A French Researcher Spellbound by Noh

Nathalie CAVASIN

“Hisureba hana nari, hisezuba hana naru bekarazu to nari.” (If the secret of the flower becomes known to the public, it is not a true flower anymore.) These beautiful words were written by a noh actor of the early Muromachi era, Zeami (1363~1443). Zeami authored a book about noh called “Fuushi-kaden” that discussed noh training, esoteric techniques and theatre. He said that flowers bloom in each stage of life for the actors as they age. Noh is one of the Japanese traditional arts that still maintains a distance from other areas of popular culture.

Noh requires hard training, knowledge of certain movements, and skills in singing and dancing. A foreigner who has jumped into this world of noh is Nathalie CAVASIN, who has a Ph.D in geography and who is currently a visiting scientist in Global Information and Telecommunication Institute at Waseda University. Beside her everyday life at the laboratory she wanted to experience something different. Whenever possible she has tried to approach Japan through its culture such as by visiting exhibitions, attending tea ceremonies, and going to theaters. Nathalie saw her first noh play several years ago at the National Noh Theater in Sendagaya.

Nathalie says, “I have always been interested in digging deeper into the history of Japanese people and their culture.” At the performance she heard great music and saw beautiful costumes, a mystical atmosphere, and the sublime dance style of noh. She recalls, “I was just so taken by the majestic stage.” Nathalie was deeply impressed and “hooked” by noh.

Three years and half ago, Nathalie found a flyer for a noh performance and noh lessons at the Tsubouchi Memorial Theater Museum’s library at Waseda University. Next morning Nathalie phoned the head of the noh school, Mr. KATSUMI Noboru, the master of the Kanze noh school and asked gingerly whether she could enter the school. Upon learning she was a foreigner and an enthusiastic one at that, the master answered, “Come to our lesson hall then.” A decision to allow Nathalie to enter the Kanze school was made quickly. She holds great respect for her master, saying, “My master is so generous and such a big-hearted person.”

Nathalie had visited Japan 15 years ago for the first time to do research into economic geography at University of Tsukuba in Ibaraki prefecture for one and a half years. She had trouble adjusting herself to the Japanese style of living at first, but later became accustomed to it before she had to leave. After she returned to France, she hoped that she could continue researching the field to build a better relationship with Japan, and she made her second visit 10 years ago. But what awaited her was research and continual Japanese language lessons day after day.

Nathalie met the Kanze school and Mr. Katsumi at that time. “For me, the ma (for the next action), location and time are the most important factors in performing noh,” she says. “I am so fascinated by the Japanese way of thinking and taking on the ma. I had been stymied many times when I first began. But I am a person who has to finish what I start.”

Nathalie takes noh lessons three times a month and performs on stage twice a year in her busy times in between carrying out her research. She not only specialized in research but also works to put on cultural exchanges events between Japan and France through noh. Longing for Japan’s vast traditional culture and history, Nathalie hopes that her understanding of noh will somehow correlate with her research in the future. Her curiosity and intelligence will help her flourish even more in future.

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