Mindblown: a blog about ELICA’s love.
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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!
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New Year 2022
For my international friends: 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.
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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.
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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.
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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 […]
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Secret Floating Bridge
At the deep end of Tokyo, there is a huge reservoir lake called OkTama (Okutama). And farther deep to the west of the lake, there is a floating bridge. Once, there were small villages on both sides of the mountains. But about 70 years ago, the area was drowned to make a huge reservoir lake to provide drinking water for Tokyo people. The two villages, though fortunately saved from being drown, lost contacts with each other. The mountains west of Tokyo are unbelievably steep, if not so high, and without bridges it is almost impossible to reach the village on the other side. So, when the dam divided those villages, […]
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