In cooperation with Baton Twirling Association of Japan

The charm of Awaji Island lives on as a legend that continues to pass down from generation to generation. Place names, histories, folklore; many of these unique local treasures share a curious connection - animals and creatures. Stories remembered today are told and through tales of tanuki, snakes, foxes, and mysterious creatures, each with their own distinct personalities.

In this latest production, we invite you to explore a vividly-depicted local history full of mystery, together with the famous places and people who are a part of it. In usual Awaji Art Circus fashion, viewers will find a blend of traditional with contemporary, as the stage unfolds with aesthetics and storytelling inspired by video games.

The audience becomes part of the story, working alongside the protagonist to overcome challenges and clear three stages. Along the way, they will encounter mysterious discoveries and memorable encounters. A dreamlike adventure unlike anything you've experienced before awaits you.

Awaji Art Circus team researched folk tales passed down in various regions of Awaji Island, conducted interviews with local people, and selected six stories that became the basis for this performance.

Rather than telling each folk tale as it is, we connected several stories and, through the encounters of the characters, created an original story unique to Awaji Art Circus. Important folk tales, once forgotten in books or in the memories of local people, are revived on this stage.

Folk Tale 1 : Shibaemon of Mikuma Mountain

Long ago, on Mikuma Mountain in Sumoto, a tanuki named Shibaemon was challenged to a shape-shifting contest with the Hagedanuki (Bald Tanuki) from Awa. The Bald Tanuki transformed into a warship and tricked Shibaemon, winning the contest.

Filled with frustration, Shibaemon announced that he would transform into a procession of a feudal lord on the coast of Suma. However, the Bald Tanuki mistook the real feudal lord's procession for Shibaemon's transformation and was killed.

Afterward, Shibaemon, who loved theater, frequently visited the playhouse. But when his shape-shifting trick was discovered, he was pursued and lost his life. The townspeople, remembering him fondly, built a small shrine on Mikuma Mountain in his honor.

Folk Tale 2 : Oryū and the Willow Tree

In Minamiawaji City, there was a large willow tree that was cherished by the people. When the magistrate tried to cut down the willow to take the hawk chicks, a young hunter climbed the tree, retrieved the chicks, and protected the willow.

Afterward, the injured hunter was saved by a woman named Oryū, and they married, having a daughter named Midori. When the magistrate ordered the willow to be cut down again, Oryū fell ill and confessed that she was the spirit of the willow before passing away.

When it was time to move the willow, no one could move it, but only the daughter, Midori, was able to successfully move it, and the willow became part of a temple in Kyoto.

Folk Tale 3 : Forest of Love

Long ago, in a certain forest, a five or six-year-old boy and girl were playing happily together. When an adult asked, 'Are you siblings?' they replied, 'We’re friends.' Since it was rare for boys and girls to play together in those days, their parents were pleased and said, 'Why not become a couple when you grow up?'

From that time on, the forest became known as the 'Forest of Love,' and was revered as the deity of marital happiness. It is said that drinking the pure water from this forest will bring eternal happiness.

Folk Tale 4 : The Stone Bed

Long ago, Awaji Island was blessed with rich nature. In the autumn, Emperor Ingyō went hunting, but he was unable to catch any game. When consulted by divination, the deity of Izanagi Shrine told him, 'If you get a big pearl for me from the bottom of the sea of Akashi, I will let you hunt.'

A man named Osashi, called from Awa, dove deep into the sea and retrieved the pearls, but he lost his life in the process. The emperor mourned his death and built a magnificent tomb, which is still known today as 'Ishi no Neya' (The Stone Bed).

Folk Tale 5 : The Tide of the Abbot

Long ago, a clever dog living in Iwaya, Awaji Island, noticed that on days with fast tides, it was possible to reach Sakai. The dog grabbed a piece of wood and rode the tide, crossing over to Senshū (Sakai City).

A few days later, a fisherman found the dog safe in Sakai and brought it back to the village. When the villagers heard the story, they followed the tide and set sail, confirming that they could reach Sakai quickly. This led to the opening of a new sea route, and the tide came to be known as 'Bettō no Shio'(The Tide of the Abbot).

Folk Tale 6 : The Snake Rubbing Stone

Long ago, in the village of Yagihama, Mihara village, there was a temple called Nariai-ji, built by the monk Jikihō, who came from Mount Koya. However, whenever it rained, water would accumulate in the temple grounds. In an effort to solve this, the monk performed a prayer, and on the day his wish was fulfilled, a young girl appeared and said, 'I will help you by draining the water,' before transforming into a large serpent and descending into the valley.

At that moment, the water receded, revealing beautiful red soil, and from that day on, there were no more floods. Even today, a clear stream flows through the valley, and the area has become famous as a spot for Genji fireflies.

In this year's show, we collaborated with the talented overseas artist German Belomestnov to create original animation video in order to share the charm of the Awaji Legend with a wider audience. This animation carefully depicted the legendary scenes in intricate detail and captivated audience by drawing them into the world of the story with its overwhelming visual beauty.

Furthermore, we realized an interactive performance combining this animation with live performances. The artists on stage synchronized with the animation's movements, mesmerizing the audience with a sense of unity in their expression. The fusion of visuals and movement, which took a great deal of effort and time to create, received loud applause and praise for its high level of completion.

The audience shared their thoughts, saying things like, 'It felt like I was drawn into the story itself,' and 'The harmony between the animation and the performance was emotional.'

Scriptwriting and Direction

Elena Gradkovskaya

Art Director, Contemporary dancer with a Master's degree from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in Russia. Since 2017, she has served as the artistic director, playwright, and director of the international performing arts festival Awaji Art Circus held on Awaji Island, Hyogo Prefecture. Her works include Gods Among Us, Miketsukuni Memoirs, Alice in Awajiland, and Living Legends of Awaji Island.

Animation Artist

German Belomestnov

German Belomestnov is an experienced artist with over 10 years in animation and graphic design. He specializes in creating 2D frame-by-frame animations like music videos, ads, logos, and illustrations. German has worked in both corporate settings and as a freelancer.

Composer

Egor Arkhipov

Egor Arkhipov is a versatile composer with over 15 years of professional experience. His work spans a variety of fields, including video games, films, animation, museum exhibitions, songs, and concert performances. In his craft, Egor strives to blend genres and feels equally comfortable working with orchestration, electronic music, folk, rock, and many others.

Production Team Members

Director assistance：Elena Bzhola
Script Adviser：Mai Moriguchi
Score production：Ayumi Omori, Han Tzu Yang, Heng Fook Wei
Costume designer：Anna Zawadzka

Technical Staff

Stage management：Tetsya Oguri　　
Sound design & operation：Bara-san
Lighting design & operation：Hitomi Nakagawa
Aerial rigger：Satoru Ogihara, Tadashi Nambu（Pirates Project Stunt Team）
Stage staff：Shinnosuke Sasaki（Onshore LLC）,　
Shoji Takahashi（Bonds）,　Hiroaki Kanehisa （Bonds）
Video operator：Junki Yoshichika（Creative Commons Inc.）

Management Team

Elena Bzhola　　
Elena Gradkovskaya
Kaori Nakafuji　　
Jacob Ohrberg

On October 4th, before the first performance, we held the opening ceremony. The ceremony was attended by members of Awaji Art Circus Executive Committee, and greeting was delivered by Vice Mayor Naomi Tominaga, who represented the Deputy Director-General of the Executive Committe and Mayor of Awaji City. After the opening ceremony, the world premiere of 'Living Legends of Awaji Island' took place.

From Audience Survey

98.1% of the respondents answered that the performance was 'very interesting' or 'interesting.'

Special Event "Music Trip Day in Awaji"

On Sunday, October 6, 2024, we held a collaborative event with the Kansai Music Conferencel. Kansai Music Conference is an international music event held annually in the Kansai region under the theme 'Bridging Music.' It aims to promote exchange between artists, music fans, and various industries from Japan and abroad.

In this collaboration, members of Awaji Art Circus performed a special performance alongside music from the musicians participating in Kansai Music Conference. The stage, where music and performance merged, not only brought new emotions to the audience but also served as a valuable opportunity to widely introduce the activities of Awaji Art Circus.

On the day of the event, in addition to the audience who came to enjoy Awaji Art Circus's performance, many people traveled from Osaka and Kobe specifically to attend this performance. We are deeply grateful for everyone’s support and encouragement.

About Kansai Music Conference (KMC)

Since the first conference in 2009, artists from over 80 countries across 6 continents have participated in KMC related events, introducing their talent and culture to Japan.

As a catalyst for countless performances, collaborations, international tours, and long-term friendships between artists from around the world, KMC has created a global community of musicians, industry and music fans like none other in Japan.

More details here :
https://www.kansaimusicconference.com/

Sōkai Junior and Senior High School Jazz Band (Awaji) & Awaji Art Circus performers (FALCON, Kirill Fire)

Sleepwalker's Station (Germany) & Awaji Art Circus performers (Duo Corina＆Anton、Koetsu Kurachi and Takayuki Fujimori from GENESIS)

Agula（Mongolia）＆ Awaji Art Circus performers (Duo Des Articulés, Marceau Bidal and Matthieu Larose, Takuma, FALCON)

Mareo!（Chili）＆ Awaji Art Circus performers (Isaline Hugonnet and Yu-yin Lin, Daniela Maier)

Special Event "Circus Workshop"

On Saturday, October 12, 2024, after the performance of "Living Legends of Awaji Island" at the Assembley Hall, we held a special circus workshop. This event provided a rare opportunity for participants to receive direct guidance from world-class circus artists.

Event Overview:

Target Audience: Elementary school students and above

While the majority of participants were elementary school students, many parents also participated and enjoyed the workshop together.

Content: Acrobatics, Juggling, Pantomime

The program was designed to be enjoyable for beginners, allowing participants to experience the charm of circus arts.

Participants: 30 people

Event Highlights:

It was impressive to see everyone, from children to adults, engaging seriously and smiling while interacting directly with the artists. We received wonderful feedback from attendees, such as "I had an experience I wouldn't normally have" and "I enjoyed together with my child."

We will continue to create new emotional experiences for the community through such hands-on events in the future.

School Shows

Our Mission

Since 2016, Awaji Art Circus has been conducting school outreach performances. Through this program, the aim is to deepen the understanding of the next generation about cultural arts and broaden the perspectives of children. Simultaneously, the program seeks to foster a broader understanding of the role and way of life as "performers." By appreciating various performances, the goal is to deepen the understanding of performing arts.

Program Content:

An original show created by all participating performers

Schools attended:

Awaji City Tuna Elementary, Awaji City Ichinomiya Elementary, Awaji City Taga Elementary, Sumoto City First Elementary, Minamiawaji Fukura Elementary, Sumoto City Third Elementary, Minamiawa City Minami Elementary, Minamiawaji City Enami Elementary, Minamiawaji City Kashu Elementary

Student participation:

Approx. 1,800 people (students, their parents, preschoolers from nearby daycare centers)

Feedback from the School

"I truly feel that it was wonderful to have you visit our school. From my perspective, I believe that there are not many children in Awaji City who have had the opportunity to see a circus with their families. When I was a child, circus performances were broadcast on television, so I had a clear image of what a circus was. However, children today might not really know what a circus is.
The variety of performances must have felt incredibly fresh and new to the children.
On the day of the performance, I watched the children’s faces closely, and every single one of them had shining eyes filled with surprise, excitement, and admiration."
— Minoru Hoji, Principal of Tsuna Higashi Elementary School, Awaji City

Cultural Tours Around Awaji Island for Participating Artists

As far as the aim of the Awaji Art Circus is to help revitalize Awaji Island, participating artists come to Awaji not only to perform at different locations, but also to learn about and experience the local appeal and culture and then spread the word about the island worldwide. That’s why we prepared various touristic and cultural programs for them during the downtime of the Festival.

We took the artists around the island and showed them the key Awaji venues, including the historical and meaningful Izanagi Shrine, the magnificent Honpukuji Water Temple designed by architect Tadao Ando, the marvelous Naruto whirlpools etc.

To help the artists get a better idea of Japanese culture and experience local traditions, we organized several workshops, such as Japanese drums, fukimodoshi – party horn making and incense-making etc.

Supported by

Certified by

Sponsored by