PureInsight | December 27, 2023
[PureInsight.org] Shen Yun Performing Arts will start its 2024 global tour on December 22, 2023. Nagoya, one of the three largest cities in Japan, is fortunate to be the first stop. The performance coincides with the New Year, and the audience is very much looking forward to seeing an “artistic feast” on this occasion of bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming in the New Year.
From December 22, 2023 to February 16, 2024, Shen Yun's performance in Japan will be the longest in history. From Sapporo in Hokkaido to Fukuoka in Kyushu in the south, 42 performances will be held in 11 famous cities including Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya, and Kamakura.
Many Japanese fans left messages on Shen Yun’s official Facebook account to express their excitements. Some fans said that Shen Yun brings new surprises every year, “I have booked tickets for this year too. I am very much looking forward to this year's performance.” Another fan who has watched Shen Yun four times said that this year he would invite many relatives and friends to watch Shen Yun together “to nourish the soul.”
Japanese Audiences Look forward to Shen Yun’s Arrival
Sato Matsuko, director of the Classical Arts Promotion Association, the organizer of Shen Yun in Japan, told The Epoch Times, “The popularity of Shen Yun is inseparable from the long-term support of the audience.” She said that Japanese people who uphold traditional values have found resonance in the traditional culture displayed by Shen Yun, formed a word-of-mouth effect, and accumulated a stable customer base.
What is different from previous years is that this year, after seeing the Shen Yun advertisement, many travel agency managers took the initiative to contact us about organizing a group tour to see Shen Yun. In addition, many companies have also stated that they will purchase group tickets.
The Chinese historical stories interspersed in Shen Yun programs are familiar to many Japanese people, and Shen Yun is presented through the art form of Chinese classical dances, which have endless aftertaste. Many viewers said with emotion that Shen Yun led the audience to travel through history and experience the breadth and depth of Chinese culture. They were also deeply impressed by the traditional cultural values and moral values expressed in many stories.
As soon as this year's ticket sales began, many fans left messages on Shen Yun's official Facebook account to express their excitements. Since December, the six ticket booking lines are busy ringing.
Several labor unions in government agencies are using Shen Yun tickets as one of the incentives for their employees. As soon as the news was announced, 60 people signed up but there are only 20 tickets available, and many people expressed regret. Some of them already know the information about Shen Yun and are planning to buy tickets themselves. Relevant agencies stated that the number of places will be increased next year.
A Japanese internet celebrity once introduced Shen Yun on his website. Through his introduction, hundreds of his fans watched Shen Yun. The fans thanked him for recommending such a good performance. This year, he said that he will continue to introduce Shen Yun to his fans on his show.
Watching Shen Yun Has Become a Hot Topic in the Performing Art industry
As the saying goes, “A layman can see the excitement, but an expert can see more details.” When purchasing tickets for Shen Yun, a famous Japanese opera troupe actor revealed that watching Shen Yun performances has become a hot topic in their troupe recently.
Every year, active or retired actors from the opera house come to watch Shen Yun. Last year, former dancer Seo Mitsuki praised after watching a Shen Yun performance, “Not only are (the actors) highly skilled, but the dance drama has many wonderful performances, and the content is also easy to understand.” “Each dancer's jumping ability and flexibility are extraordinary. It can be seen from the jumping height that (their) jumping ability is superior.”
Not only that, the traditional Chinese cultural heritage performed by Shen Yun also impressed the Japanese. Oshima Hiroki, vice chairman of the organizing committee of the Kyoto “Gion Festival” with the longest history in Japan, said after watching Shen Yun's 2023 performance season that the traditional culture presented by Shen Yun has common ground with the traditions protected by Kyoto people for thousands of years. The common point is, “(Shen Yun) moved me deeply.” Watching Shen Yun gave him a new understanding of traditional culture.
Mainland Chinese Admire the Beauty of Shen Yun
It is worth mentioning that Shen Yun's performances in Japan have also attracted mainland Chinese to come and watch them.
After watching Shen Yun last year, a mainland Chinese said, “It's completely different from what we think of China. Seeing the perfect Tang culture from Shen Yun, my excitement and joy are beyond words.” Another Chinese said excitedly, “The first time I saw such a good (performance) I do not know how to express my feelings, I just feel very proud to be Chinese!”
Since its establishment in New York in 2006, Shen Yun Performing Arts has grown rapidly, expanding from one troupe to eight performing troupes. Each troupe has its own live orchestra, and the number of Shen Yun performances has also continued to climb. After one Shen Yun troupe kicks off in Japan, seven other troupes will also start performing simultaneously in Europe, and five states in the United States.
Despite being hit hard by the covid epidemic and facing an economic downturn, Shen Yun's 32 performances in Japan during 2023 were almost sold out. Mr. Hayashi, an executive of a well-known Japanese TV station, explained one of the reasons why Shen Yun is so popular in Japan, “The extremely high-performance quality and creativity have left a good reputation in Japan.”
For this reason, the organizers have specially added more performances this year. Mr. Nakagawa, the person in charge of the Classical Arts Promotion Association, said, “Because it was hard to get a ticket last year, we have added more performances in Tokyo this year to respond to the audience's demand.”
Furumi Shingo, president of a construction company, expressed his sincere admiration after watching the Shen Yun performance last year, “These two hours can allow you to escape from the stress of the world and immerse yourself in a serene moment. The performance is really wonderful. I will also watch it next year again.”
During Shen Yun's performances in Japan, you can purchase tickets by calling the hotline (+81-0120-91-8487) or by logging onto Shen Yun's official ticket booking website: shenyun.com/tickets.
Chinese version: https://www.zhengjian.org/node/287104
