This exhibition celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Japan Arts Council’s successor training program. It looks back on the roles the program has played in traditional arts since its inception to the present.

Since its establishment as the National Theatre Special Public Corporation in 1966, the Japan Arts Council has worked to train successors of traditional performing arts originating in ancient Japan. Additionally, it has endeavored to present, research and study the arts, and collect and utilize documents related to them.

The successor training program has been essential in passing down traditional arts that Japan so proudly boasts to the world to future generations. With the help of related cultural organizations, the program openly recruits trainees from the public. Since training of future kabuki actors began in 1970, the program has sequentially expanded to include other arts. It now provides training for kabuki actors, kabuki music (takemoto, narimono, and nagauta), traditional popular entertainment (yose-bayashi and daikagura), nohgaku (sanyaku), bunraku, and kumiodori. Over 300 trainees are currently active across each of the arts and play an important role in passing down traditional Japanese culture to the next generation.

We hope this exhibition will give you the opportunity to learn more about the current state and development of the Japan Arts Council’s successor training program.

Junko Kawamura
President of Japan Arts Council