“Uchiko-za Theater Centennial Ceremony” by Yoshikazu Fujimoto
Uchiko-za Theater Centennial Ceremony
On Feb. 20, I attended the Uchiko-za Theater Centennial Ceremony in Ehime as Kodo’s representative.
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A puppet dance by Awaji Ningyoza at the celebration
Kodo gave its first Uchiko-za performance in 1997, which was organized by a local committee that also provided home stays for our members. We have enjoyed a close relationship with our friends in Uchiko ever since. They have held seven Kodo performances to date.
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Backstage with two members from puppet troupe Awaji Ningyo-za
The ceremony took place at Uchiko-za Theater in the afternoon and was followed by a reception at the Ikazaki Local Center. At the reception, I showed Kodo’s gratitude to Uchiko and the theater by playing taiko for them. I was happy to hear that our friends in Uchiko were pleased by my performance. I will continue to treasure our special connection with Uchiko and I sincerely wish the town all the best for the future.
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At the ceremony with Uchiko Town Development Ambassador Keiko Takeshita (center) and Kenichi Tokuda of the Kodo Uchiko-za Performance Committee