Shakespeare has become nearly a household name here in Japan, and even in Tohoku, as more and more artists experiment with the themes the Bard presented 500 years ago, using them as a template for their own growth as playwrights and storytellers. Obviously, this is echoed in the western countries that were exposed to Shakespeare much earlier than Japan, and it should come to little surprise to anyone who thinks about it that Shakespeare’s plays have become a model for narratives here as well.
As a student of the literary arts (a term I use to justify the four years I spent at college as an undergraduate studying English Literature as a meaningful, practical endeavour), I have come to learn that the introduction of foreign literature into a new country (like Japan) leads to one of two paths: Path A, in which the literature is forgotten or relegated to “special interest” status in bookstores and sought by TOEIC students looking to gain some study time without boring themselves to sleep; Path B, in which this literature takes root at a subconscious level of the reader and spreads throughout the country because it reflects some sort of universal value or struggle which resonates beyond cultural inhibitions. Obviously, I am implying that Shakespeare is of the latter crowd. Shakespeare has enjoyed rapid growth and exposure here in Japan, thanks in large part to the films of Akira Kurosawa. The legendary Japanese director was noted for introducing The Bard to Japan on a large scale, and in a format that appealed to highbrow critics and the common people alike. Throne of Blood (1957, original title “Kumonosu Jou” 蜘蛛巣城), The Bad Sleep Well (1960, original title “Warui Yatsu Hodo Yoku Nemuru 悪いやつほど良く眠る) and Ran (1985, 乱), were influenced by Macbeth, Hamlet, and King Lear respectively, and the storylines of these three films run analogous to their source material (though I use that term loosely, as the plays serve merely as a base for the films). The films of Kurosawa not only helped to bolster his reputation to western audiences who leapt on a Japanese director utilizing Shakespeare as a chance to explore Japanese film, but also garnered him an immense following at home. Consequently, Shakespeare for the masses was born in Japan.
The actual introduction of Shakespeare in Japan came much earlier than when Kurosawa first started working on Throne of Blood, however. In fact, during the Edo period in Japan (when Japan had supposedly isolated itself from the outside world), kabuki plays by Chikamatsu Monzaemon (1695) contained a fair number of similarities to The Merchant The first production of Shakespeare did not occur until 1885, however, during Japan’s race to “catch up” to the culture and technology of Europe (worthy of note, the play was a kabuki rendition of The Merchant of Venice). However, Shakespeare had largely been relegated to the realm of the upper class, the elite, and the intelligentsia. It really was the films of Kurosawa which sparked public interest in Shakespeare’s plays, and took The Bard out of the Ivy League universities and kabuki theatres, and into the minds of the more common Japanese artist.
Where am I going with all this history, you ask? While at a restaurant (a standard, nothing-fancy sushi place, mind you), I saw a poster for a recent staging of Richard III (リチャード三世) directed by Hidenori Inoue. What is intriguing about this production is the Inoue is the founder of Gekidan*Shinkansen Theatre, a revolutionary form of stage performance in which the production levels are beefed up, the acting is intense, and the audience comes to feel a cinematic experience. And, indeed, the performance of Richard III will be in this style – loud, opulent, and “manga-style,” according to the director. What this means to armchair critics like myself is that Shakespeare has become something innate in the Japanese creative process – perhaps due to the universality of the subject matter. While this is Inoue’s first production of Shakespeare, it will undoubtedly not be the last that Gekidan*Shinkansen takes on. Inoue worked with Kankaro Kudo, another writer who adapted Shakespeare (Macbeth, done in a heavy-metal soundtrack and full leather outfits), and seems interested in going back to The Bard for more ideas in the future.
Shakespeare’s appeal lies in the fact that he has expressed raw emotions at work on a grand-scale, and this should be draw interest no matter where he is adapted. But here in Japan, Shakespeare has already moved past that level of critique for its own sake, and has become a source of creativity for all culture-lovers, whether they are into “high,” “mid” or “low” brow. I’m sure that Akira Kurosawa and Hidenori Inoue would agree.
