Nohgaku (Noh & Kyogen) Workshop was held at Yanagido Hall at 1pm on Wednesday, July 2. Nearly 80 people including summer school students, other international students, Japanese students, and faculty and staff members attended the workshop.

This year, students fortunately had an opportunity to learn about Kyogen (traditional Japanese comic theater) in addition to the Noh (traditional Japanese musical drama) lecture which is our annual event. It was a great workshop thanks to the cooperation of 4 Nohgaku lecturers, professional Noh actors of Mr. Madoka Mikata, Mr. Hiromichi Tamoi and professional Kyogen actors of Mr. Kodo Yamaguchi, Mr. Yoshinobu Shigeyama.

International students had their eyes wide open when lecturers showed up wearing formal men's divided skirt on the stage. Following the introduction of lecturers, Mr. Mikata and Mr. Tamoi played "Shakkyo" which is one of representative Noh performances. The crowds got drawn into the world of Nohgaku with the　chant and beautiful move of actors. Later in the workshop, students learned about features and history of Nohgaku. The lecturers also showed students the difference of masks used in the Noh and Kyogen performance comparing real masks the lecturers brought for this workshop. In the practice of the Noh chant "Takasago", nanori (self-introduction) in "Suehirogari" which is one of Kyogen plays, how to cry (Noh) and how to laugh (Kyogen), all participants raised their voice, and the voice was reverberated through the hall.
In the Kyogen performance "Neongyoku", many students couldn't hold in laughter and burst out laughing. We came to realize that humor has no boundaries. Although it was the first time Nohgaku experience for most of the workshop participants, students found it interesting and the workshop was full of laughter for the entire time by the lecturers' humorous talk.
At the end of workshop, one of summer school students tried Noh costume wearing. Students enjoyed the art of Nohgaku and were impressed with the depth and beauty of Japanese traditional performing arts by looking closely at gorgeous costumes and how the costume wearing has done very quickly with the help of lecturers.

This workshop has been selected as "Grant for Gifu University Development (Education): Education Program for Cultivating Fundamental Abilities" since 2011.