In the recent years, themes related to gender studies, such as LGBT rights and gender equality have become a relevant topic of discussion. If we consider that, according to the World Economic Forum’s “2016 Global Gender Gap Report”, Japan ranked in the 111th place (and in the 101st in 2015), it’s clear that discrimination between women and men persists.
In this ICC Talk Session, using the Takarazuka Revue as our main theme, we would like to boldly think about gender issues. To lead the discussion, we invited singer and harpist Ms. Yasuko Naka, who is also a former performer at the Takarazuka. She will be able to tell us how “maleness” and “femaleness” are expressed within the Takarazuka by using the distinctive system of “male” and “female” roles that exist in the troupe.
Takarazuka was created 104 years ago, and it attracts worldwide attention because it is made up only of female performers. Thus, it is worth using the different Takarazuka plays to think about how gender has been perceived in Japanese society through the decades.
It is also a great chance for international students to be able to get to know an unique part of Japanese culture! Even if you already know about Takarazuka, wouldn’t you like to try thinking about it through another perspective?
You can also listen to backstage stories and listen to a harp performance form Ms. Naka! Don’t miss out on this opportunity!
◆Guest Profile: Ms. Yasuko Naka◆
Born in Fukuoka, Ms. Naka is a former Takarazuka performer from the Flower Troupe. After leaving the group, she continued performing as an stage actress and dancer.Then, starting from 1994 she began activities as a vocalist, and in 1998 she professionally started working with the Irish music that she had admired since she was a child. She studied in Ireland for a short period, and there she learned Irish harp and Irish dance.After her major debut in 2007, she has been performing in events such as the ones held in the Irish Embassy, and also in privately planned concerts that show Ireland’s appeal. She has performed the Japanese and the Irish national anthems at the Ise Temple since 2015. She is a member of the Japanese Celtic Association.
Date
June 16th 2017 (Fri)
Time
16:30~18:00pm(Doors Open: 16:10pm)
Place
Okuma Garden House (Bldg.25), 1st Floor
Participants
Waseda Students, Staff and General Public
Language
Japanese
Cost
Free
Pre-registration
Not Required(Seating for 60 people, standing room available)
TAKARAZUKA REVUE
URL : https://kageki.hankyu.co.jp/
Inquiries
ICC TEL: 03-5286-3990 E-mail:[email protected]