On August 1, 2026, high school students from Kyoto and the UK participated in a program at Seiryo-ji Temple in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, to experience "Saga Dainenbutsu Kyogen"—one of Kyoto's three major *nenbutsu kyogen* (Buddhist chant-based pantomime) performances. By learning the significance of the stylized movements and trying on the masks, the students gained an appreciation for the depth of this traditional art form.
The program was held as a cultural exchange activity in conjunction with the "UK-Japan Young Scientist Workshop," a science experiment and research event organized by the Rikkyo School Corporation that began in Tokyo on August 4. A total of 31 students took part, including those from Kyoto University of Education Senior High School and Kyoto Notre Dame High School, alongside students from the UK.
Members of the Saga Dainenbutsu Kyogen Preservation Society explained the history and movements of the art form. The students learned that Saga Kyogen is a folk performing art dating back to the late Kamakura period and is a form of silent drama that conveys meaning through movement rather than spoken dialogue.
Stepping onto the stage, the students learned the meaning behind specific movements and watched a scene from the play *Tsuchigumo* (The Earth Spider). During the mask-wearing session, they were amused and surprised to see one another wearing the masks over traditional headscarves.
Henry Warren, a 17-year-old student from the UK, expressed his admiration, noting, "We don't have theater without words in the UK, so I find it fascinating how meaning is conveyed through movement."
