Gagaku — Crossing the Silk Road, Transcending Fifteen Centuries

Born from the meeting of Eastern and Western cultures along the Silk Road, where they encountered and influenced one another, Gagaku is often described as “a treasure trove of Asian music” and “an eternal resonance from across the vast expanse of Eurasia.”
With the dual themes of preserving tradition and fostering new possibilities for the future, we present this performance. Its solemn and ethereal tones, together with its graceful and refined dance, gradually coalesce into a form of prayer—ultimately becoming a message of peace that resonates on the occasion of the 160th anniversary of friendship.

Program Overview
Period:November 10–22, 2026
Performers:Kitanodai Gagaku Ensemble (Public Interest Incorporated Association)
Special Guest:Mr. Shogo Anzai (Former Chief Musician, Music Department of the Imperial Household Agency)
Lectures:Delivered by faculty members of the host universities
Program:
Wagon solo (Japanese zither)
Kangen (instrumental music): Etenraku, Bairo
Saibara (vocal music): Koromogae
Bugaku (dance): Manzairaku, Urayasu no Mai
Venues:
Japan Cultural Institute in Rome (Rome)
Organizer: Japan Cultural Institute in Rome
Teatro San Filippo Neri (Bologna)
Organizers: Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures & Faculty of Arts, University of Bologna
Support: Consulate General of Japan in Milan
Auditorium Santa Margherita, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (Venice)
Organizer: Department of Asian and North African Studies, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
Support: Consulate General of Japan in Milan
Aula Magna (Groot Aula), KU Leuven (Leuven)
Organizer: Japanese Language Department, KU Leuven
Support: Embassy of Japan in Belgium
Grand Auditorium Fontaine, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
Organizer: Faculty of Letters, Translation and Communication, Université libre de Bruxelles
Co-organizer: Embassy of Japan in Belgium
Grants:
Japan Foundation

Expo Commemoration Fund
Toshiba International Foundation