Etiquette Instruction for the Film “National Treasure”: Nakamura Ichitaro Discusses the Appeal and Future of Onnagata
The Asahi Shimbun Company Press Release: October 22, 2025 Nakamura Ichitaro, the maneuvering instructor for the film “National Treasure,” talks about the appeal and future of female impersonators. Asahi Culture Center’s Premium Course to be held at the Shinjuku classroom on November 18th Asahi Culture Center, Inc., a group company of The Asahi Shimbun Company (President and CEO: Masaru Tsunoda), will hold a “Premium Lecture: Ichitaro Nakamura Discusses the Appeal of Onnagata (Female Impersonators) – From the Film ‘National Treasure’ to the ART Kabuki ‘Dojoji'” at its Shinjuku classroom on Tuesday, November 18, 2025. Speakers will be kabuki actor Ichitaro Nakamura and Waseda University professor Ryuichi Kodama. The event will be streamed online at a later date for a fee. In addition, after the lecture, there will be a press conference for media representatives to interview Nakamura Ichitaro. For details, please see “Interview Overview.” ■Asahi Culture Center:
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/9214/2005/9214-2005-18f6308829e302c2958c9379639354f7-584×372.jpg Ichitaro Nakamura Ryuichi Kodama What is the meaning of taking on the challenge of expressing the intersection of film and stage, classical and contemporary? This live-action Japanese film has attracted 10.66 million viewers and grossed over 15 billion yen in the 110 days since its release on June 6th. “National Treasure” was selected as Japan’s entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards and has become an unprecedented social phenomenon. We are hosting a talk event featuring Nakamura Ichitaro, who directed the film’s choreography under the pseudonym “Azuma Tokuharu.” The interviewer will be Kodama Ryuichi, who supervised the original novel, “National Treasure” (by Yoshida Shuichi, published by Asahi Shimbun Publications). Ichitaro is the eldest son of Nakamura Ganjiro IV and hails from a prestigious kabuki family, with his grandfather being Sakata Tōjūrō IV, a Living National Treasure. He has been performing on stage since he was a child, and in recent years has expanded his activities to include overseas performances and film productions. In this talk event, he will discuss the appeal and future of onnagata, focusing on the film “National Treasure” and “ART Kabuki Dojoji,” which attempts to combine tradition and contemporary art. Event Overview Premium Lecture: Nakamura Ichitaro Discusses the Appeal of Onnagata (Female Roles) – From the Film “National Treasure” to the ART Kabuki “Dojoji” – Date and Time: Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM Venue: Asahi Culture Center Shinjuku Classroom (10th floor, Shinjuku Sumitomo Building, 2-6-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo) *Online streaming available at a later date (fees apply) Participation Fee: [In-person participation] ¥5,665 (tax included) [Online viewing] ¥4,235 Yen (tax included) Capacity: [Venue] 100 people [Online] 500 attendees Organizer: Asahi Culture Center Co., Ltd., Shinjuku Classroom Asahi Culture Center Application Site [Venue participation] 【Online Participation】 Nakamura Ichitaro (Nakamura Kazutaro) / Kabuki Actor The eldest son of Kabuki actor Nakamura Ganjiro. His grandfather was Sakata Tojuro IV, another Kabuki actor and Living National Treasure. His mother is Japanese. Azuma Tokuho, head of the Azuma school of Japanese dance. He made his debut in November 1991. In January 1995, he performed his first dance under the name of Nakamura Ichitaro I. Stage. In September 2014, he assumed the name of Azuma Tokuyo, the seventh head of the Azuma school of Japanese dance. In August 2016, he appeared in the film “Kokuhatsu” directed by Makoto Shinkai. For “Your Name,” he created the shrine maiden dance performed by the heroine sisters Mitsuha and Yotsuha. In July 2020, he performed the online performance “ART Kabuki,” a groundbreaking collaboration between kabuki and art. In June 2021, he starred as Senpai in the contemporary drama “The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl.” In June 2025, he provided dance instruction under the name “Azuma Tokuharu” for the film “National Treasure,” directed by Lee Sang-il. He was awarded the Forbes JAPAN Culturepreneur Award 2025. Ryuichi Kodama / Professor, Waseda University Graduated from Waseda University and its graduate school. Specializes in Kabuki research and criticism. Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties. Worked in the Performing Arts Department of the Institute and served as an associate professor at Japan Women’s University before assuming his current position. As director of the Waseda University Theatre Museum, he is involved in exhibitions, etc. President of the Kabuki Studies Association. Writes kabuki reviews for the magazines Engeki-kai and Kabuki Research and Criticism, and the Asahi Shimbun. Written. His edited works include “Noh, Bunraku, and Kabuki” (Kyoiku Geijutsusha) and the catalog “Nakamura Utaemon Exhibition” (Waseda University Theatre Museum). He has co-edited and written works including “Kabuki Handbook”
(Shinshokan), the catalog “Reviving the Imperial Theater Exhibition” (Waseda University Theatre Museum), “The Latest Kabuki Encyclopedia” (Kashiwa Shobo), and “Kabuki Character Dictionary” (Hakusuisha). Interview Overview About the Footage – Please refrain from recording video during the lecture. – Video will be recorded using the official camera on the day. If you wish, you can extract a portion and upload it to your computer. A download URL will be provided. (Available from November 19th onwards) About Still Photography – Photography is permitted from the back of the venue during the lecture. (Tripods are permitted.) Please mute the shutter sound and refrain from using flash. – After the lecture, there will be a photo session on stage. Photographs may be taken in the press area at the back of the venue. Interview with Ichitaro Nakamura – After the lecture, there will be approximately 30 minutes for an interview with Ichitaro Nakamura. Both video and still photography are permitted. Please let us know in advance if you would like to participate. (Power and lighting will not be provided. Please bring your own.) – Suits will be required on the day. Interview Request – This lecture is open to the general public. When recording or photographing, please take special care to avoid any images that could identify individuals. We ask for your continued consideration to avoid any inclusions that could lead to the identification of individuals. ◎Companies wishing to cover the event on the day should fill out the attached “Press Application Form” and submit it by November 15th. For more information about this release Press release attachments