From Zeami to Kitano:Influence of the Japanese Performing Arts on Japanese Cinema

Although my attraction to the Far East in general and to the Land of the Rising Sun in particular goes back to the days of my childhood, it was not until four years ago that I was able to take my first step on this land that I had dreamed of for so long. I promised myself that I would find some way to come to Japan the moment I learned of the agreement between my home university and Waseda, which allows students in both institutions to participate in exchanges of one or two semesters.

With this goal in mind, for six years I tried hard to get good grades in both of my majors: Art History and Audiovisual Communication. In the end my efforts bore fruit; during the second half of the 2001-2002 academic year I was told that I had been selected for the International Division Program and that, moreover, I would be able to come to Waseda in September of that very year on a scholarship provided by the Association of International Education, Japan (AIEJ).

Having just received B.A.´s in two majors, I arrived in Japan with all of the hopes and fears of one who for the first time is leaving home for a prolonged period, headed for a country almost at the opposite end of the world and with a completely different culture… I was not disappointed, on the contrary, that year in Tokyo exceeded my expectations, and my time at this university was–and continues to be–one of the most enriching experiences in my life. All of the knowledge I have acquired here, not only on an academic level, i.e., the formal study of Japanese language and culture, but also on a personal level, has been a priceless gift to me.

Examples of the influence of the Japanese performing arts on Japanese Cinema1: the Tradition of Noh and its reflection on Kurosawa Akira's 'Kumonosu jô' and Shindô Keneto's 'Onibaba'

With my head full of memories of happy days, I went back to Spain on July 27, 2003 with the intention of returning to Japan as soon as the opportunity to do so presented itself. Two months later, the University of Valencia offered me a position as associate professor of Japanese language in the School of Philology. I accepted the job without a second thought, and during the 2003-2004 academic year combined teaching work with doctoral studies in the Department of Art History. Early in June, soon after courses had ended, I was informed that I had been granted the four-year fellowship which the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science offers toward the completion of doctoral studies. In order to accept it I had to resign from my post as associate professor. I thus began a new phase in my academic career as a research fellow.


The Waseda experience continues

Example of the influence of the Japanese performing arts on Japanese Cinema 2: the tradition of Biwa Hôshi and its reflection on "Miminashi Hôichi", the third story of Kobayashi Masaki's "Kwaidan".

I had to come up with a dissertation topic right away. I remembered that during my time as an exchange student at Waseda I had taken a course called “Performing Arts in Japan,” was taught by Richard Emmert, professor and professional Noh actor. I thought it would be interesting to relate these performing arts to Japanese cinema, which has partaken so much of the national theatrical tradition, and, especially, to present this study in my own country, where this vast field remains practically untouched. The truth is that there is a scarcity of japanologists in Spain, and although some state universities offer programs in Japanese language, culture and history, the fact is that East Asian Studies are not as developed in my country as they are some others.

During the 2004-2005 academic year I worked intensively both preparing presentations given at conferences on cinema studies and, above all, gathering materials for my dissertation. However, what I was able to find in Spain proved insufficient, and my professors there were also unable to provide me with much help, given that none of them was a specialist in the topic I was investigating. Therefore it was essential that I return to Japan, which my government fellowship would make possible, since it can be applied to stays abroad as long as they are related to one´s dissertation project. Now the only step left was to choose a university in which to pursue my research.

I decided on Waseda for two principal reasons. First of all, its enviable resources–the enormous text and film archives of its libraries and the marvelous collections of the Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum (Engeki Hakubutsukan)–make Waseda the ideal institution for pursuing my research;it is not merely by chance that dramatists and filmmakers of the stature of Shûji Terayama or Shôhei Imamura have emerged from its halls. Second, the relationships I had established with professors and administrative personnel during my first stay as an exchange student promised to be of great help to me.

In September of 2005 I again set foot on Japanese soil, this time as a researcher under the auspices of the academic exchange between the University of Valencia and Waseda. During the half year I spent here under the attentive gaze of my advisor, Prof. Kenji Iwamoto, I attended his classes on Japanese cinema, and consulted as many books and viewed as many films as I could. I also paid numerous visits to the National Film Center (NFC) and frequently attended performances of classical Japanese theatre at the National Noh Theatre and the Kabuki-za. Moreover, I had the great fortune of meeting scholars such as Prof. Hiroaki Yukawa, president of Fujinami Kodôgu, a manufacturer of theatrical props used in kabuki, and Zvika Serper of the University of Tel Aviv, a visiting professor at Waseda and a specialist on the very topic of my research. My second stay in Japan certainly proved as fruitful as my first.

(Left・Left from center) Exapmle 3:'Tokaido Yotsuya kaidan', original play for Kabuki and one of its several filmic versions.
（Right from center・Right）Example 4: Shinoda Masahiro's and Kitano Takeshi's particular interpretation of Bunraku.

At the end of the summer I returned to Waseda, where, if all goes well, I shall remain until February 28. I am currently dividing my efforts between gathering materials for a monograph on Hayao Miyazaki commissioned by the Spanish publisher Akal, and continuing my dissertation research, now under the kind tutelage of Prof. Hiroshi Komatsu of the Graduate School of Letters, Arts and Sciences, whose advice and observations have been of great help to me. Fellow members of the Waseda Kanze Noh Theatre Club (Waseda Kanze Kai) have also given me their generous cooperation in my research on Japan´s traditional theatrical arts. In addition, as I did last year, I am supplementing my consultation of Waseda´s text and film archives with the viewing of films in the National Film Center and attendance of classical theatrical performances, principally at the Tokyo National Theatre.

With some members of the Waseda Kanze Nohgaku Club(Waseda Kanze Kai)

My Project for the immediate future is to finish writing my book on Hayao Miyazaki, which, if all goes according to plan, will be released at the end of 2007. Afterwards I will devote myself to my doctoral dissertation, for which I plan to return to Waseda for a fourth time next autumn in order to gather the materials necessary for its completion, making use of the last year of my fellowship.

Through my research I hope to transmit to a Spanish audience the knowledge regarding Japan that I have been privileged to acquire through the years I have spent here, and I would be delighted if my experiences here served as an incentive toward further study for all in my country who are interested in this culture, which, apart from common stereotypes, has remained a great unknown in Spain.

Whether after the submission of my doctoral dissertation I shall again work as a university professor or devote myself wholly to research is something that only Heaven knows, although, to tell the truth, my real dream is to become a filmmaker in Japan, but that is another story…