An Intense Showdown Between an Eternal Master and an Eternal Queen!

'Traditional+ [Vol. 3] Playing with Hyakunin Isshu' was planned as part of 'Tokyo Tradition WA Emotion,' an initiative by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and others, to widely convey Japan's proud traditional performing arts and culture, such as Noh, Japanese dance, and tea ceremony, both domestically and internationally.

On the day, a demonstration of competitive karuta, familiar from the manga 'Chihayafuru' which depicts youth through the sport, will be held. A major match between Saigo Naoki, an Eternal Master with 14 consecutive championship wins, and Watanabe Reike, one of only three Eternal Queens in history, will be broadcast live, allowing spectators to witness the thrilling martial art on the tatami mats.

The second part will transport you back to the Heian period court. You can learn the ancient recitation style, complete with its own rhythm, which is performed at events like the court's poetry gatherings. We invite you to experience a different dimension by not just reading the 31 syllables of waka poems, which capture love and seasonal landscapes, but by reciting them melodiously to the gentle sound of the sho.

This event allows you to learn about, hear, see, and play with 'Hyakunin Isshu,' a quintessential part of the Japanese New Year. We hope you will savor the profound depth of a culture passed down for a thousand years, the beauty of the Japanese language's sounds, and the elegant flavor evoked by its intonation.