A uniquely immersive piece of festival theater is heading to Kyushu for the first time this spring. Warabiza's non-verbal stage production HANA will be performed at Theater Sora to Umi in Fukuoka's Island City, transforming the venue into a vibrant, participatory festival space.
Premiering in Akita in 2023, HANA draws inspiration from the six major festivals of the Tohoku region, including Aomori's Nebuta Festival, Akita's Kanto Festival, and Sendai's Tanabata. Rather than watching from a distance, audiences become part of the experience. The theater is filled with 279 drums and 64 lanterns, with seating designed around participation. Depending on where you sit, you may find yourself beating a taiko drum, raising a glowing lantern, or dancing with a fan as the performance unfolds.
The story itself is told entirely without words, making it accessible to audiences of all ages and nationalities. Through music, movement, and striking visuals, HANA follows a poetic tale of love, loss, and the revival of festivals, culminating in a dramatic storm of falling petals that fills the theater.
Warabiza, based in Akita Prefecture, has spent over 70 years bringing Japanese folk performing arts to stages around the world. Their Kyushu debut of HANA feels especially fitting at Theater Sora to Umi, a venue dedicated to new, boundary-crossing forms of expression. For visitors and locals alike, this is a rare chance to experience the energy of Tohoku's festivals in an intimate, hands-on theatrical setting.
For more information or to book tickets, please visit the official website here.
