• NOH: 胡蝶, 天鼓 (Kocho, Tenko)

9/21/25 (Sun), Umewaka

Kocho: This winter piece is rather unseasonal in these still humid days, but it’s always a pleasure to watch. A butterfly laments to a monk that she has never seen a plum, which blossoms in the late winter, since butterflies don’t live that long. The monk recites a sutra for her, and the power of prayer allows her miraculously to enjoy the flower.

You’d have to look hard to find any profound theme in this, but it’s a light and lovely show. Continue reading →