We are thrilled to announce a nō dance performance and 2-day workshop in Bologna, Italy, on August 6-8, 2025. The event is organized by Nipponica in collaboration with the International Noh Institute.
Performance
The performance is part of the event Il Sole di Hiroshima, an evening of remembrance, peace, and solidarity inspired by the Hiroshima tōrōnagashi lantern ceremony, organized by the Nipponica festival. Held on August 6 at the Giardino del Cavaticcio in Bologna, the event includes lantern floating, Japanese food, cultural activities for children, and a special performance of nō dance by the Udaka family (Kongō school).
This year’s edition supports AGEOP, a local charity assisting children with cancer. Donations for the lanterns will help fund medical care and free accommodation for families in treatment. Entrance is free.
Workshop
Nipponica will also host an exceptional intensive workshop dedicated to the art of nō theatre—one of the oldest and most refined forms of Japanese stage tradition, where chant, dance, music, and spirituality merge into a performance of profound resonance. Characterized by the essential quality of its choreography, rich symbolism, and deep evocative power, nō offers a unique theatrical experience, capable of speaking to contemporary audiences through ancient forms.
The workshop, with a total duration of 8 hours, will be led by Udaka Tatsushige and Udaka Norishige, professional actors of the prestigious Kongō school, and direct heirs of master Udaka Michishige, a key figure in the contemporary transmission of nō. The event will be coordinated by Diego Pellecchia (Associate Professor, Kyoto Sangyo University – Visiting Professor, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna).
The International Noh Institute 