A few days ago, I was invited to a special performance by Ebizo Ichikawa, a Kabuki actor, at Nogaku-do in Shibuya. It was a special event for the customers of different financial institutions. I went to Nogaku-do to see ‘Kyogen’ a few months ago and liked the hall very much.
I saw Ebizo perform Kabuki a few months ago, but have not seen him so up close. So I was very much looking forward to the event. The program began with his welcoming speech followed by a musical performance by the Tanaka Denzaemon group. The group consisted of different kinds of drums and the Japanese flute. I know very little about music, but one of the pieces reminded me of a festival. When I checked the program note, I was right! The group played music for festivals, tea houses and for war. It was short piece, but was very pleasant and enjoyable.
After short intermission was ‘Renjishi.’ It tells the story of a father and a son and is known for spectacular dancing (not sure whether I can call it that or not). There were music and songs telling the story. I have been learning the structure and the stories of Kabuki pieces recently and am amazed how Japanese performing arts are similar in thinking and philosophy to that in the West (which I am also learning). It is very subtle and has a very unique style, but the pieces have clear messages to tell. It is fascinating how people, regardless of their nationalities, backgrounds, etc., have developed similar arts.
At the same time, I was reminded of the training and discipline required to perform. In order to perform Kabuki, play music, etc., you need to practice every day for a long time. As I thought about how much practice they have done so far and how much they have to do from now, I was struck by their dedication and commitment. It was a beautiful, refreshing, relaxing and, at the same time, inspiring experience.
Yoko Ishikura is a Professor at Hitotsubashi University ICS in the Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy in Japan. She has held positions as a professor at the School of International Politics, Economics and Business of Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo, as a consultant at McKinsey and Company Inc. Japan and a visiting professor at Darden School.
Professor Ishikura is a consultant to a number of multinational companies and has been a frequent speaker at management conferences, seminars, and workshops throughout the world. She was a member of the Regulatory Reform Committee for the Japanese government and the International Competitiveness Commission for METI. She is currently a Forum Fellow of the World Economic Forum.
She is the author of Strategic Shift from OR choices to AND paradigm, Building Core Skills of Organization , and the co-author of the following publications: Managing Diversity in the 21st Century, Strategy for Cluster Initiatives in Japan , and Building a Career to the World Class Professionals – all in Japanese. Her books in English include: Asian Advantage, Hitotsubashi on Knowledge Management and Trust and Antitrust in Asian Business Alliances.
Professor Ishikura’s current research interests are focused on global competition, innovation, and knowledge management. She received her BA from Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan; MBA from Darden School, University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia; and DBA from Harvard Business School.
