Noh Reimagined is an international platform for artistic creation, research, commissioning and cultural exchange, founded and produced by Mu Arts.
A Living Tradition
Noh is one of the world’s oldest continuously performed theatre traditions. For more than 650 years, its artistic knowledge has been transmitted directly from master to disciple through rigorous training and lifelong practice. Our mission is to reveal the continuing relevance of the 650-year-old tradition of Japanese Noh by bringing together master Noh performers and leading contemporary artists from around the world.
Noh Reimagined works with distinguished professional Noh performers whose artistry represents the highest standards of this living tradition. By presenting classical masterpieces performed with authenticity and artistic excellence, we offer international audiences rare opportunities to experience the depth, beauty and philosophy of Noh.
Beyond Preservation
We believe that preserving tradition also means allowing it to inspire new generations.
Working alongside composers, theatre-makers, visual artists, choreographers, writers and researchers, master Noh performers become creative collaborators in the development of new works, artistic research and interdisciplinary experimentation.
Together, they explore how the principles of Noh—time, memory, nature, stillness and the invisible—can generate new artistic languages for the twenty-first century.
Learning and Knowledge Exchange
Master Noh performers lead workshops, masterclasses, artistic residencies and research laboratories, sharing knowledge that cannot be learned from books alone. Through direct exchange with artists, students and audiences, centuries of embodied practice continue to evolve within contemporary culture.
What We Do
- Present classical masterpieces of Noh.
- Commission new interdisciplinary works and present them on international arts stages.
- Support artistic research and experimentation.
- Develop international residencies and laboratories.
- Create opportunities for knowledge exchange.
- Deliver workshops and public engagement programmes.
- Build long-term partnerships between Japan and the international arts community.
Noh Reimagined: A Living Tradition for the 21st Century
Noh Reimagined is building an international platform where classical excellence and contemporary creativity exist side by side.
We believe that Noh is not simply an art form to be preserved, but a living source of artistic knowledge capable of shaping the future of global performance, artistic research and cultural exchange.s they are spiritually resonant.
Noh Reimagined is founded and directed by Akiko Yanagisawa (Mu Arts)
A Decade of Reimagining Noh
Since 2016, Noh Reimagined has become a leading platform for artistic exchange, bringing together the classical tradition of Noh with contemporary artists across disciplines, cultures, and borders.
By the Numbers
- 27 master Noh performers from Japan (2016–2025), collaborating with more than 50 artists from the UK and Europe.
- 17 world premieres commissioned across music, dance, visual arts, theatre, and neuroscience.
- 13,500+ audience members reached through performances in London, Tokyo, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, and at the internationally renowned Aldeburgh Festival.
- 1,000+ workshop participants, introducing artists, studDecade of Reimagining Noh
- Since 2016, Noh Reimagined has become a leading platform for artistic exchange, bringing together the classical tradition of Noh with contemporary artists across disciplines, cultures, and borders.
Artists & Collaborators
Over the past decade, Noh Reimagined has built lasting partnerships with leading cultural institutions while creating opportunities for artists from diverse disciplines to work alongside Japan’s foremost Noh practitioners.
Institutional Partners
Kings Place • Clod Ensemble • Sound and Music • The Place • Birmingham Contemporary Music Group • Britten Pears Arts, Edinburgh International Book Festival •Japan Foundation London/Madrid/Rome •
Featured Collaborators
Visual artist Cerith Wyn Evans; composers Ben Nobuto and Hollie Harding; musicians Evan Parker, David Toop, and Aidan O’Rourke;Brìghde Chaimbeul , the acclaimed dance company Thick & Tight, Kathleen Jamie and more .
Critical Acclaim
“The universality of grief needs no translation.” ★★★★★ — The Guardian
“I cannot praise this two-day festival enough.” ★★★★★ — Planet Hugill
“Noh Reimagined holds significant potential to influence British contemporary artists.”— Ben Nobuto ( composer)
