Ichinosuke Umekawa｜From Kabuki to Odori Japan — A Luxury Traditional Dance Journey Connecting the Past and the Future
- 1月16日
- 読了時間: 7分
更新日：1月21日
As the curtain rises, a single beam of light pierces the silence, revealing the performer at its center. A fan is gently opened; even the slightest shift of weight or angle of the fingertips becomes part of the choreography. The air in the venue is taut and hushed, filled with quiet tension.
Watching Umegawa Ichnosuke perform, one can experience both the timeless beauty of Japanese classical dance passed down through generations and the sense of freedom in expression that he has cultivated himself. In every subtle movement lies a living beauty and tension that gradually draws the audience in, almost without them realizing it.
In this feature, we spoke with Mr. Umegawa Ichnosuke, who has walked the artistic paths of classical ballet, kabuki, and Japanese classical dance, and who continues to challenge new forms of expression both in Japan and abroad. We explore his career, the encounters that became turning points, the stories behind his stage creations, and the vision he hopes to pass on to the future through Japanese dance.
▶︎Expressive Skills and a Global Perspective Cultivated Through Classical Ballet
Born in 1983 in Hita City, Oita Prefecture, Umegawa Ichnosuke began studying classical ballet at the age of 18. He continued his training after entering university, devoting himself seriously to dance while balancing his student life at Niigata University. After graduating, he joined the Tokyo Ballet, where he appeared in numerous classical works and internationally renowned masterpieces, refining the physical foundations of performance and his expressive abilities on stage.
Umegawa explains, “I chose the Tokyo Ballet because it was the only ballet company in Japan that owned works by the late Maurice Béjart.” He also recalls that performing in Greek Dance and Boléro became irreplaceable experiences and lifelong assets in his career.
Performing repeatedly on stages seating around 2,000 people, he also appeared in classical ballets such as Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and Giselle. Experiencing firsthand the reactions of audiences during European tours broadened his perspective as a dancer and gradually led to a deeper desire to study Japan’s traditional performing arts.
▶︎Rigorous Training in Kabuki and the Path to Traditional Odori Japan
After achieving success with the Tokyo Ballet, Umegawa Ichnosuke entered the Kabuki Actor Training Program at the National Theatre. In addition to stage combat and the fundamentals of Japanese classical dance, he studied traditional Japanese music—including shamisen, nagauta, gidayū, taiko drums, and tsuzumi hand drums—under leading masters in their respective fields.
Training in dance classes taught by Bandō Tamasaburō and receiving instruction from Living National Treasure Yonekawa Fumiko became invaluable experiences that went beyond technique, allowing him to encounter the very spirit of the performing arts.
Despite being over 80 years old, Yonekawa would carefully sit in seiza before the young Umegawa, bow deeply, and only then begin the lesson. On the silent tatami, the faint sound of fabric brushing against the floor echoed softly.
Witnessing this moment, Umegawa recalls feeling deeply that “the way of art is to continue walking humbly and steadily, regardless of age or status.”
Another profoundly influential experience was making his first stage appearance under the name “Nakamura Shijirō” during the final month of performances at the former Kabuki-za Theatre.
Performing the role of a Miuraya shinzo in Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura, he felt the intense tension of the stage firsthand. The lessons he learned from sharing the stage with the late Ichikawa Danjūrō and Bandō Tamasaburō—particularly the resolve required to stand before an audience—became an unshakable foundation for his artistic path.
After six years of rigorous training as a kabuki actor, Umegawa Ichnosuke became independent as a Japanese classical dancer in 2016. His journey through the distinct disciplines of classical ballet, kabuki, and Japanese dance now forms the core of his expressive identity, leading to the unique artistic voice he embodies today.
▶︎Modern Approaches to Sharing the Luxury of Traditional Odori Japan
Since becoming independent in 2016, Umegawa Ichnosuke has actively embraced new forms of expression while respecting tradition, with the aim of sharing the appeal of Japanese classical dance with a wider audience. While preserving the beauty of classical aesthetics on stage, he weaves in elements that transcend genres, including classical music, folk music, contemporary art, and picture books.
A representative example of this approach is the children’s work Otoginosuke Emaki: Momotaro. By combining projection mapping with live piano and violin performances, the production creates the impression that Momotaro has leapt out of a picture book and onto the stage, leaving a powerful impression on children encountering Japanese dance for the first time.
Umegawa explains, “I want children who, like my younger self, may feel that Japanese culture is old-fashioned or rigid to discover how cool and enjoyable Japanese dance can be.”
Standing at an impressive 182 cm, Umegawa Ichnosuke pursues expressions that make full use of his commanding physical presence. Using the stage like a vast canvas, his dynamic movements—carving through space—are rooted in classical forms yet imbued with a sense of freshness, forming a distinctive appeal that is uniquely his own.
Rather than simply preserving tradition, Umegawa continually asks how it can be brought to life in the present and carried into the future. With this question at the core of his work, he continues to open up new possibilities for Japanese classical dance through each performance.
▶︎Blending Regional Culture with Odori Japan for New Discoveries
Umegawa Ichnosuke is also deeply committed to sharing the beauty of Japanese classical dance with audiences around the world. Through his overseas performances, he has experienced firsthand how Japan’s uniquely subtle sense of “beauty in silence” is received beyond its borders.
At one international performance, for example, he quietly opened his fan and connected scenes with only the slightest footwork. From the back of the auditorium, gentle applause naturally began to rise. Without relying on flashy staging or large, dramatic movements, audiences overseas expressed their genuine response when they were moved by the inherent beauty of Japanese dance.
“Overseas audiences react very honestly,” Umegawa explains.
“If they are moved, applause or cheers arise naturally. If not, they remain quiet. But I don’t change the performance to be more showy to suit the venue. I focus on the beauty that exists within silence, which is intrinsic to Japanese culture.”
While audiences in Japan often watch performances quietly until the very end, reactions abroad tend to be more immediate and direct. This frank feedback, he says, becomes a powerful stimulus, prompting him to reconsider how he himself expresses the beauty of Japan on stage.
Umegawa Ichnosuke also actively works to fuse his performances with local culture and regional traditions. His projects include performances at Japan Heritage sites, works inspired by the haiku of Masaoka Shiki and the poetry of Hirose Tansō, and collaborations with the 400-year-old Tiger Dance of Sarushima in Yokosuka.
By intertwining Japanese dance with deeply rooted local traditions, he offers audiences fresh discoveries and new cultural experiences.
What unites all of Umegawa Ichnosuke’s endeavors is his desire “to share the profound depth of Japanese culture with the audience and spend that shared moment in happiness.”
Whether in Japan or abroad, regardless of location, his unwavering commitment to conveying the beauty of culture through performance remains constant—and it is this sincerity that resonates so strongly with those who encounter his work.
▶︎Nurturing Sensibility Through Daily Life as a Dancer
Umegawa Ichnosuke believes that everyday life itself is an extension of the artistic path. The moment he wakes in the morning and prepares drip coffee in a room filled with soft morning light is an important ritual for aligning both mind and body.
As he notices subtle changes—the sound of beans being ground, the warmth as steam rises, the shift in aroma—he gently reflects on “who I am today.” He explains that this sensitivity naturally carries over into his expression on stage.
He maintains a daily rhythm in which mornings are often devoted to meetings and desk work, while afternoons are reserved for rehearsals, all while paying close attention to diet and sleep. At home, he favors a traditional Japanese diet centered on brown rice, miso soup, natto, and pickled vegetables, and he conditions his body through stretching.
“Engaging with beautiful things leads directly to refining expressive power on stage,” says Umegawa. In his everyday life, he goes out of his way to visit places that catch his interest, seeing and touching things for himself, absorbing their beauty, and cultivating his sensibilities. This accumulation of experiences enriches his sensitivity as a dancer and deepens the expressive quality of his performances.
Savoring each fleeting moment of daily life and transforming the sensibility born from it into stage expression—Umegawa Ichnosuke’s everyday existence is filled with moments that can truly be called “the way of art itself.”
▶︎Tradition Is About Preserving the Old While Continuing to Change and Stay Alive
What Umegawa Ichnosuke values most in his work as a dancer is harmonizing tradition with contemporary sensibilities while keeping it alive. “By conveying the culture, history, and spirit embedded in the movements of Japanese classical dance to the audience, I want to continue questioning what Japanese dance truly is,” he says.
The stage is a place that offers people moments of awareness, healing, and new perspectives. Through encounters with different cultures and values, a dancer’s own worldview naturally expands. Umegawa hopes that “even those experiencing it for the first time, including children, will come into contact with Japanese dance.”
The moment a child’s eyes light up after watching a performance, or the moment applause arises overseas in response to the beauty of silence—he believes such deeply moving moments become the starting point for passing tradition on to the next generation.
Connecting tradition to the future is not the task of a special few. Those who watch the stage, those who encounter culture, and those who support performances behind the scenes—all who come into contact with Japanese classical dance become a force that sustains Japan’s traditions. Drawing on the experiences he has accumulated and continuing to challenge himself without pause, the attitude embodied in Umegawa Ichnosuke’s dance is what can be felt as a “tradition in evolution.”
▶︎Add Refined Japanese Atmosphere to Your Event with a Stage Performance by Japanese Classical Dancer Umegawa Ichnosuke
To date, Umegawa Ichnosuke has continued to create works on stages both in Japan and abroad that fuse the delicate beauty inherent in Japanese classical dance with a contemporary sensibility. His expressions have been utilized in a wide range of settings, including cultural events, international exchange programs, and educational environments.
For events, performances, and workshops organized by local governments, companies, and various organizations, he offers flexible stage concepts that make full use of tradition while adapting to the venue and theme. Rather than simply presenting classical forms, he places great importance on delivering experiences where tradition and innovation intersect—moments that allow audiences to feel the depth and richness of Japanese culture.
Umegawa Ichnosuke’s performances are designed to be enjoyable even for those encountering Japanese dance for the first time, and can also be planned in combination with regional culture and local traditions. For performance inquiries and further details, please visit the official website.
We also welcome consultations regarding event planning and stage production.