雅文化表現者 Takatoki Nijyo's World

Rebuilding the Miyabi

PROFILE

Born in Tokyo in 1964, he began learning under his grandfather, the 15th head of the Nijyo Oie-ryu, Nijyo Tameharu, at the age of three.
He completed a master's program at Kokugakuin University. In 1997, he succeeded as the head of Kōdō, and assumed the position of chief priest at the Ogetsu-miya Shrine.
In 2008, he founded and became the first head of the Kōdō school "Ogetsu-ryu." He also became the president of the government-approved NPO "Association of Kōdō and Japanese Elegance Culture."
Since then, he has worked to spread and popularize Kōdō through introductions and lectures both domestically and internationally, collaborating with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Agency for Cultural Affairs, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to hold traditional culture classes for children and introduce Japanese Elegance Culture at overseas embassies.
President of the NPO "Association of Kōdō and Japanese Elegance Culture." Former head of Kōdō Ogetsu-ryu, chief priest of Ogetsu-miya, poet, tea master, calligrapher, and Kōdō master.

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CULTURE

  • 01 Waka(Traditional Japanese Poetry)

    The way of singing from the heart, passed down since the Heian period.

    'Sakura leaves, mother's affection, the insects hide away with feelings of relief (※The first poem dedicated to Emperor Showa by the master at the age of 13)

    The Nijyo family, the master's roots, has been engaged in waka poetry for generations, leading the world of waka by establishing a poetry forum in the Heian period.
    "Our family has a unique way of interpreting the Kokin Wakashu, and techniques to infuse oneself into waka have been passed down.
    Culture is words. Weaving the words of that era and infusing them with heart is what a song is.
    Although the form of words changes over time, Japanese people have continuously connected within the same 'language.'
    That is why waka is still recited today, and waka created in the Heian period still touches people's hearts."

  • 02 Kōdō (The Way of Incense)

    A play that can be both healing and cursing.

    "Kōdō is like playing with dolls. This is the scent of Hikaru Genji (prince from classic literature). This is the scent of Oborozukiyo(queen from classic literature).
    You imagine the scent as a doll and play with it in your mind. It's not just guessing; it's about imagination."

    By knowing the background of the scent and expanding your imagination, the space becomes more enjoyable.
    Leaving room for the imagination of others is where Japanese aesthetic consciousness appears.

    "There are also forbidden ways to play, such as those that curse an era. Where there is light, there is also shadow. The depth lies in the fact that the vector is not one-directional."

  • 03 Kado (The Way of Flowers)

    Natural beauty that defies the laws of nature.

    "The ultimate art of subtraction that creates a positive from a negative. Flowers are the easiest to enter, but the most difficult."

    A single leaf can evoke a dense forest. A single flower can make you imagine a blooming tree.
    The world of Kado creates "extremely unnatural" using nature, which is impossible in the natural world.
    There is a unique aesthetic in the Nijyo family's way of arranging flowers.

    "In the Nijyo Oie-ryu, we are taught to contain everything, including flowers and vases, within a 'sphere.'
    I think the difference in the vectors of such a space creates the difference in schools.
    Our family has cultural vectors in all directions."

  • 04 Sado (The Way of Tea)

    The essence of tea is 'chatting.'

    "In the tea ceremony, it doesn't matter how you make the tea or what tools you use. The culture of tea drinking is the same as chatting in a cafe. I think that is the essence of the tea ceremony."

    The master boldly states his radical idea.

    "How you use the time drinking tea with others. What enjoyable conversations you had, what relationships you formed. Within that, the concepts of temae (procedure) and shōgan (appreciation) emerge."

    The tools and plants prepared in the space are all for enriching the time spent with others.
    The master's philosophy, which looks beyond form to the essence of traditional culture, shines through.

  • 05 Shodo (Calligraphy)

    A "unique constitution" that sees characters in three dimensions.

    The master is a descendant of two of the three great calligraphers who perfected Japanese-style calligraphy, Fujiwara NoSukesari and Fujiwara NoYukinari. He himself has left numerous works as a kana calligrapher.

    "I have a congenital condition that makes characters appear three-dimensional to me.
    Perhaps my two ancestors also perceived characters as three-dimensional or spherical.
    The most complete form of a three-dimensional object is a sphere. That might be why these two ancestors were able to perfect calligraphy."

    Among the 100,000 calligraphers, there are only 3,000 kana calligraphers. Even among them, the master's works stand out.

  • 06 Gagaku (Imperial Court Music)

    It is the "top mode" of music.

    "Miyabi refers to the top mode (cutting edge of fashion) of that era. It's recognized by common people. Gagaku, too, was originally for the common people."

    The master says that while Western music is dedicated to God, gagaku, like waka, was something close to everyday life.

    "It might have started as something close to a divine service, but unlike Western gods, Japanese gods were originally human. It was music that humans liked."

    Today, gagaku is often considered highbrow. However, the master advocates returning to its original form and aligning more closely with people as the "top mode" of the era.

  • 07 Play

    How to play in Japan.

    There are many play cultures in Japan, starting with "Kai-awase" (pairing the two parts of clamshells) passed down from the Heian period.

    "As the famous phrase 'We were born to play' suggests, both gods and humans in Japan play. There is no other nation as skilled at finding ways to play. And sometimes the players went to the extreme in their competition, even betting their country or their spouse."

    The master points out that this spirit continues to flow steadily in today's "otaku"(nerd) culture and gaming culture.
    "When the era of 'play' will come to an end, the era following will be 'elegance.' I for one look forward to the flourishing of a top mode culture that moves beyond otaku culture."


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What is the significance of the “sphere”?

In the Nijyo Oie-ryu, there is a concept called "Enso Kiso" (※ Kanji to be confirmed), which perceives beauty as a "sphere."
Front and back, yin and yang, plus and minus. Not just light, but also the subtle shadows create depth in the artistic space. This philosophy is reflected through his activities and works in flower arrangement, tea ceremony, Kōdō, and calligraphy.

Six Circulating Cultures

The master proposes a unique cultural history view that culture is composed of six phenomena: play (asobi), elegance (miyabi), valor (takebi), rustic simplicity (wabi), quiet simplicity (sabi), and roughness (susabi), which constantly circulate.
According to the master, we are currently in a transitional period of 'roughness' and 'play.' After a chaotic era, the top mode of 'elegance' will return.

WORKS