Eternal Beauty – A Feast of Lacquer, Noh, and Music –

February 8th: A stage performance that combines Noh, lacquer, and sound will be performed at the Kanze Noh Theater (GINZA SIX)

Noh, lacquer, and music – different fields that represent traditional Japanese culture will resonate together on one stage.

On Sunday, February 8, 2026, the Kanze Noh Theatre (GINZA SIX, basement 3) will host the stage performance "Eternal Beauty – A Feast of Lacquer, Noh, and Sound."

This one-night-only performance will take place in the Kanze Noh Theatre , a space dedicated to Noh performances, and will bring together performers from different fields of Japanese culture – Noh, lacquer art, and music – to create a single stage .

Rather than preserving traditional culture as something that has been perfected, we will use theatrical performances to show how it can be raised up in the modern era and passed on to the next generation.

In recent years, interest in traditional culture has been growing among people who were previously unfamiliar with it, sparked by films and stage performances. Taking advantage of this expansion, this performance aims to create a space where people can experience tradition not as something "distant" but as an ongoing form of expression.

The instrument itself becomes an expression – an experiment in "musical instruments x lacquer"

This performance will feature special instruments that symbolize the concept of "musical instruments x lacquer."
The piano and shakuhachi used in the performance are decorated with maki-e , a traditional Japanese art, and are not only musical instruments but also visual expressions that make up the stage.

The Japanese-made Enshu Piano is now available in a special edition decorated with traditional Japanese maki-e art.

The shakuhachi, a traditional Japanese instrument, is made using Japan's most advanced metal processing technology to create a "metal shakuhachi" with lacquer decoration.

The maki-e lacquerware applied to these instruments is based on ancient Japanese techniques, and has been created by lacquer artists, including holders of Important Intangible Cultural Properties (Living National Treasures), and their successors.One of the distinctive features of this performance is that instruments and art, performance and crafts, are not separated, but come together to form a unified stage performance.

Performance details

Performance title: Eternal Beauty – A Feast of Lacquer, Noh and Sound –
Date and time: Sunday, February 8, 2026, 14:00 start (doors open at 13:30)
Venue: Kanze Noh Theatre (GINZA SIX, basement 3rd floor)
Organizer: Art & Science Symphony Association (General Incorporated Association) Cooperation: Mejiro Urushi Cultural Properties Research Institute Co., Ltd., Kanze Bunko General Incorporated Foundation, and others *Please refer to the official website and flyer for details.

About the Agency for Cultural Affairs Project

This performance is part of the Agency for Cultural Affairs' 2025 "Support Program for Children's Performing Arts Appreciation Experiences at Theaters, Concert Halls, etc." This program provides support for those under the age of 18. Please see the official website for further details.