Sunday, April 9, 2006

Theater workshop available in Kyoto:
Traditional Theater Training, an annual intensive workshop on Japanese traditional performing arts for foreigners and Japanese, is seeking participants for this year.

The workshop began in 1984 and has gathered 250 participants from 18 countries.

This year it will be held from July 22 to Aug. 13 at Kyoto Art Center in Nakagyo Ward.

Applicants can choose from three courses: noh, "kyogen" (comical short drama) and "nihon buyo" dance. Eight students will be accepted for each course.

The workshop starts with a three-day orientation, in which participants will be able to attend sessions on all three genres. Participants will then be divided into their respective courses and learn several repertoires from professional performers. The repertoires will be performed onstage on the final day, Aug. 13, in a free recital at a noh theater.

Applicants should be students, performers, teachers and scholars who are involved with any type of performing arts, such as theater and dance. It is open to all such individuals regardless of age, nationality and gender.

The fee is 50,000 yen for students and 75,000 yen for others.

The application form can be obtained via the organizer's Web site at www.kac.or.jp/ (in Japanese and English).

For more information, visit the Web site, call the organizer at (075) 213-1000 or e-mail kacinfo@kac.or.jp

Foreign women discuss reverse culture shock:
The Osaka Gender Equality Foundation is inviting non-Japanese English-speaking women to its monthly discussion meeting from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at Osaka Prefectural Women's Center, or Dawn Center, in Chuo Ward, Osaka.

The discussion will focus on common problems facing foreign women, including those pertaining to cultural differences, employment and child care. Participants will exchange information and experiences.

This month's theme is "Preparing to go home: Reserve culture shock." Many people find that the transition of returning to their home country is even harder than adjusting to living in Japan. Participants will discuss what to expect and how to prepare.

The discussion will be facilitated by psychotherapist Joanna Sato.

Participation is free. No reservation is required.

To get to the venue, walk 350 meters east from Tenmabashi Station on the Tanimachi subway line.

For more information, call the organizer at (06) 6910-8588.

Walking tour to take in Nara's natural beauty:
A walking tour to view flowers in Nara is being offered by an English-speaking guide until the end of May.

In many sightseeing areas of Nara, cherry, forsythia, azalea and many other kinds of flowers are or will be in bloom during this period. The tour will take in several historical places with abundant nature, including Kofukuji Temple, Kasuga Shrine, Todaiji Temple and Nara Park, where deer roam freely.

Participants will meet guide Harry Horii at 10 a.m. at the fountain square of Nara Station on the Kintetsu Line.

The fee is 1,500 yen per person.

For reservations and more information, call Horii at (0742) 46-3273, or 090-3841-4784.

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