Classic Foundation
Utilizing the rigorous 600-year-old movement patterns of the Shigeyama family Kyogen tradition and the spiritual precision of Noh performance.
Our Story
The Spirit of Noh-Kyogen
Since 1981, Noho Theatre Group has pursued a singular vision: to let the discipline of classical Japanese theatre speak through Western and original texts — and to let those texts find new life on the Noh stage.
SINCE 1981
KYOTO, JAPAN
The Founders
A Cross-Cultural Partnership
Noho was founded in Kyoto by Jonah Salz, a scholar-director of intercultural performance, and Akira Shigeyama, a master of the Shigeyama Kyogen family tradition. Their collaboration united rigorous classical training with experimental dramaturgy.
Salz brought deep research into Noh and Kyogen alongside Western avant-garde theatre. Shigeyama brought six centuries of embodied technique — movement, voice, and the aesthetics of ma (negative space) — passed down through generations.
45+
YEARS OF PERFORMANCE
12
INTERNATIONAL TOURS
30+
ADAPTED WORKS
Mission
Bridging Diverse Cultures
We explore the spirit and techniques of Noh-Kyogen while adapting stories by Beckett, Yeats, Shakespeare, and contemporary playwrights. Our work is both archival and alive: honouring tradition while inventing new forms of intercultural dialogue.
Western Fusion
Reinterpreting Beckett, Yeats, and Shakespeare through the lens of Japanese aesthetics, silence, and ma — the charged space between action and stillness.
World Stages
From Avignon to Edinburgh, Hong Kong to the United States — sharing Kyoto's experimental spirit with international audiences and collaborators.
Philosophy
The Art of Ma
In Noh, silence is not emptiness but presence. Noho treats negative space as a compositional principle — on stage, in text, and in design. We invite audiences to dwell in that space: to listen, to wait, and to discover what emerges.
"The art of Noh is the bridge between the visible world and the invisible spirit."
Milestones
A Brief Genealogy
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First productions in Kyoto, including Beckett and Yeats adaptations.
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International touring begins; Waiting for Godot enters repertoire.
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Performances at National Noh Theatre, Tokyo.
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Edinburgh Fringe and Avignon Festival appearances.
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Continuing research, performance, and intercultural workshops.
Experience Noho
Explore our archive, attend a performance, or reach out for collaboration.