26/02/2026
Narrating the Legends of Tono
-The World of Tono Interwoven with Storytelling, Performing Arts, and Video—
Produced by ( EN)
📍 Performance Details
Date: Sunday, March 8, 2026
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
*The finish time is an estimate and may vary.
Venue: Tono Citizen’s Center in Tono City, Iwate
🎟 Ticket Prices (Tax included)
Adults: 4,000 yen (Tickets for high school students and younger: 2,000 yen)
*Same-day tickets are an additional ¥500 each.
*English subtitles are available. Please download the application to your smartphone or tablet. How to install EG-G Subtitle application.
🌸Search for “Narrating the Legends of Tono” in Tono, Iwate through Viator. Please check the date and location.🌸
The National Theatre's special performance will be held in Tono City! ✨
Please enjoy a performance at the setting of “The Legends of Tono”. ✨
Tōno Monogatari, translated as “The Legends of Tono”, is a renowned work penned over 100 years ago by the father of Japanese folklore studies, Yanagita Kunio. In Legends of Tono, Yanagita Kunio recorded a plethora of tales from Iwate prefecture’s Tōno region, all recounted to him by Sasaki Kizen. The book contains a plethora of stories about the supernatural, spirits, and strange happenings from the region, as well as a basic ethnography of the locals and their lives and traditions.
In this one-of-a-kind performance, a “Tayū” (narrator) from the Japanese art of puppetry (Bunraku) will recite excerpts from Tōno Monogatari, accompanied by folk dances and puppet shows. The past and present will converge as landscapes from the modern day Tōno will be video projected alongside their descriptions from over a century ago.
Bunraku masters will bring the story to life using intricately carved dolls, portraying a number of mythological figures and yokai such as the “kappa”.
In addition, traditional forms of dance that are referenced in the book, such as Kagura and Shishi-odori, will be performed live by dance troupes from Tōno.
Don’t miss this rare collaborative performance showcasing the vibrant culture of rural Japan.