Performance of “Chambara – The Art of Japanese Swordplay” Enthralls an Audience Including Foreign Media at The Museum of Kyoto
2015年10月17日(土) Report
The Museum of Kyoto played host to a performance of swordplay – known as “Chambara” – on the third day of the Kyoto International Film & Arts Festival, attracting an audience including foreign media.
The event was organized in conjunction with the completion of a documentary film by director Sadao Nakajima on the continued popularity of Chambara.
The Museum of Kyoto was filled with precious swords and armory as part of a special exhibition, much of which was shown in Nakajima’s film. The Museum of Kyoto Annex Hall is itself a historical building important cultural property in Kyoto.
The show began with a sword fight between two experienced swordplay men dressed in traditional Japanese outfits. Two young women then appeared for another scene, fending off a young man, which saw rapturous applause from the audience in the hall.
Chambara took off in 1952 after Utaemon Ichikawa demonstrated his skills on the silver screen. At its peak, there were 100 professional swordfighters.
“In recent years, sword-fighting on screen has decreased and on TV too, but this is a world-class performance of the Japanese” said Nakajima, who felt that the Kyoto International Film & Arts Festival is doing an honor by helping to keep alive a type of performance key to the history of cinema in Japan.
