Super Miracle Illusion —
Kinoshita
Circus
KYOTO Until Feb 21
Celebrating over a century of circus makes Kinoshita
Circus the oldest in Japan and it also just happens to be the
largest as well. Experience the magic of the Big Top with clowns,
trapeze performers and tight rope walkers and all the rest will
be there.
It all starts with a spectacular opening show. Main acts will
include a super illusionist show, an amazing safari special with
zebras, giraffes and other animals. A death defying motorcycle
globe in which young motorcyclists do stunts at breakneck speed.
The traditional main attraction of a family circus, one that has
captured the attention of children all over the world, is the
fearless, daring, brave lion trainer. Billed as the New Mixed
Wild Cat Animal Act, the trainer will risk life and limb by entering
a cage filled with ten wild cats.
From Kyoto station, 10mins walk west
Time: Mon-Thurs 11am & 1:40pm. Fri 1pm & 3:40pm.
Sat-Sun 10:20am, 1pm & 3:40pm
Admission: ¥2,500/Child¥1,500. At the door¥2,800 /
¥1,800
Tel: 075-371-0090
www.kinoshita-circus.co.jp
Setsubun — Bean Throwing Ceremony
KYOTO Feb 2-3
Oni-wa-soto, Devils out! Fuku-wa-uchi, Good fortune
in! This cry can be heard in homes and at temples and shrines
around the country to mark the end of the old lunar calendar and
herald the new. It is also a ritual to drive away evil spirits.
Each temple has its own way of purging evil from the land. Some
temples perform spectacular stage battles between the oni (demons)
and the defenders of good, while others invite well-known personalities
such as sumo wrestlers and actors to scatter roasted soybeans
into the crowd. Many temples simply hold services. The bean throwing,
in some cases rather boisterously, represents the sowing of seeds
and the new growth that this brings forth.
Kyoto: Yasaka-Jinja Shrine
Keihan Shijo stn. Tel: 075-561-6155
02/2: Maiko (trainee geisha) and geiko (geisha) throw beans and
perform dances.
Ponto-cho at 1pm. Miyagawa-cho at 3pm.
02/3: The dance continues. Gion-Kobu at 1pm. Gion Higashi at 3pm.
Yoshida-jinja Shrine.
Bus #206 to Kyodai-Seimon Mae. Tel: 075-711-3788
02/2: An Oni performance at 6pm.
02/3: A huge bonfire is lit to burn old charms for purification.
6pm. Nara: Kofuku-ji.
Kintetsu line, Nara stn. Tel: 0742-22-7755
02/3: Dramatic stage performance with flaming torches. Osaka:
Shitenno-ji Temple.
JR, Modosuji/Tanimachi subway line, Tennoji stn. Tel: 06-6771-0066
02/3: Service held while throwing gomagi, pieces of wood on which
wishes are written,
onto the altar to burn. 10am-3pm. ¥300. Abikosan Taisho Kannon-ji
Temple. Midosuji subway line, Abiko stn. Tel: 06-6691-3578
02/3: Statue of Sho Kannon open to the public. From 8am.
Appreciation of Osaka Castle Park's Ume
wood/Cruise on the Aqua Liner/ Lunch in The Imperial Hotel
OSAKA Feb 7 - Mar
This is a kind of package. The group will first
walk around Osaka-Jyo Ume Wood where the ume (plum) trees are
in full bloom. After, cruise down the Okawa River in an Aqua-liner
and admire the city's scenery. This river cruise lasts 40 minutes.
There is a choice of two restaurants for lunch. The Flying Tomato
cafe, 1F or Jasmine Garden, Chinese cuisine on 23F. There are
no reservations and you may have to wait to be seated.
Meet at Osaka-Jyo Minato (Port)
Time: 12:30 Getting there: JR line, Osaka-jyo Koen stn
Admission: ¥2,700
Tel: 06-6942-5511 (for reservation)
Henrietta Horn & Folkwang Tanzstudio
(FTS)
KYOTO Feb 21-22, 25-26
 FTS
is an international dance touring company co-directed by Pina
Bausch and Henrietta Horn. Based in Essen, Germany, the company
currently employs ten dancers from different cultural backgrounds.
Horn's artistic choreography is the main focus of FTS's work with
emphasis on broadening the company's expressive possibilities.
There will be two performances of Lakenhal and Artischocke im
Sibersee (Artichoke in the Silver Lake). For Lakenhal, white lengths
of cloth hang from the ceiling. The dancers use flowing, harmonious
movements to a wide range of music from Jacques Brel to the Digeridoo.
Artischocke is part fun fair, part Arabian Night, half Oriental,
plus a bit of Rio.
Fumin Hall ALTI
2/21 & 22: Lakenhal at 7:30pm • 2/25: Artischocke im
Silbersee at 7:30pm • 2/26: Artischocke at 3pm
Getting there: Imadegawa subway stn, exit 6
Admission: ¥4,000. At the door ¥4,500
Tel: 075-441-1414
Events compiled by Mylene Oishi
Kansai Event Listings February
| Feb 1
Sounds of Georgia
The Tbilisi String Quartet and Yasuko Tasumi on piano will
perform four Mina-tures by Sulkhan Tsintsadze, one of Georgia's
foremost composers, as well as the music of Joseb Bardanashvili
and Nugzaru Vatsadze.
The Phoenix Hall, Osaka
Time: 7pm Getting there: Kita Shinchi stn
Admission: ¥3,000/Students ¥1,000
Tel: 06-6363-7999
Feb 1
Machibana-san
Bamboo skewers decorated with rice cakes are placed like
blossoms every-where in the main hall of the shrine, where
a shrine maiden performs a kagura dance accompanied by gongs
and drums. It is said that the Empress Jingu first started
to decorate the shrine with beautiful mochi-bana (rice cake
flowers) in order to pacify a crying baby.
Saganaka Jinja shrine, Kyoto
Time: From 1pm
Getting there: Kintetsu Kyoto line, Yamadagawa stn
Admission: Free
Tel: 0774-75-1220
Feb 4
Solo Piano Concert
Snow Crystal on a Palm, a solo piano concert of Kobe born
composer and pianist, Wong Wing Tsan. His music is often
referred to as healing music, spreading out to encompass
various genre from classic Japanese children's songs to
jazz. In 1991 he set up his own company, Satowa Music remaining
true to his philosophy of distancing himself from commercialism.
Kyoto Concert Hall
Time: 7pm
Getting there: Kitayama subway stn: exit 1
Admission: ¥4,000. At the door ¥4,500
Tel: 075-711-3090
Feb 4 & 5
7th World Antique Fair
The biggest antique market in the Western part of Japan.
All kinds of antique dealers will participate. Famous Japanese
pottery such as Koimari and Bizen. Antiques both oriental
& occidental.
Osaka Dome
Time: 10am-5pm
Getting there: Osaka Dome-Mae stn
Admission: free
Tel: 06-6586-0106
Until Feb 5
Chinese New Year
Best time to visit China Town is during this festive season.
Priests are invited from the Chinese temple to conduct purification
rituals, rare and exotic foods go on sale and the famous
dragon dance is the highlight of the festival.
Nanking Machi, Kobe
Getting there: JR/Hanshin line, Motomachi stn
Tel: 078-332-2896
Feb 6. 7 & 8
Linda Yamamoto 40th
Linda Yamamoto was a singer, model and TV actress very popular
in the mid and late 60s and celebrates her 40th year in
the entertainment business with three concerts in the Kansai
area. She will sing songs that has been requested by her
fans as well as chansons. Masaki Hirao will make a guest
appearance.
02/6: Kyoto Kaikan. 6:30pm. Tozai line, Higashiyama stn
02/7: Osaka Kosei Nenkin Kaikan. 2:30pm & 6:30pm. Yotsubashi
stn, exit 2
02/8: Kobe Bunka Hall. 6:30pm. Yamato subway line, Okurayama
stn
Admission: ¥5,000/¥5,500
Tel: 0570-02-9999
Feb 10-12
Osaka Auto Messe
A motor fair organized by the Auto Messe Association. Featuring
various items for automobiles and motorcycles, plus state-of-the-art
customized cars and motorcy-cles will be on display.
Intex Osaka
Time: 9am-6pm
Getting there: Subway Chuo line,
Cosmos Square stn
Admission: ¥2,500, free for children
Tel: 06-6458-0300
Feb 14-16
Toxic Audio
This is an entertainment expressed purely by voice. In perfect
harmony, the group performs melodies, comedy and some amusing
self-made sound effects. They have received an award in
the Off Broad-way Musical Theater category.
Namba Hatch
Time: 7:30pm
Getting there: Namba stn
Admission: ¥6,800
Tel: 06-6362-7301
Feb 19
Sunrise
An extravagant, colourful musical show by the New OSK Japan
Theatre Company. This all female troupe will perform a musical
preview in the first half, followed by the show, Sunrise
in the second.
Kashihara Bunka Kaikan, Nara
Time: 2pm & 5pm
Getting there: Kintetsu line, Yagi stn
Admission: ¥2,000/¥4,000
Tel: 0744-23-2771
Feb 21
Court Music of Japan
This is part of the Aiphonic World Music Series 115. Ancient
Asian performing arts such as Kangen, a musical ensemble
and Bugaku, an ancient dance will be performed.
Itami Aiphonic Hall
Time: 6:30pm
Getting there: JR/Hankyu line, Itami stn
Admission: ¥2,000/¥3,000. Plus ¥500 at the door
Tel: 072-780-2110
Feb 21
Cinema & Pops Concert
Pianist Kentaro Haneda, together with Ayako Takagi on flute
will accompany soprano Ayako Haneda and Vocalist Mar- kio
Sugita in an evening of music from the movies, musicals
and the pop world.
Takarazuka Hotel
Time: 7pm
Getting there: Takarazuka Minami-guchi stn
Admission: ¥4,000. At the door ¥4,500
Tel: 0797-85-8844
Feb 26
Story telling, Music and Art
Kaminari No Ochisanai Muri is a picture story book by the
late Etsuko Mihashi. This program is based on this book.
While listening to a live concert, Mihashi's pic-tures will
be shown on a big screen. This will be followed by the telling
of the story.
Biwako Hall
Time: 2pm
Getting there: Otsu stn
Admission: ¥3,000/Under 25, ¥1,500
Tel: 077-523-7136
www.biwako-hall.or.jp/
Feb 28
Mozart Requiem
Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra and the Osaka Philharmonic
Chorus conducted by Rolf Beck. Together with soprano, Si-mona
Houda-Saturova and alto, Barbara Rohlfs. Tenor, Hartmut
Schroeder and Matthias Klein, bass will give a rendition
of this famous piece.
Symphony Hall, Osaka
Time: 7pm
Getting there: JR Kancho line,
Fukushima stn
Admission: ¥2,500/¥4,000/¥5,500
Tel: 06-6453-6000
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