Waseda University signed a cultural exchange agreement with Minokamo City, Gifu Prefecture, in April 2007, and since 2008, students from the university have been performing theater every September. Shoyo Tsubouchi, a native of Minokamo City, is known for publishing the 40-volume New Revised Complete Works of Shakespeare, a translation of Shakespeare's works, but he also worked hard to develop theater and dance, and was active in a wide range of fields, including writing essays, creating play scripts, and establishing a training school for theater instructors. This project was launched in the spirit of Shoyo Tsubouchi, who made an enormous contribution to the development of theater and performing arts.
The students will stay at a museum in Minokamo City, Gifu Prefecture for about a week, where they will practice and perform. A major attraction of this project is that it allows for outdoor performances, which is difficult to do in the city. Although there is no space dedicated to outdoor performances, the large lawn, the forest, the buildings, the sky, etc. are all stages. At night, depending on the lighting, it can transform into a fantastical space. It is possible to move between the outdoors through the glass-walled entrance hall, and to use the facilities on the premises for performances. During their stay, there will also be opportunities to hold workshops at local high schools, interact with local residents, and take study trips related to Shoyo.
This project has been featured in many local media outlets, including newspapers, magazines, and radio, and is gaining attention. The number of visitors is increasing year by year, with some people returning every year. We hope that students will take advantage of this project to proactively get out into the world, come into contact with the spirit of Shoyo Tsubouchi, and grow as individuals. We also hope that through exchanges between students and the citizens of Minokamo, cultural exchanges between our university and Minokamo city will become more active.
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