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Expressing “A Millennium” Woven in Kyoto
The flagship hotel of the Keihan Group, “THE THOUSAND KYOTO” (located in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto City; General Manager: Miwa SAKURAI), aligns with “International Women’s Day” on March 8, 2024 (Friday),
inviting calligrapher Tomoko KAWAO and Sho player Tokiko IHARA, for a one-day exclusive event.
*The Sho is the only traditional Japanese instrument capable of producing chords. Its shape, resembling a phoenix at rest, has earned it the nickname Housho. Emitting soft, organ-like tones, it contributes a unique ambiance to Gagaku music.
This event is held with the hope of realizing a society where everyone, regardless of gender, can shine as themselves, through the collaboration and skills of contemporary female artists.
On the day of the event, the performance will commence with IHARA’s Housho playing on the grand staircase inspired by Kyoto’s shrines and temples.
Following the solemn and clear tones used in Gagaku, echoing through the space, and commemorating the hotel’s 5th anniversary, KAWAO will write the character for “thousand” on a large piece of washi paper, about 5m in length, embodying the idea of “weaving the past and future millennia.”
The viewing is free, and everyone is welcome.
THE THOUSAND KYOTO, as a “Sustainable Comfort Hotel,” aims to pursue comfort for the next millennium, delivering touching experiences that are pleasant for people, society, and the future.
Tomoko KAWAO × Tokiko IHARA Live Calligraphy Performance and Housho Performance
Tomoko KAWAO
A calligrapher and specially appointed professor at Shikoku University, residing in Kyoto. KAWAO began studying calligraphy at the age of 6 and has received numerous awards both in Japan and internationally. Since 2004, she has been under the mentorship of Mr. Syoushuu.
Her daily engagement with the classics led to the creation of the Echo series, focusing on the trajectory of the brush in mid-air.
In recent years, she has unveiled the HITOMOJI series, where she becomes part of the characters, and the 21st Century Continuous Script series, which involves vertical writing in English, exploring the possibilities of calligraphy.
Her activities span solo exhibitions, art museum presentations worldwide, appearances in the Rugby World Cup official movie, BBC’s “The Art of Japanese Life,” collaborations with LOEWE, appearances in Porsche videos, the opening video for NHK’s Taiga Drama “Yae no Sakura,” signage for JR Kyoto Station and Hankyu Arashiyama Station, performances at TEDxKyoto, giant showroom windows for Panasonic, and stone monuments in temples.
https://kawaotomoko.com/
*Language switch available at the top left of the screen.
X (twitter) / Instagram / YouTube
Tokiko IHARA
A Housho player who encountered the Sho during her training in the ritual dances of the miko (shrine maidens) at Niutsuhime Shrine, the protector of Koyasan.
She studied under Toyohide Aki, the former chief music director of the Imperial Household Agency’s Shikibu-shoku Music Department, and Yasuhiro Higashi, delving into Japan’s traditional culture and spirituality, as well as its universal aspects rooted in the world. Her dedication has led to performances at Ise Jingu’s Sengu-den and various shrines and temples across Japan, as well as a wide range of creative collaborations with artists.
Her international activities have also been well-received, including collaborations with Jesse Kanda, known for his artwork for Björk, participation in the stage tour of “ma,aida,…” by Camille Boitel, a master of the French nouveau cirque, performances at The Broad’s “Summer Happening” in Los Angeles, and the high-quality live music streaming program ODA in New York. She contributed to the music of the 2022 film “We Are Little Zombies” directed by Nagahisa Makoto.
https://www.tokikoihara.com/
*English available
The Instrument “Sho”
The Sho, likened to a phoenix at rest and also known as Housho, manifests the sound as “light cascading from the heavens.”
Arriving in Japan along with Buddhism from the continent around the 6th century, it has been played in Gagaku, one of the world’s oldest forms of ensemble music, at court and in religious festivals at shrines and temples.
Gagaku, with the interweaving and resonating sounds of the three wind instruments (Housho, Ryuteki, and Hichiriki), expresses the Japanese ancient view of living in harmony with nature, praying for bountiful harvests and peace across the land.
THE THOUSAND KYOTO Celebrates Its 5th Anniversary
Located about a 2-minute walk from Kyoto Station, THE THOUSAND KYOTO, with its concept of a “millennium hotel,” delivers touching experiences of comfort and sustainability, embodying a new sense of comfort that links “Kyoto, the millennium city” to “the next millennium.”
In celebration of its 5th anniversary in January 2024, the hotel has prepared hospitality through the “five senses,” themed around THE THOUSAND KYOTO’s unique way of welcoming guests. The logo features the hotel’s symbolic grand staircase, representing a commitment to never forget the original intention, expressing gratitude to guests, and evolving step by step as a “Sustainable Comfort Hotel” that is pleasant for people, society, and the future.
THE THOUSAND KYOTO
- Location: 570 Higashi Shiokoji-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City, 600-8216
- Access: About a 2-minute walk east from JR Kyoto Station
- Floors: Basement 1F to 9F (Guest rooms: 3F to 9F/222 rooms)
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