Stages will be consumed by its music -Wakanagi- Vol.2

I was going to post another new article about Wakanagi, the group of Japanese traditional musical instrument players. What took me so long? Sorry I’m late.

Before the main article to introduce some Wakanagi members to you, let me explain what geza is. It’s necessary for you to know what it is.

Japanese traditional musical instrument players sit on the space called geza in Japanese, which is the right side of performers facing audience.

Stages have each name on each area. First, take a look at the image above. I just uploaded a simple image on stage above. We call the right side of actors facing audience stage right, and the left side of those stage left. In Japanese, we refer to stage right as shimote, and stage right as kamite.

Actors/actresses basically show up from stage right except for designated ones under the directions, like a wife waiting for her husband to come at home.

Let me show two samples from YouTube. Both samples are comedy dramas in Japan. You can see most of the actors/actresses show up from stage right.

Yoshimoto New Comedy Troupe

The Drifters

Generally, in RAKUGO, RAKUGO performers face to the right when they perform higher ranked character like a clan lord or an elder person called inkyo(inkyo is a generic name for elder people in the Edo era). It means that they head toward the stage right. On the contrary, they face to the left when they perform younger character. It means that they head toward the stage left. By changing directions of the performers’ face, you can image as if RAKUGO performers perform multiple people alone.

You will already know what geza is. ge of geza is another phonetic name of shimo. geza is a name where Japanese traditional musical instrument players play.

Stages have a variety of sizes of geza, which depends on the size of the stage itself. For example, here’s the geza when we performed at Seiganji Buddhism temple in Kyoto. It couldn’t be as big as you expect. Players have to perform in such an area.

You already learned what geza is. Now is the time for you to know at the next journal which points make Wakanagi members feel excited, and know which points make them feel pressure while the members play at RAKUGO recitals.

The stage at Seiganji Buddhism temple English RAKUGO recital.

The stage right dubbed geza is concealed with a golden folding screen called kinbyoubu in Japanese.

You can see what is happening behind the screen for the first time. Geza area at the Seiganji recital has been revealed. Great Japanese traditional musical instrument players are ready to enchant the audience with their great musical performance.

Don’t miss it. I’m not sure when another journal is available, though lol