Aoyama I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations on the 150th anniversary of the Academy's founding. We are also grateful for the wonderful outside title of "Seiraku Kabuki Gathering in Celebration". I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who supported the performance.

At the performance, we performed "Renjishi," one of the representative works of Kabuki. Renjishi is a play that depicts a lion cub who responds brilliantly to the strict training of his parent lion. The bond between the lion and the cub is strong and deep. Aoyama I think this performance has a lot to do with the educational policy of the school.

I spent my elementary and middle school years at Aoyama Gakuin. Fifty years ago, I was invited to perform at Aoyama Gakuin Auditorium for the 100th anniversary of the school's founding. As a student of the elementary school, I performed on the stage with my father, Nakamura Shikan VII, my brother, Nakamura Fukusuke IX, and Mr. Bando Mitsugoro IX. It is a great honor for me to be able to dance "Renjishi" with my sons on that same stage. I would be very happy if my sons could take their grandchildren to the stage this time, and if the bond between the Academy and Kabuki continues even on the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Academy. Aoyama

Looking back, I have many memories of Aoyama Gakuin. I have many memories of the school, and I feel that the Christian studies I learned through the worship services, such as reading the Bible, singing hymns, and listening to Bible stories, have helped me in my profession as a Kabuki actor. I have always wanted to give something back to my alma mater. Also, Mr. Ichikawa Danjuro XII, another alumnus of the school, strongly wished for the realization of Aogaku Kabuki. In order to carry on his wish, I am pleased to serve as the promoter of the "Seiraku Kabuki Gathering in Celebration".

Aoyama Many Kabuki actors have flown from the academy, and many are still studying there. At the time of my performance to announce the succession of the name "Shikan," it was a spectacular sight to see more than 20 Kabuki actors lined up on the stage for the opening remarks, most of whom were alumni or guardians of the school. Aoyama I could not help but feel the depth of our relationship with the Kabuki world, so much so that a troupe of Kabuki actors from our school could form a troupe. The three sons who performed as renshishi together this time are also Aoyama alumni of the school. I hear that "Celebration Gathering Seiraku Kabuki" is especially dear to their hearts, as they will be the performers themselves at Aoyama Gakuin Auditorium where they used to attend worship services every day.

The proceeds from this performance were donated to the Aoyama Gakuin Bandai Fund, which provides scholarships to current students without the need for repayment. We are honored to be able to make even a small contribution to this important initiative to "never stop learning for students and students," with the help of the performers and the people at Endowment Department. We will all continue to devote ourselves to our art and sincerely hope that this Aogaku Kabuki will continue for many years to come.

I have many precious memories from Aoyama, where I spent my time from Kindergarten Building to university. First of all, my first love was my Kindergarten Building teacher. In the upper grades of elementary school, I joined the rugby club (Koalas) and went on an expedition to New Zealand, where I experienced my first homestay. Although I still couldn't speak English, I think I was able to communicate with the local people through gestures and "heart". This overseas experience was a valuable opportunity for me to broaden my horizons to the world and to absorb and learn a lot. As for extracurricular activities, I will never forget the long-distance swim in Hirado in the elementary school's "Life in the Sea" class, and the "Offshore Elementary School" where we traveled around Kyushu by boat. I also started practicing Kabuki in elementary school, and after school, my mother would grab me by the scruff of the neck and drag me to the practice room (laughs). I would take the bus to the practice room with my classmate, Ichikawa Danjuro 13th Shiranui, and it was a routine for the two of us to eat ramen on the way home. In high school, I look forward to the Christmas tree lighting ceremony. Everyone was excited about who I was going to go out with. I won't tell you who I went out with (laughs).

My studies at Aoyama continue to support me to this day. One thing I hold dear is the school motto, "Salt of the earth, light of the world" (from the Gospel of Matthew in the Bible). Just as the light of the world shines on people, the importance of serving others and making them shine is applicable to any world. The Kabuki world gives the impression of being top-down, but in reality, a team is not a pyramid but a flat surface like a table, and I believe it is important for everyone to shine in order to make the entire table shine.

I am currently working on creating new kabuki plays based on manga, games, Indian epics, and other works, such as "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind," "Final Fantasy X," and "The Mahabharata War Chronicles." Although new works and classics may seem to be very different fields, I approach even classic works with the feeling of recreating them anew. In kabuki, it is important to inherit the "form" created by our predecessors, but in fact, form is a form that gives form to emotions. As I have trained and the form has become ingrained in me, I have come to think even about the author's intentions and the feelings of the character. I would like to continue to value the form while approaching the character with emotion, breaking down the boundaries between the audience and the stage.

I have come this far fuelled by the desire to "improve my art." Dreams and aspirations are great motivators. I hope that all of you juniors will study to your heart's content at the school, find your own path and dreams, and move forward with hope. I also believe that Kabuki is an art form whose charm can be more fully appreciated when you go out into society and are tossed about by the rough seas. I hope that you will come to the theater to experience this classical art form that adds color to your life.

See the Aogaku Gakuin Kabuki post on Instagram by Kikunosuke Onoe here

I attended Aoyama from Kindergarten Building to high school, and I think I was a very mischievous student. In the pond in the elementary school's Japanese garden, I would imitate the famous scene from "Kanadehon Chushingura," "Senzui no Tachimawari," and would often fall off the bridge and get soaked. In junior high school, I joined the Kendo club and participated in a club relay race. Instead of a baton, I would hold a bamboo sword and run in my Kendo uniform, but I would fall on purpose along the way to make an impact, which got a big laugh. I got carried away and repeated the same thing over and over, and ended up breaking my left hand, so a week later, I danced the Kochou (butterfly) with my hand in a cast on it during the performance of "Tsuchigumo." For the cultural festival in my first year of high school, I planned a haunted house. The idea was inspired by the haunted house at Disney World in Florida, which I visited with my father (the 18th Nakamura Kanzaburo). The lighting was black light, the makeup was white, and the rock band "Marilyn Manson" was played at full volume. Screams erupted all around, and many people felt sick and went to the nurse's office. The "haunted house" was a huge success! They won first place in the audience vote, and received the Public Award, which is unusual for a first-year student.

However, it wasn't just my mischievous days; it was during my time at Aogaku that I discovered the joy of reading. Whenever my elementary school teacher came to see a play, he would always give me a book as a souvenir, and I would read it every time, feeling that I should tell him what I thought of it. As I did this, I naturally became familiar with books, and this experience also helped me to be able to read play scripts and screenplays. My teachers and classmates from that time still come to see my plays today.

I learned a lot at Aoyama. The words that I especially treasure are, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7). I understand that nothing will happen unless I take action myself. With that thought in mind, I was able to appear in "Mary Poppins with an Ochoko Umbrella" (written by Kara Juro) by the theater company "Shinjuku Ryozanpaku." Kara's tent plays were also something my father admired. This year marks the 13th anniversary of my father's death. I think this performance was a good memorial.

I love Aogaku and think it's a really good school. I would be happy if I could give back to my precious alma mater, even if just a little, through this performance. I have two names, my stage name and my real name, and I spend most of my daily life being called "Kankuro." In that kind of life, the only time I can go back to my real name, "Namino," is when I'm with my friends from school. I hope that all of my juniors will also enjoy their school life.

Related link: AGU LiFE "The irreplaceable days at my Aogaku will always be in my heart"