Finding Japan
An interview with Alex Kerr
In this interview, Alex Kerr, acclaimed author of two indispensable books on Japan (Lost Japan
and Dogs and Demons), takes respite from his busy schedule to invite Kansai Scene to Iori,
a historic merchant townhouse (machiya). As one of Japan's prominent critics, he was the first
foreigner to win the Shincho Gakugei Literature Prize for the best work of non-fiction published
in Japan. Here, he touches upon his lesser-known passions - architecture and sharing his love
for the traditional arts.
KS: This is a great place to obtain the sense
of how people in old Kyoto lived.
AK: Yes, it is. When we found this machiya,
it was in a decrepit condition. A bean merchant
once lived here. But we transformed it back to
its original condition.
Kerr allows me to look around a bit more. A small
but beautiful garden scene unfolds within the
depths of the house. A narrow staircase leads up
to two more floors decorated with scroll hangings.
Judging by the dozens of slippers on the
shoe rack, you get many guests here. What
do you do here at Iori?
We host the Origin Program of Japanese Arts.
I call it "Origin" because we try to present the
arts in such a way that people can feel they're
touching the spiritual origins of the arts. We
have Origin programs not only in Japan, but
also in Bangkok and Chiangmai. We do programs
for all sorts of groups, from "arty"
museum sponsor tours, to high school students.
We also hosted teachers, and they were
sitting right there. Quite apart from the arts
program, people traveling to Kyoto often stay
in this machiya.
Why Thailand?
Like New York City, it's the center, the center
of Southeast Asia. It's endlessly fascinating and
few people know very much about it.
What is the purpose of the Origin Program?
Visitors have a chance to experience a traditional
environment, a tea ceremony, even a Noh stage.
Visitors are foreigners and Japanese … that is
to say, "modern people." In fact, we just held a
Noh performance on the main stage of the Arts
Practice Hall - the Shimai dance called Shojo,
the Sea Monster. We aim at giving visitors an
experience of the traditional arts and have it
make sense. Not just show it. But they get to
learn it, hold it, experience the dance, move
forward and backward. The spiritual principles
behind these arts are linked in the very ways
we present them. It leads people to question,
"What was the purpose of doing such things?
Why was this important? Why were these arts
valued by people who did it?"
How did your projects come to fruition?
 In 1976, I came to Oomoto Foundation in
Kameoka, responding to my mentor David
Kidd's call. He joined with Oomoto's Spiritual Leader Mme
Naohi Deguchi to found the Oomoto Seminar of Traditional
Japanese Arts. It was with the Foundation that I deepened
my knowledge of Noh and other arts.
In 1991, I met Bodhi Fishman while he was studying at Doshi-
sha University and at the Oomoto Seminar. In 1997, Bodhi
moved with me to Thailand and in 2005 he became manager
of all the Origin programs. In 2004, Iori was founded by my
associates and I. We began the process of acquiring machiya.
In the past two years, we have restored up to six machiya.
In Japan, all the Origin arts programs are conducted on the
grounds of Iori, where we have dedicated staff to run them.
Thanks for the interview. You have a lot to be proud of!
Yes, we're at a wonderful moment since the Arts Practice
Hall got built last March. We're able to call on our remarkable
Sawada sensei from Omooto, plus leading Noh masters
of Kyoto. We are supported by banks and venture capital
funds. And wonderful helpers. Negishi-san (one of our directors
and a big brain of the company) has donated lots of art.
This is an incredible situation I never dreamt of.
I take another minute to enjoy the utterly uncomplicated
sensation of rain lightly tapping the tiled roof. Due in part to
Mr. Kerr's efforts in preserving Asian arts and architecture,
such moments as these still exist for us to enjoy.
Text & photos: Albert Ting
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