[steAm Co., Ltd.] [Osaka-Kansai Expo “Playground of Life: Jellyfish Pavilion”] Archived footage of new Noh play “Wa-Ri” created at Life Park, the “core” of the Expo site, released
steAm Inc. Press Release: September 22, 2025 [Osaka-Kansai Expo “Playground of Life: Jellyfish Pavilion”] Archived footage of the new Noh play “Wheel of Time,” created at Life Park, the “core” of the Expo site, is released. A record of the “life-enhancing” concert of traditional performing arts and world stage music at “Festival of Life – World Life Band – Vol. 3” Image
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traditional performing arts intersected, making this an event that transcended borders and generations and embodied the theme of “enhancing life.” The release of this live video on the archive channel is a special event unique to the Expo, allowing you to experience the energy and beauty of cultures from around the world. Whether you were able to visit the Expo site or not, we hope that this video will help you feel the breath of new culture being born and inspire you to think about the possibilities for diverse cultural collaborations in the future. *The August 6 concert featuring the Baka people of Cameroon, Ginoza Village, Okinawa Prefecture, and the KURAGE Band has been canceled at the last minute due to the health conditions of the participants. We apologize to everyone who was looking forward to it. (The performance was held at the Jellyfish House on August 5th.) About the Yamamoto Noh Theatre’s “Jirin: The Wheel of Time” – Going Around In June, Yamamoto Noh Theatre presented a creative Noh piece on the theme of “water purification” from Osaka, the city of water, at the “Noh for SDGs” event, co-hosted with the Yomiuri Shimbun at the EXPO Hall Shine Hut within the Expo site. The Noh piece featured in this video release, “Noh for SDGs: The Circle of Water” (Jirin: The Circle of Time – Going Around), is a sequel to the original piece. The title, “Jirin,” is a Tibetan Buddhist term meaning the cycle of time, representing the energy of the world and humanity, and the teachings that aim for their unification. This full-scale collaboration between the traditional Japanese performing art of Noh and the KURAGE Band, which blends global cultures, presented the mysticism of the water cycle and the need for environmental
conservation as a global theme. The final performance involved participants in creating a space for mutual resonance and interaction. It is a new Noh play with an expo-like and challenging content, nicknamed “Jellyfish Noh” because of the cute jellyfish that play an active role in the movement to clean up the polluted ocean. “Festival of Life ~World Life Band~ Vol.3” Archive Footage Release Summary Channel name: “KURAGE Band and the Jellyfish Fellows”
https://www.youtube.com/@KURAGE_Band Exhibition Period: September 21st (Sun) – October 13th (Mon, National Holiday), 2025 (Planned) Content: [Limited Time Until the End of the Expo] Festival of Life ~World Life Band~ Vol. 3 August 6th: New Noh Play “Wa-Ring of Time,” a
Collaboration between Maori and Jellyfish House: Yamamoto Noh Theatre & KURAGE Band “Festival of Life ~World Life Band~” is a
participatory live event hosted by the Osaka-Kansai Expo’s signature pavilion, the “Playground of Life Jellyfish Pavilion,” featuring musicians and performers from around the world. In this event, everyone in attendance becomes a performer. Please also take a look at the previously released footage of Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. “Festival of Life ~World Life Band~ Vol.3” Archived Video Performer Introduction Kahurangi Māori Dance Theater (Māori)
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/134299/65/134299-65-6c6b24b4a0ea25d648065a4e3814dd8a-1920×1280.jpg Kahurangi is a traditional Māori performing arts company that travels throughout Aotearoa (New Zealand) and beyond, captivating audiences with a unique blend of Māori song, dance, and cultural heritage. Featuring a talented group of young Māori performers, including graduates of Takitimu Performing Arts School, New Zealand’s first tertiary education institution specializing in traditional Māori performing arts, the company takes audiences on a journey of discovery and celebration. Yamamoto Theater
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/134299/65/134299-65-fa4211b74a9923c42d62c8aacfa5db98-1920×1280.jpg Yamamoto Noh Theatre, founded by Hiroyuki Yamamoto in 1927, is the oldest surviving Noh theatre in Osaka, boasting a history of approximately 100 years. It was destroyed by fire during the war but rebuilt in 1950. It was registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property in 2006. The family has been working to promote and pass on the Kanze School of Noh. Since taking over as head of the family in 2000, current head Yamamoto Akihiro has redefined Noh as a
“fascinating performing art that lives on in the modern age.” He is implementing a variety of events from a new perspective, aiming to create a “Noh” that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, genders, and even foreigners. He is actively engaged in activities to expand the base of Noh lovers. To date, we have conveyed the charm of Noh to approximately 100,000 children who will lead the next generation. In addition, since 2010, we have been performing overseas annually, primarily in Eastern Europe, and have held nearly 100 performances and workshops to date, contributing to the promotion of international mutual understanding through Noh. He has received many awards, including the Osaka Culture Award, the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ Commendation, the Japan Foundation Prizes for Global Citizenship, the Good Design Award, and the Tiffany & Co. Foundation Traditional Culture Grand Prize. https://noh-theater.com/ ◆Noh of Life Jirin “Wheel of Time” ~ Going Around (written by Yamamoto Akihiro) Shite (God of Time): Yamamoto Akihiro Waki (Waki): Fukuo Tomohisa Jellyfish Spirit: Zenchiku Ryuhei Jellyfish Spirit: Tadasaburo Shigeyama Jellyfish Children: Akihisa Yoshitake, Yoshimichi Shigeyama, Midori Shigeyama Flute: Tomonobu Sadamitsu Small drum: Tomohide Furuta Large drum: Yukinori Morie Taiko: Keisuke Inoue Guardianship: Naoyoshi Umewaka Jiutai: Toyohiko Sugiura, Motoharu Yoshii, Norihisa Onishi, Ryosuke Ido KURAGE Band
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/134299/65/134299-65-6dc111b1c5e84de44b246ab5afdada43-1920×1280.jpg This multicultural music band is led by jazz pianist, mathematician, and STEAM educator Sachiko Nakajima. Their music dynamically intertwines sounds and rhythms from Japan, Korea, Senegal, Tibet, and more. They frequently collaborate with various regional performing arts from around the world, creating improvisational resonances that bridge the gap between tradition and innovation through the five senses and physicality. Searching for something shining amidst the fluctuations of music and culture. https://steam21.com/kurage_band/ ◆Noh of Life: Jirin “Wheel of Time” Going Around (written by Akihiro Yamamoto) KURAGE Band (August 6, 2025) Participating Members Piano: Sachiko Nakajima Saxophone: Keizo Nobori Violin: Akiko Igaki Changgo, vocals: Choi Jae-cheol Drums: Takefumi Kobayashi Percussion: Watambe Djembe, Talking Drums: Abrinjai Rose Vocals: Aya Murodate Everyone who participated in the many “Life Park” events, the Baka and Maori people of Cameroon, and our jellyfish friends For more information about this release
