would be difficult for a group of the best in their fields to get together as we have for a project if it were for business. The production fee would be enormous too. We were fortunate to have Man Nomura Sensei join us in Hawaii. He is a Living National Treasure of Japan and Noh's Izumi School Kyogen Master. Having him with us really elevated our spirits. Then there is Manzo Nomura Sensei. I can feel the stability of the authentic classics when I am on stage with him. It is a tense feeling, and at the same time, I feel that I have gained so much. The fact that I have been given the opportunity to perform with a person of the "real" classics means that the 300 year old "real" classic is right there with us. We have peace of mind and can feel at ease in our performance. I am sure that the local dancers felt something special performing with an "authentic" Kyogen Master. In the classical world of Kyogen, the art has continued from one generation to another through their ancestors. They take good care of their people because they are the ones who will continue the art in future generations. I think that is such a wonderful thing. --- It seems that the air around us changes when there is a true master around us. It is an honor for even a professional like me to be on the same stage as Manzo Sensei. I am in the entertainment business and so are Man Sensei and Manzo Sensei. However, although we are in the same business of entertainment, things are different. There is something unwavering, something very solid, in the classical entertainment of Kyogen. Similar to "kendo," "judo," and "sa-do" (tea ceremony), should I say that "the way has been mastered, it has been carried on." There is a feeling of peacefulness, the calmness of mastering an art, when I am with a person of Kyogen. There is clarity and calmness in my feelings when Manzo Sensei choreographs the work. My spirit was uplifted and my heart was purified during the time I spent performing Daidengaku with Manzo Sensei. --- By the way, were there any hardships that you experienced during your performance this time? I am sure that Akasaka-san, who is the producer from the non-profit organization ACT-JT which is chaired by Man Nomura Sensei, had to go through many hardships to put this on in Hawaii. When you want to put on a great performance, you want many equipment and instruments. We want this and we want that! But we must put all our equipment on the plane. We need to make it fit in one of those aluminum cases! (Laughter) This is a real problem. Then we start using our wisdom and make suggestions like, "Why can't we use the ipu(the Hawaiian instrument made from a gourd) and have a music collaboration of taiko and the ipu ?" We share our knowledge and that too is a lot of fun. We try to use things from the local region even when we perform in Japan. For example, at Yamashiro Onsen in Ishikawa Prefecture, it is believed that the three-legged crow "yatagarasu" discovered the source of the onsen. The town prospered because of this. We use masks that resemble this crow when we perform there. Camellias are famous in the city of Ito in Shizuoka Prefecture so we wear camellias in our hair and costumes when we perform there. I wore hibiscus in my hair for my performance here in Hawaii. The dancers in Daidengaku wore ti leaf. We all laughed when I mentioned the fact that I probably would have been a better professional actress had I thought as passionately about my roles in my main job. --- How do you envision the future? I believe that continuity is very important. I am so glad that the people of Hawaii enjoyed Daidengaku and Tenshumonogatari. I am also glad that the local dancers had a good time and want to continue. Without enjoyment, there is no continuity. There are places in Japan where we have local dancers that have been participating for ten years. We call these members of Daidengaku "wazaogi." The Daidengaku dancers here in Hawaii learned the dance so easily and they seem to enjoy performing. It would be nice to develop Hawaii "wazaogi" too! Our project activates communities and strengthens the bond between parents and children. It is also good for the neighborhood. "Let me watch over the shop so you can attend since your child is performing," a neighbor might say. This kind of lateral connection is bound to increase. "Matsuri" or shall we say "festivals" lets us set aside our daily routines for a bit. It allows us to join hands and become friends. Daidengaku is one of the ways we can enjoy ourselves. The connections within the community will strengthen. Family ties and the bonds from grandfather to grandchild will deepen. These are all wonderful things. This is how our project has developed in Japan and I hope that this will happen in Hawaii too. --- We hope that you will continue for ten years in Hawaii. We think that this is a great opportunity for the people of Hawaii to experience the culture of Japan. Thank you very much. Performers of Daidengaku and Tenshumonogatari Those on the left of Keiko Matsuzaka are Kyogen Masters Man Nomura and Manzo Nomura. Producer Rintaro Mayuzumi is on her right. Related article: Feature Article: Daidengaku and Tenshumonogatari Related article: Interview with Kyogen Master Man Nomura Related article: Interview with Kyogen Master Manzo Nomura

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