People
Directors
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I love wide, open spaces. When I stand in a place where I can see the horizon or the sea stretching out before me, I cannot help but feel a sense of tranquility and the beautiful, majestic scale of nature. For me, the word that best describes this world is ‘vast’.
Although I am nothing more than a ‘tiny speck’ in that vast world, the world I envision in my mind is boundlessly vast, beautiful and brimming with creativity.
Bringing the world within my mind to life requires a fair amount of effort. However, the very fact that I can make that effort is, for me, a great joy and a source of pleasure. Together with all you creators who transform your many dreams into ‘goals’ and forge ahead, I wish to bring every work into the world with care, generosity and without compromise. I hope that this will nourish someone’s soul and lead to a contribution to the Earth and to living in harmony with it.
Though it may seem presumptuous, as Representative and Artistic Director, I am determined to devote my utmost efforts to shaping our artistic vision.
It is because of you all, and because the world exists, that I can live; never forgetting this gratitude, I shall dedicate every day to creation. I shall listen sincerely to your many opinions, advice and even criticism, and strive to create works with all my heart.
Thank you very much, and I hope for your continued support.
Biography
At the age of 16, she went to study in the UK on her own. After completing secondary school, she completed a foundation course at UAL: Wimbledon College of Arts, went on to earn a bachelor’s degree at UAL: Central Saint Martins, and obtained a master’s degree from the Slade School of Fine Art at UCL, specialising in Theatre Design. Whilst a student, she worked professionally alongside her studies.
In 2003, she was discovered by Rupert Goold CBE at the ‘Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design’ and became the first Asian finalist in the competition’s history. In 2007, she was named a finalist for the ‘JMK Award’ alongside director Sophie Fletcher. In 2008, she was a semi-finalist in the ‘Ring Award’—a gateway to success for emerging talents in the opera world—alongside director Alessandro Talevi. Since then, several productions which she designed have won awards and top prizes.
From 2019 to 2022, she founded the production company Fabula Collective Ltd with the aim of fostering cultural exchange between Japan and the UK and served as its Creative Director. Her stage productions included the contemporary dance performance “Elevation” at the Cerulean Tower Noh Theatre in May 2019, followed by “LEY LINE” at the Lilian Baylis Theatre in London in October of the same year; and in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she presented “HUMAN.”—a dance triple bill inspired by British literature, including “Macbeth”, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “The Picture of Dorian Gray”—at the Pit of the New National Theatre in Tokyo. In September 2022, the dance performance “MOMENTUM ~lost and found~”, featuring the world premieres of all seven works, was staged at Sadler’s Wells in London and proved a resounding success.
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I believe that everyone has a role to play.
I was deeply moved by the first Kabuki performance I saw at the Kabuki-za in May 1964. I subsequently revived the Kokugakuin University Kabuki Research Society, and after telephoning Mr Yukio Mishima to request a congratulatory message for the society’s third-anniversary performance—and receiving a verbal message from him—I have devoted decades of my life to the world of classical performing arts.
In 2004, I organised a special project across four European countries for “Shunkan”—a play common to Noh, Bunraku and Kabuki—bringing together performers from each genre to compare and showcase their interpretations. It all began with a single proposal I drafted. At the time, when asked, ‘Is a project like this really possible?’, I replied, ‘We won’t know until we try.’ Upon hearing the response, ‘Then please come back once you’ve managed to make it happen,’ my creative spirit was ignited, and I succeeded in fusing these three major classical performing arts—which had previously had almost no interaction—to deliver a successful performance.
I have always been one to make decisions swiftly and without hesitation. It seems to be in my nature to simply get started, even on things I won’t know until I’ve tried them.
My connection with Ms Yukiko Tsukamoto dates back to when she was nearing graduation from university in the UK. When she asked me to serve as Executive Director of this organisation, the founding statement read: ‘We believe that only when these two wheels—“wisdom” (the eyes that discern the essence of things and the truth of beauty) and “practice” (the feet that embody this to the world)—are in perfect harmony can we guide society to the supreme richness brought by culture and the arts’. That ‘truth of beauty’ resonates with my own belief in the existence of absolute beauty, and so I decided to join the organisation.
I do not yet know what my role within this organisation will entail, nor whether I will be of any real use, but I intend to place my trust in Ms Yukiko Tsukamoto’s enthusiasm, her ability to get things done, and her strong determination to break new ground.
Biography
In 1963, he enrolled in the Department of Japanese Literature, Faculty of Letters, at Kokugakuin University. Whilst a student, he revived the Kabuki Research Society and, on the occasion of its third-anniversary performance, even telephoned Yukio Mishima to request a congratulatory message. In November 1970, just three days before Mishima took his own life, he was personally handed by Mishima a hand-annotated script for the Bunraku play “Tsubaki-setsu Yumihari-zuki” (unfinished).
He joined the National Theatre in 1967. Working in the Performing Arts Department’s Production Office and other divisions, he was involved in the production and direction of a wide range of traditional performing arts, with a focus on Kabuki. He supported the productions whilst maintaining close ties with numerous renowned actors who epitomised the Shōwa era, including Onoue Shōroku II, Nakamura Utaemon VI, Ichikawa Danjūrō XII (then known as Ebizō), Onoue Kikugorō VII (then known as Kikunosuke) and Bando Tamasaburō V.
As a planner and producer, he also distinguished himself through approaches that transcended the boundaries of classical theatre. For the 1994 performances marking the 125th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Austria, he conceived, wrote the script for and produced “Shunkan”, a work fusing the three major traditional theatre forms of Kabuki, Bunraku and Noh. The production was a resounding success, attracting audiences of over 10,000 people across four European cities, including Vienna and London.
From 2006 to 2010, he served as Executive Director of the Japan Arts Council (formerly the National Theatre of Japan), and for 43 years he devoted himself to the promotion and development of traditional performing arts at that theatre. In recognition of these achievements, he received the Japan Theatre Association Award in 1998 and the 7th JTS Kuni-zan Yamamoto Memorial Award in 2024. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Japan Theatre Association and Vice-President of the Japan Dance Association, amongst other roles.
His passion and devotion to Japan’s traditional performing arts, spanning more than half a century, are profound, extending from the revival of Kabuki performances and the nurturing of young talent to the preservation and instruction of Ryukyuan dance and Kumiodori in Okinawa. His vast knowledge and overwhelming aesthetic sensibility, honed through hands-on experience, remain a solid foundation underpinning Japan’s performing arts culture to this day.
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Since opening the firm that would become the current Crowe Watanabe Co. in January 1997, we have strived to uphold professional ethics as accounting professionals and to serve as trusted partners to society.
While maintaining close communication with a diverse range of clients, I occasionally found myself wondering what would drive our growth so that we could become an indispensable profession in an era of accelerating globalisation. The power of culture was always in the back of my mind. This is because I often find time to attend theater performances, I experienced how doing so allows me to start each new day with a fresh mindset.
When I received a direct introduction email from Ms. Yukiko Tsukamoto—through who serves as an executive director of the alumni association at my alma mater—and viewed her website (it was still under construction) detailing her 30 years of achievements in the UK and her vision for the future, I was struck by a worldview that made me want to express my feelings in my own words.
At our first meeting, the conversation began with how to communicate while finding common ground with the next generation. Without hesitation, Ms. Tsukamoto replied, “Culture is what bridges the gap created by generational differences.” Hearing her powerful, confident answer—rooted in her own experience—which reinforced my own thoughts, my interest doubled instantly. The very next day, I received another email from her. After learning about Ms. Tsukamoto’s convictions, way of life, and ideals—and recognising the courage she showed in asking me to serve on the board—I replied that I would accept the position.
I have a feeling that being able to support the creative field as an accountant will create a synergistic effect, giving me the opportunity to start work again tomorrow with a fresh outlook. Just like the lingering afterglow I felt the day after visiting theatres.
Biography
Certified Public Accountant and Tax Accountant.
Representative Partner of Crowe Watanabe Co.; CEO and Managing Partner of Crowe Watanabe Consulting Co.
Joined Chuo Audit Corporation (now Ernst & Young ShinNihon LLC) in 1989. Registered as a Certified Public Accountant in 1993 and as a Tax Accountant in 1997. In the same year, he established the Yoshiki Watanabe Certified Public Accountant Office and assumed the position of Managing Partner.
In 2000, he founded Capital Strategy Consulting Co., Ltd. (now Crowe Watanabe Consulting Co.) and assumed the position of CEO. In 2004, he reorganised the Yoshiki Watanabe Certified Public Accountant Office into the Watanabe Tax Corporation (now Crowe Watanabe Co.) and became its Representative Partner.
Currently, in addition to providing a wide range of corporate support services—including tax and accounting, business succession, M&A, and management consulting—he serves as an auditor for the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra Public Interest Incorporated Foundation and the Watanabe Foundation for Music & Culture General Incorporated Foundation, as well as holding executive positions at several companies and organisations in the fields of culture and the arts.
Advisors
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When I was a teenager, I lost a close friend to illness. That experience led me to aspire to become a doctor. Later, however, when I was compelled to give up that path and found myself asking what I might be able to do instead, I encountered the world of theatre.
On stage, I saw one actor speak of the preciousness of life and love. His words reached me more deeply than any experience I had known until then, or any book or film I had encountered. Through that moment, I came to understand the profound power of storytelling.
Since then, I have had the privilege of working on stage productions across a wide range of genres like opera, musical, play and traditional theatre. Some have depicted acts of violence; others have told stories of betrayal and human cruelty. Yet the works to which I have felt a true connection, and to which I have devoted myself, have always confronted the painful realities of the world while also illuminating how we face sorrow and anger, and how deeply important it is to cherish what is truly precious.
There are two principles that guide my choice of works. The first is that there must be a story. The second is that the story must convey, or invite us to reflect upon, the importance of life and love.
With these principles at the heart of my work, I hope to continue engaging sincerely with stories born from many different eras, countries, cultures, and beliefs.
It is a great honour to have the opportunity to work with this company and with colleagues for whom I have the deepest trust and respect. I sincerely look forward to creating a work that will allow us to share a meaningful and irreplaceable time with our audiences.
Biography
Tetsu Taoshita is a director and playwright specialising in opera, theatre, musicals and Kabuki. He studied architecture and psychology at the University of Tokyo and holds a Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Information Studies from the same institution; he is renowned for his meticulously calculated spatial composition and profound psychological insight. Having studied Western theatre and trained in directing under the renowned German director Michael Hampe, he was awarded the ‘Goto Memorial Cultural Prize (Opera Category)’ in 2009.
His major works include “The Tale of the Heike” at Omiya Sonic City, “Lucia” at the Nissay Theatre, “The Golden Pavilion” at the Kanagawa Prefectural Hall, and “Madama Butterfly” at the Aichi Triennale.
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You define your own limits.
The fact that there are similar quotes regarding limitations in various cultures around the world reflects how people have always struggled with unseen barriers within their mind.
Despite the simplicity of this phrase, committing to this idea becomes more and more difficult as you find your place in society. Reality, conventional ways of thinking, everyday life, and the pressure for harmony within your community drive your imagination into a safe but constrained box.
However, once in a while, an adventurous individual with unconventional creativity opens a path out of that box, and even takes a few others along with them. Such precious harbingers break the stalemate of converged relationships and expand people’s limits.
And now, it is with our representative with such rare talents that we are establishing a production team specialising in paving a way for such intercultural adventures.
Myself having grown up experiencing two cultures, and considering bridging people between different cultures my life’s work, I look forward to help creating a place where unspoken voices can be spoken and the vast potentials of talented individuals can take the spotlight.
I am hoping our work resonates with you and earns your support.
Biography
Yudai Mark Iwasaki is an actor, interpreter and English coach originally from the United States. Whilst studying at the Faculty of Letters (English and American Literature) at the University of Tokyo, he started training acting and Japanese traditional arts at the Theatre Club “Za” Actors Training Centre. After graduating, he established himself as a Shakespearean actor, primarily with the theatre company ‘Kakushinhan’. He has appeared in numerous stage productions, including Shakespearean plays, works by NODA·MAP and international collaborative productions by PARCO.
He is also active as an acting coach and director, participating in theatre projects that contribute to education and society both in Japan and abroad. Utilising his native-level English proficiency, he also works as an interpreter, translator and English coach at productions in venues including the New National Theatre Tokyo, KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theatre, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre. Furthermore, with his multifaceted skills, he serves as an instructor at venues such as the Asahi Culture Centre. His specialities include English (native American speaker, interpreting, translation), Kyogen, samurai sword-fighting, and stage movement.
As an acting coach, he has provided acting guidance for the University of Tokyo Chorus Aragusa original musicals (since 2009) and acting direction for the Tokyo Horror Hospital (2015, Taipei, organised by the United Daily News, planned by Toei). He serves as an instructor at Kakushinhan Studio (since 2018), a guest lecturer in the Vocal Music Department at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music (since 2020), an instructor at the Asahi Culture Centre Yokohama (since 2020), and an instructor at the School of Theatre (since 2023).
Members
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Biography
In 2011, he founded ‘jiyume’.
As a hair and make-up artist and photographer, he pursues his own unique visual expression. Through his exceptional creative skills and refined sensibility, he brings out the inner beauty and individuality of his subjects, producing works with a strong narrative quality that he shares both in Japan and abroad.
His work has been highly acclaimed at international awards ceremonies around the world, and in 2021 he was awarded the title of ‘TOP 100 Photographers’. In 2022, he won Platinum at the London Photography Awards and the European Photography Awards, and also secured Gold at the NEW YORK Photography Awards, the ND Awards and the Muse Awards.
As a hair and make-up artist, he was named a WINNER at the IBI Awards for two consecutive years in 2022 and 2023, and at the ONESHOT Awards for two consecutive years in 2023 and 2024. In 2023, he was also named a WINNER at the FIGARO Awards in Spain, among numerous other international accolades.
Whilst receiving recognition on a global scale, he refuses to be confined by existing notions of beauty and constantly challenges himself to explore new forms of expression. With a unique artistic vision that combines delicacy and strength, grace and avant-garde elements, he continues to expand the possibilities of hair, make-up and photography.
Supporters
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Biography
Tsutomu Ishida is a graphic designer, web designer and WordPress developer. He began his design career in Tokyo in 1998 and has been based in London since 2004, spending over two decades helping Japanese organisations and businesses establish their presence in the UK.
His work spans branding, print, editorial design and website development. Across food, travel, culture and community, the question remains the same: how something Japanese should present itself on British ground. He has worked on one of the largest Japanese culture events in the UK since its first edition in 2010.
He has collaborated with Yukiko Tsukamoto since her Fabula Collective years, creating the posters and promotional artwork for “HUMAN.” in 2021 and “MOMENTUM ~lost and found~” in 2022. For MMCO, he is responsible for the visual identity, including the logo.
He is currently based in Wellington, New Zealand, with a return to London planned in the near future. Born in Iwata, Shizuoka. He holds a BA in Business Administration from Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo.
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Biography
Emi Del Bene is a London-based Japanese-Italian project and marketing coordinator with ten years’ experience, having worked with Sadler’s Wells, Fabula Collective, Alexander Whitley Dance Company, New Movement Collective, Dickson Mbi Company, as well as with universities such as Roger Williams University and UCL.
She holds a degree in World Performance from East 15, University of Essex, and an MA in Victorian Studies from Birkbeck, University of London.