Kabuki actor Kikunosuke Onoe Appointed as Japan Cultural Expo’s Official Supporter – Special TV program airs Wednesday, February 10
2021.02.02
The Japan Cultural Expo is pleased to announce that Kabuki actor Kikunosuke Onoe has become an Official Supporter as of Thursday, January 21. Kikunosuke Onoe was given the letter of appointment by Ryohei Miyata, the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs. As an Official Supporter of the Japan Cultural Expo, Kikunosuke Onoe will introduce Japan’s classic theater, as well as cultural treasures and various other performing arts, to the wider world.
Following his appointment, Kikunosuke Onoe will appear on a special TV program presented by the Japan Cultural Expo. “Nature and the People of Japan – A Message from the Japan Cultural Expo (TBC)” will be aired four times on NHK WORLD-JAPAN, starting Wednesday, February 10, at 1:30PM. The program will explore Japan’s coexistence with nature, which has lately been reappraised through the Covid-19 pandemic, and will seek to support the recovery of Japan’s inbound tourism in future. Kikunosuke Onoe will discuss how Japanese performing arts are associated with nature, such as the four seasons and plants. Shosuke Tanihara, an actor who has been an Official Supporter of the Japan Cultural Expo since March 2020, will also join the program as a host.
The Japan Cultural Expo is led by the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Japan Arts Council. The project features various art exhibitions, performances, and cultural festivals, which all embody Japan’s rich culture and beauty.
Comments from Kikunosuke Onoe :
“The Japan Cultural Expo will provide a wonderful opportunity for people in Japan to rediscover traditional Japanese performing arts, as well as fine art, music, and time-honored folk theater from across the country. The project will also seek to introduce these to the wider world.
Japan has a deep-rooted respect and appreciation for nature and all things, with Japanese people believing that countless spirits inhabit everything. I hope to support this project in showcasing various aspects of Japan’s incredible culture, which was born out of our historical respect for nature, and the spirit of our ancestors.”
Profile:
Kikunosuke Onoe – Born August 1, 1977, the eldest son of Kikugoro Onoe VII. In 1996, he succeeded to the stage name Kikunosuke Onoe V; part of a prestigious Kabuki family which dates back to the Edo period. He received numerous awards including the new face award of Minister of Education Award for Fine Arts. In 2019, he adapted Hayao Miyazaki’s anime and manga masterpiece, “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind”, for Kabuki theater.
Japan Cultural Expo’s special TV program:
- Title: “Nature and the People of Japan – A Message from the Japan Cultural Expo (TBC)”
- Station: NHK WORLD-JAPAN / Japan International Broadcasting (English only)
- Schedule: To be aired 4 times at the following hours (JST)
Wednesday, February 10 – 1:30PM & 5:30PM
Thursday, February 11 – 1:30AM & 7:30AM
- Cast: Kikunosuke Onoe (Official Supporter of the Japan Cultural Expo / Kabuki), Kengo Kuma (architecture), Kazumi Murose (craft arts), Shosuke Tanihara (Official Supporter of the Japan Cultural Expo), etc.
The Japan Cultural Expo is a celebration of arts and culture across Japan with the overarching theme of “Humanity and Nature in Japan”. The Japanese aesthetic from the Jomon period to the modern age is highlighted through various art exhibitions, performances, and cultural festivals. “Nature and the People of Japan – A Message from the Japan Cultural Expo (TBC)”, will be presented worldwide on NHK WORLD-JAPAN as part of the Japan Cultural Expo.
The program will showcase Japanese people’s views on nature, as reflected in the country’s architecture, performing arts, traditional crafts, gardening, tea ceremony, and traditional flower arrangement, with interviews on how people in Japan approach nature. By exploring the idea of coexisting with nature, which has been reappraised during the difficult circumstances of Covid-19 around the world, the program will seek to support Japan’s recovery of inbound tourism in future.
- Official website of NHK WORLD-JAPAN: 
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworl
- Japan International Broadcasting (JIB): The program will be distributed to approximately 160 countries and regions across the world on the NHK WORLD TV’s broadcasting network. Please see the following link for instructions on viewing the program in each country.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworl
Please note that this TV broadcasting service is not available in Japan.
- Online streaming: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworl
Please note that the streaming service is for overseas only, and therefore cannot be accessed from Japan.
- Video on Demand (VoD): The program will be distributed by VoD on the official webpage on Wednesday, February 10, or by the following day by the latest. VoD distribution can be accessed from within Japan as well.
About Japan Cultural Expo
Since 2019, the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Japan Arts Council have been leading the Japan Cultural Expo. The project showcases art exhibitions, traditional performing arts, and cultural festivals that portray Japan’s rich culture and beauty. Some projects which were postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic will resume gradually.
There are eight fields featured in the Japan Cultural Expo: Art and Cultural Treasures; Performing Arts; Media Arts; Lifestyle Arts, Literary Arts, and Music; Food Culture and Nature; Design and Fashion; Inclusive Society and Coexistence of Cultures; Disaster Recovery. The project will showcase a number of cultural treasures and performing arts that were created, preserved, and passed on by previous generations, presented in various forms including exhibitions, live performances, and interactive and online programs.
Please see the Japan Cultural Expo’s official website and social media for latest information.
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Japan
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/japa
Twitter - https://twitter.com/enJPCultur
Official Web - https://japanculturalexpo.bunk
Footage and VR videos of various projects can also be found on the link below for everyone to experience the appeals of the Japan Cultural Expo online.
DIGITALGALLERY - https://japanculturalexpo.bunk
- Contact
Please contact below for any queries.
Japan Cultural Expo PR Office
TEL: 080-7092-2070 (Japanese only) / E-Mail: press@japanculturalexpo.jp
Office hours: 9:30AM – 5:30PM (except weekends and national holidays)
