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Jim Cathcart
For Jim Cathcart's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
CULTURE / Art
Oct 14, 2000
Fostering creative collaboration
Australian Aborigines used the boomerang as an effective hunting tool. Flying in a huge sweeping arc, it would mercilessly kill or maim anything that crossed its path. The Boomerang Art Project, a collaborative effort between 24 young Kyoto and Bremen artists, seeks to emulate the power of that flight through the creative process. This time, however, the only cutting edge to be found will be the artwork of the participants, who are gathered to live and work together in Kyoto Oct. 5-29, and who will repeat the experience in Bremen next March.
CULTURE / Music
Jul 29, 2000
Kiwi music offers delicious alternatives
For a nation with a population barely equal to that of an international metropolis, New Zealand's vibrant and diverse music scene commands respect for its innovative yet self-effacing approach. From the melodic pop-meisters of the pioneering indie label Flying Nun to the operatic grandeur of Kiri Te Kanawa, this small antipodean nation has produced highly talented musicians whose creativity is often overshadowed by the feats of its international athletes. Nevertheless, many New Zealand musicians have to struggle against financial odds -- an inevitable part of producing music for a small domestic market -- and some simply move on.
CULTURE / Music
Jun 10, 1999
Rockers get down for Tibet Freedom weekend
What do an 11th-century Tibetan saint and a member of one of the world's more popular hip-hop groups have in common?
CULTURE / Music
Feb 20, 1999
Kodo beats remixed for a dance groove
In ancient Japan, boundaries between rural villages were not drawn by geography, but by the deep, resonating rhythms of the taiko drum. Kodo, Sado Island's acclaimed taiko troupe, through the preservation, dissemination and study of one of Japan's most internationally celebrated performing arts, has taken this custom further: using the taiko to explore and encompass new boundaries.

Longform

Historically, kabuki was considered the entertainment of the merchant and peasant classes, a far cry from how it is regarded today.
For Japan's oldest kabuki theater, the show must go on