Description

A performance of The Palace Beneath the Waves, based on The Tale of the Heike, staged at Akama Shrine, where Emperor Antoku is enshrined.

This work, created by the Kanmon Time Travel Project based on The Tale of the Heike, is a story that resonates with modern audiences.

While following The Tale of the Heike, the story is retold from the perspective of Taira Tokuko, mother of Emperor Antoku—from the clan’s days of glory to the hellish scenes at Dan-no-ura, and her later life as a nun in Kyoto.
Through the interplay of her narration and the biwa, the tragedy of Dan-no-ura comes vividly to life in the audience’s imagination.

The Tale of the Heike, renowned as a masterpiece of war literature, tells the greatest tragedy in Japanese history—an enduring work that conveys a sorrow that never fades.

Storyteller: Chika Ehara (Actress / Dancer / Model)

Biwa & Vocals: Seihō Takagi (Biwa Performer)

Context Commentary: Tsuyoshi Tomita (Kanmon Time Travel)

Written & Directed by Tsuyoshi Tomita

—Performance Details—