INSIGHTS

Once upon a time in Japan

In collaboration with Pino Zema and the Kamishibai Milano project, New Kenjii brings Japanese “image theatre” to the Harvest Festival’s “Firstfruits” event.

Kamishibai, also known as “picture theatre,” is an original form of expression from Japan, which combines voice and images to retrace some of Japan’s most famous traditional fairy tales, including young heroes, mysterious creatures and frightening beings.

Originating in the first half of the twentieth century as street theatre, it saw storytellers moving around onboard bicycles with a wooden theatre inside which they ran pictures drawn on paper illustrating a story in sequence.

The connection points with other modes of expression are many: from cinema to comics, but a privileged relationship is with the picture book, representing an excellent vehicle for the promotion of reading and image education.

Kamishibai, otherwise known as “picture theatre,” is very interesting. An intriguing and special form of entertainment for young children, in the original Japanese mode, with the retelling of traditional fairy tales to learn about this wonderful culture and its communicative art.