ELICA MIWA

Blog

  • I Left No Ring With Her: Viola’s Ring Speech

    I Left No Ring With Her: Viola’s Ring Speech

    HAPPY VALENTINE!

    I have four news today for you.

    1. 7th Februrary was Elica’s birthday!

    Thank you all for the lovely birthday messages for me through SNS. I love you all and you are my treasure!
    These days I ponder the reason why I live as I am.
    What can I do as a theatre director-actor?
    Why the God(s) gave me this occupation to achieve what?
    I always think about those questions.

    2. Online Workshop for international Japanese actors.

    I am going to hold onilne workshop for Japanese actors who wish to work with English language. If you are interested in learning Japanese, maybe it is a nice workshop to join. I will use The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde. Anyone interested, contact me.

    3. I Left No Ring With Her.

    Viola’s Ring Speech, Twelfth Night, Shakespeare.

    “I left no ring with her, what means this lady?” in English!

    https://youtu.be/_8c6ca1synE

    4. How to Act

    Enjoy, if you understand Japanese language, me talking how I read and directed the soliloquy of Viola.

    https://youtu.be/9bd0KQzDgdk

    5. Arkadina, The Seagull

    I also started working on a project The Seagull by Anton Chekhov, with a Russian director. On 5th February, he held an open rehearsal of a scene. It is my honour to be casted as Arkadina!! So exciting!

    This open rehearsal will be broadcasted later. I will let you know.

    Hope you enjoy them!
    ELICA MIWA

  • The Oldest Shrines in Japan: Miwa Jinja

    The Oldest Shrines in Japan: Miwa Jinja

    Do you know the oldest shrine in Japan?
    It is Miwa Jinja in Nara. (“Jinja” means “shrine”.)
    As you might have guessed, my name is given from this shrine.
    Last summer in Japan, the pandemic eased down for a few months, and I took the opportunity to visit there.
    Enjoy watching!

  • New Year 2022

    New Year 2022

    For my international friends:

    The meaning of this character is “life, lively, to live, fresh, alive, real”.
    Wishing you the real live interaction and lively life this year 🎍⛩🎍

    Acting skills of actors are not only for theatre practitioners, but also (and more so) for our general daily interactive communication.

    【Live Interaction】
    Looking into the mind’s eye.

  • Works 2021

    Works 2021

    Under COVID-19 restriction, my year 2021 was not so bad, thanks to your support, love and understanding.
    I did many performances both online and on the spot, both live and  recorded.
    I did many teachings for universities as usual (though many of them online, still better than in 2020).
    I led many workshops and lessons for actors, singers, ballet dancers, and Japanese language learners.
    My books (translation of IMPRO by Keith Johnstone, and my own writing Acting And Directing Of Shakespeare, and British Style Acting) are selling well.
    My singing is getting better and now I am enjoying singing rather than feeling tortured.
    I also have re-started horse back riding and song making.
    Here I put my creative works of the year.

    January

    17, Online Live Performance:  Luther Recital:  acting

    31, Shakespeare Workshop:  Enjoy the sounds of words

    February
    21, Online Live Performance:  So What’s So Great About The Tempest?:  produce, script, direct, act

    25, Filmed online performance:  The Tempest:  produce, translate, direct, act (Ariel)

    28, Filmed event of  Ballet TED:  Acting for Ballet Dancers: speaker

    March
    4 &  7, Filmed online performance:  The Tempest:  produce, translate, direct

    30 & 31, Live Performance:  The Tempest:  produce, translate, direct, act (Ariel), navigate.  This show is comvined with the filmed scenes and live performance and is distributed as a movie.

    April
    8, Online Seminar by International Theatre Institute (UNESCO):  Theatre in Conflict Zones from the Japanese Centre:  produce, speak, translate

    Augst
    1, Online Live Performance:  Luther Recital:  sung Dorabella’s duet with  Gugliermo

    22, Online Live Performance:  Edwin:  produce, direct

    29-Sep 2, Visit Miwa Shrine for gratitude and support

    September
    17-19, Stage Performance:  Now With the Future of Theatreby Dea Loher:  direct, act

    October
    2, Stage Performance:  Luther Recital:  sung Dorabella’s duet with  Gugliermo and act Prince Hul of Henry IV

    16, Online Shakespeare Workshop:  facilitate, lead

    December
    5, Ballet Acting Workshop:  facilitate, lead

    19, Ballet Theatre Symposium:  speak

    23, Online Live Performance:  Christmas Impro & The Gift of Magis:  produce, direct, act

    28 & 29, Online Live Impro Workshop for Japanese Language Acquisition:  facilitate, lead

    Thank you all and God bless 2022.

  • AshiNo-Ko, Lake at Hakone

    AshiNo-Ko, Lake at Hakone

    You may have heard of Mt. Fuji.
    There is another great sightseeing spot near Mt Fuji called Hakone.

    The Name

    Hakone is the name of an active volcano and there is a huge crater lake called AshiNo.
    We Japanese call it as AshiNo-Ko.
    “Ashi” is “reed”.”No” is “of”.”Ko” is “lake”.
    Yes, the lake of reed, Reed Lake.

    How to Get There

    If you use a public transportation, take a train from Shinjuku to get to Hakone-Yumoto, then take a bus to the lake.

    What to Do

    There are some old shrines, ancient foot travel road through the deep forest, variety of eating places from traditional Japanese to Italian cafe.
    You can enjoy lake cruise in a Pirate-Ship.
    From here you can visit the huge and deep crater called OhWakuDani (Great Bubbling Valley) in a rope-way.

    Right, this is a place of fun and awe, in the chest of nature energy.

    I took a beautiful video of the lake with my GoPro 9.
    Enjoy the scenery.

    Zen Acting Tip

    Listen to the sound of the water.
    Keep in touch with the wave.

  • ELICA Performing on Stage, September 2021

    ELICA Performing on Stage, September 2021

    I was performing on stage in Tokyo last week and want to share the beautiful photos with you.

    The piece was written by Dea Loher, a famous German playwright, called “Ja, es gibt eine Vision für die Theater der Zukunft” (Yes, There is the Vision of the Future of Theatre).

    Check my blog site here.

  • Tanzawa Lake and Japanese Farm House Life

    Tanzawa Lake and Japanese Farm House Life

    One cloudy day, I went to TanZawa Lake. It provides water for Kanagawa prefecture.

    You can only approach by car, which means theare are not so many people there. That means the air is crisp and clean. The atmosphere is quite different from Okutama Lake of Tokyo, though Okutama is also beautiful and clean. How shall I put the difference? This Tanzawa Lake is quieter, bearing old Japan of 100 years ago.

    There are an old style Japanese farm life style museum. You can see a people’s house, not aristocratic, just an ordinary farm house.

    As I put some notes in the photographs below, I realized the similarities in the architecture of Japanese farm house and Shakespearean farm houses (even theatre!). Thatched roof and white mud. Isn’t it interesting to think of human thinking process?

    • Left is a living are. Right is a barn.
    • Red Maple. The rood is thatched, same as Shakespearean English farm house.
    • Golden Ginko. The wall is white mud, same as Shakespearean Globe.
    • You see a literal character on the roof, meaning “water”. To write “water” on the roof was believed to prevent fire and lightening struck.

    Some lake photographs and me, too.

    • Hey!
    • Hi!
    • Miscanthus is the symbol of autumn.
    • Never seen this plant. It seems they are flowers.
    • Hi!

    Where to Eat

    There are two restaurants in front of the farm house museum.
    I recommend the smaller one which focuses on Soba menu.
    (The bigger one has deer meat and other lovely menue as well!)

    Look at this big size Tempura plate!
    When you order Tempura Soba, you have Soba and Tempura in separate plate, for the amount of Tempura is so big!
    (I order hot soba. You can choose cold soba, too.)

    Tempura is with big Prawn and forest vegetables and mushroom. Great and very satisfying!

    AzumaYa
  • Red & Golden Autumn

    Red & Golden Autumn

    Why Do I Write Travel Blog?

    Acting is about looking inside yourself. We actors (and directors and writers) need to experience as much as possible, as long as it is safe and nobody gets hurt.

    This is why I put travel diary in my Zen Acting blog.

    Though you may see me just having fun, I learn and take in so many things which might help in my acting, directing, and creative writing.
    When you visit (or virtual visit through videos), allow yourself to take in the surprises like a child.

    Another beautiful Japanese autumn.

    Kawaguchi Lake, by Mt. Fuji.

    There is an antique music automata collection museum by Kawaguchi Lake.

    It is modelled in Western European style houses and gardens, for we Japanese admire and yearn to live like white European since when we opened our country to Western civilization in the late 19th century.

    Well, I need to write a full thick book to talk about how we Japanese became to have complexed mind and longing for Western culture. So I should stop here.

    Enjoy the beatiful red Momiji maple leaves and me!

    • Balcony of Main Restaurant.
    • Blessed with Diamond Sun
    • Hello, Mt. Fuji
    • Scarlet canopy!
    • Golden picture frame.
    • Blessed by the Sacred Energy.
    • Hi, there!
    • Long legs.
    • Great sky!
    • Poplars like in France.
    • Good Old Serene Japan.
    • Longing to be European.
    • Singing Bird Automata of 18th Century
    • profile
    • 3 O’clock chime and Fountain Dance
    • Captured a Moment!
    • She lives here.
    • A Swan House.
    • Such a special view!
    • What can I say?
  • Kawamata River High Bridge

    Kawamata River High Bridge

    Another beautiful Japanese autumn view spot.
    When you go visit the beautiful DoRyu Waterfall, 
    don’t forget to put your step onto a long and high bridge of Kawamata River.

    The deep valley overlooking the river Kawamata at the bottom, you are surrounded by the beautiful multi colored hills.
    The bridge is settled at the very high point and you feel like floating above the valley.This is such a wonderful feeling very rare to experience near Tokyo.(Well, 3 hours drive from Shinjuku).

    You will see a superb surprising thing, too, if the weather is nice like my video.

    Enjoy! And don’t forget to subscribe to ELICA MIWA.

  • Golden Waterfall: DoRyu

    Golden Waterfall: DoRyu

    I visited one of rare waterfalls in Japan.
    It is called DoRyu Waterfall, meaning Throwing-up Dragon…yes, wow, isn’t it?

    DoRyu 吐竜

    DoRyu in Japanese kanji character is 吐竜。

    吐 is pronounced as Do [do].
    It means both breathing out and throwing up.
    The fundamental meaning must be strong gush of something coming out from a mouth.

    You see the charcater is composed with 口 and 土.
    口 is mouth.
    土 is earth.

    The second character 竜 [ryu:] means dragon.

    Japanese language is easy!

    Anyway, I want to show you beautiful Japanese autumn when all the mountains and waters turn red and gold.


    https://youtu.be/ri0USH9dZ1o


    I am so appreciated if you subscribe my youtube channel.

    Wait for the next one!