Traditional Japanese dance jiutamai steadily winning growing numbers of enthusiasts in Europe. Lustrous performance set to Chopin and Polish folk tales.

The performance was a result of long preparations carried parallely on both, Japanese and Polish sides. There was only one face to face meeting in December 2015 and much of arduous distant work which was confronted and joined into consistent performance during two days of intensive rehearsals. The hall was almost full and we have got many congratulations and enthusiastic reviews just after the performance. Not only general audience but also most of Polish enthusiast of Japanese dance and shakuhachi music who had contacted us earlier to make reservations were attracted to the performance. After three days of intensive jiutamai workshop, the dancers who attended (and also a few others who were not able to attend at the time) gathered to create a regular workshop group located in Wroclaw which will be managed in Poland by Hana Umeda and from distance by Tokijyo Hanasaki. There was also a good contact to three of Polish shakuhachi musicians which can be first step to create interesting collaboration between them and between the musicians and NAMI Foundation. During the rehearsals days, an improvised shakuhachi workshop with master Ishikawa has organized for them. Also the next jiutamai performance by the team of Tokijyo Hansaki is initially planned for the next year in Poland.

(Grazyna Pogorzelska)

Date:

21 Jun. 2016

Venue:

Chamber Hall at Impart (Wroclaw, Polamd)

Japanese participant:

Tokijyo Hanasaki, Toshimitsu Ishikawa, Shino Hanasaki, Mitsunaga Kanda

Related Program:

Fostering shogi fans of the future! The appeal of shogi open to everyone from children to adults.

Shogi started in Poland as the game for self-learning, mainly adult people usually meeting on virtual boards. During last few years a network of tournaments has been developed but there was still a lack of separate youth tournaments (which are generally lacking in Europe with only few exceptions). There is also a luck of youth and children training methods and of efforts to promote shogi among children. The tournament was held to fulfill this lack and to make a connection between European groups interested in training of young shogi players and between the young players themselves. Although only Belarussian children joined the tournament, we were able to make close contacts with groups from Ukraine and Germany, which can bear fruits next years.

(Maciej Pogorzelski)

Date:

23-24 Jul. 2016

Venue:

Wroclaw City Public Library

Japanese participant:

Madoka Kitao (Ladies 2-dan Shogi Professional), Kota Fujiwara

Japanese partner: 

International Shogi Popularization Society

Cooperation:

Polish Shogi Association

Related Programme:

Wroclaw performance and workshop by Shunputei Ichinosuke, rakugo performer traveling throughout Europe.

Although rakugo was shown in Poland before, we had an opportunity to introduce rakugo to Wroclaw. Big interest starting a few months before the date revealed a group of Polish rakugo fans ready to travel the country to see the rakugo show. The performance gathered over 150 viewers of different ages and different genres. Some of them were Japan language professionals, some general fans of Japanese cultures, some fans of theatre and even quite many young fans of anime. This mix have created very involved audience who also engaged themselves in a very interesting Q&A session after the show.

(Grazyna Pogorzelska) 

Date:

27 Jul. 2016 

Venue:

Impart Hall, Wroclaw

Performer:

Ichinosuke Shunputei, Koharu Tatekawa

Related Program:

Japanese calligraphy enjoys acclaim in Europe. A rich world of experience through the work and workshop of Kumamoto-born calligrapher Tanso Moriyama.

The position of Japanese calligraphy is well established in Europe but there is very little opportunity to see best contemporary artworks like these by Tanso Moriyama commented and explained by one of his students – Sayuri Goto. The exhibition will be placed in the new (still built) house of local division of Public Library of Wroclaw at the main railway station. The division keeps high devotion to Japanese literature. The Director of Japanese Department, Ms. Daria Waszczuk often helps to organize Japanese culture events in Wroclaw. The exhibition will be accompanied by open workshop for wide audience and short intensive course for a small group.

Exhibition:

 Date:7-28 Dec. 2016

 Venue: Wroclaw City Public Library Division 42

 Japanese artist:  Tanso Moriyama (exhibition), Sayuri Goto-Fuksiewicz (explanation)

Related Programs:

・Meeting with Sayuri Goto-Fuksiewicz

　Date: 28 Dec. 2016

　Venue: Wroclaw City Public Library Division 42

・Japanese Calligraphy Workshop

　Date: 21-22 Jan. 2017

　Venue: Polish-Japanese Friendship Foundation NAMI

　Japanese artist: Julia Yamato