Significant Achievement in Promoting and Attracting Foreign Tourists to Kamigata Traditional Performing Arts under the 'Japan Expo 2.0' Project

A total of 108 days of performances and events were held over the course of FY2024 and FY2025. The number of visitors reached 22,642, including 2,228 foreigners. The average satisfaction rate of foreigners for all performances and events over the two years was 90%, significantly exceeding the overall average of 82%, proving that Kamigata traditional performing arts are fully attractive content for promoting inbound tourism. The Yamamoto Noh Theater (Chuo-ku, Osaka), a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation, focuses on spreading the splendor of Noh as a 'fascinating performing art living in the modern age' to many people and passing it down to the future. In addition to regular performances of traditional Noh, the theater conducts a variety of activities to allow customers who are unfamiliar with Noh, including foreigners, to experience its charm. As part of this effort, the theater developed the 'Inbound Tourism Promotion Project by Branding Kamigata Traditional Performing Arts in Osaka' as a commissioned project of 'Japan Expo 2.0' (FY2024, FY2025), which was promoted by the Agency for Cultural Affairs to stimulate inbound and domestic tourism demand. We have energetically carried out activities to further refine performances and events that convey the appeal of Kamigata traditional performing arts, including Noh, for the inbound market, and to transmit them together with the history and culture of Osaka, achieving significant results. The number of days of performances and events held during the two-year period was a total of 108 days. The total number of visitors was 22,642, including 2,228 foreigners. The average satisfaction rate of foreigners for all performances and events was 90%, which is a very high result compared to the overall average of 82%. Noh is often perceived as a performing art with a high hurdle for the general public, due to preconceptions that the content seems difficult, and the lack of programs that beginners and foreigners can easily enjoy even if they are interested. However, through this project, by devising ways to consider the target audience, we have reaffirmed that it has high potential as inbound content. As an ingenuity of the initiative, we shifted our mindset from the conventional structure of 'mainly targeting Japanese, with foreigners also able to enjoy' to 'mainly targeting foreigners, with Japanese also able to enjoy.' In addition, by integrating the 'viewing-type performance' and the 'experience-type program,' which tended to be separated in the past, into an integrated structure of 'performance + experience' and providing it with multilingual support, understanding of Kamigata traditional performing arts deepened and satisfaction greatly improved. Furthermore, by continuously holding these performances multiple times a month, recognition and participation opportunities increased, leading to an increase in the number of foreign visitors. As a result, the ratio of foreigners in the 'Kamigata Traditional Performing Arts Night,' an omnibus performance of multiple Kamigata traditional performing arts, and 'Tokui Noh,' a Noh performance with a hands-on workshop, increased to 49% and 29%, respectively. Also, in FY2025, in conjunction with the holding of the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, many live performance shows and exhibition/experience events of Kamigata traditional performing arts were held within the Expo site. By having many people present at the venue, including foreign tourists visiting Japan, watch and experience Kamigata traditional performing arts, we were able to arouse the interest of a wide range of groups and increase recognition. The Yamamoto Noh Theater will continue to offer diverse performances for inbound customers and those unfamiliar with Noh to easily experience the world of Noh and its charm, in addition to staging traditional Noh, and will also transmit this to the world. Please see the official website for the schedule and details of the many performances and events currently being undertaken by the Yamamoto Noh Theater. https://noh-theater.com/schedule.php This year as well, we will continue to hold the Noh performance with a hands-on workshop 'Tokui Noh' in an environment that accommodates inbound tourists. The schedule until August is as follows: Date / Start Time / Program April 25 (Sat) / 15:00~ / Hajitomi May 9 (Sat) / 15:00~ / Ukai July 23 (Thu) / 19:00~ / Tsuchigumo August 1 (Sat) / 15:00~ / Hanjo *Please refer to the official website for program details. https://www.noh-theater.com/schedule.php Founded in 1927 by Hiroyuki Yamamoto, a Noh actor of the Kanze school. The oldest Noh theater in Osaka with a history of about 100 years. The current facility is a 3-story wooden building rebuilt in 1950, and was registered as a 'National Registered Tangible Cultural Property' in 2006 as a Noh theater with a traditional Noh stage despite being in an urban area. Focusing on passing down Noh, which is also recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, to the next generation as a 'fascinating performing art living in the modern age,' the theater also produces original programs that incorporate a modern perspective, and holds many Noh experiences and backstage tours that anyone can enjoy, as well as overseas performances. Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Yamamoto Noh Theater Secretariat: Yamamoto, Yamanaka TEL: 06-6943-9454 Mail: yamamoto@noh