As the most populous city on earth, Tokyo is a nexus of art and cultural interchange. Having this distinction, the streets are home to all sorts of interesting street performers. Walking through some of the more vibrant areas of Tokyo, I was able to find numerous examples of people demonstrating their unique talents through street performances. This lead me to research some other interesting acts that have cropped up in Tokyo.
In Ueno Park an interesting duo of concert trained artists, Natsu and Kayo, play marimba duets.
The marimba itself is relatively unwieldy and is not the type of instrument that can be easily moved, so Natsu and Kayo play under the graces of the “Heaven Artist” program that sanctions a limited number of street performers a year. Admission in to the program is competitive with only around 20 applications out 300 entries being selected per year.
Many talented artists prefer to use the street as their stage, the connection between audience and performer is often stronger than in more regimented venues.
Shibuya, again proves itself to be a hotbed of street culture. The scramble and immediate vicinity are prime spots for performers.
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| a multitalented performer juggles and performs slight of hand illusions |
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| a lone guitarist plays against the din of the city |
Those looking to draw a crow are locked in a competition for the attention of passers by as thousands of advertisements and lights all vie to be noticed by the multitudes of pedestrians. The large number of visitors to some sites in Tokyo allow larger acts to be sustained, such as this rap group that I saw one humid night.
Tokyo is well known for its extravagant traditional festivals, such as this year’s Sanja Matsuri, but there are also festivals for more individualized performances. The Koenji Street Performance Festival takes place in late April and hosts an eclectic mix of comedy, dance, strength, and precision based acts. This type of festival is very reminiscent of the Buskers festival at which I spent many summer nights in Halifax, and it is unfortunate that I missed it by two weeks.
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As I continue my travels beyond the Senshu program I hope that I am able to find many interesting slivers of creativity and expression in street performance.
- Denver Clarke
- Denver Clarke