Yoshito Ohno’s Butoh Image Memo

The following is an example of Butoh Image Memo, an excerpt from Hijiakta’s Butoh Notations for Yoshito Ohno. These are choreographic words given to Yoshito Ohno by Tatsumi Hijikata for a stage comeback of The Dead Sea.

A tree is growing, growing
downwards
Past, present, future
The tree grows
Past, present, future
A rooftop bird
Becoming a stone, becoming a rock
Pain
Ah, it hurts
Yoshito-san, somebody behind me is
calling. Turn around!
There’s nobody there
Jack and the Beanstalk.
Reaching towards the sky
Slumber
Pegasus
A scarf around your neck
Mont Blanc
a lace curtain
Repentance
Finally, the stretched out hand of
Europe
A febrile mother
Closing paper screens
Beheading Prayer
An open bible

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Yoshito Ohno, Flowerbird Butoh: A Way of Life, Tokyo, Canta, 2015.