Dancing against diseases

Anti-pandemic performances: Japanese ancestors overcame fear of epidemics through power of performing arts like kabuki, which has a technique called ‘nirami’ or glare which is said to have the power of protecting its audience from illness for a year.

JAPANESE people have suffered from infectious diseases like Covid-19 many times in recorded history – and their ancestors tried to overcome the fear of epidemics with the power of the performing arts.

In kabuki, for example, the Ichikawa Danjuro family has a technique called “nirami” (glare).