PART II Recent Trends and Developments in Government Policies in Education, Science and Culture
Chapter 9. Toward a Culture-Communicating Society
Section 6. National Cultural Facilities
3. The National Theatre
The National Theatre, in Tokyo, and its affiliated facilities stage their own productions of traditional performing arts, with special emphasis on the accurate preservation and transmission of classical works. They also foster successors to perpetuate traditional performing arts, such as Noh, Kabuki, and Bunraku, as well as conduct research and surveys and gather resources relating to these arts. The National Theatre thus plays an important role as a center for the preservation and promotion of Japan's traditional performing arts.
In fiscal 1993 the National Theatre presented 162 independent productions (1,083 performances) of Kabuki, Bunraku, and other traditional performing arts. In addition, eight trainees completed the twelfth Kabuki actor training program, and three trainees completed the fifteenth Bunraku training program to foster successors.
