The challenge facing Kazufusa Hosho is one that many guardians of traditional Japanese art forms know well: ensuring the survival of a centuries-old culture by attracting new and younger audiences.
The 32-year-old is a 20th-generation head of the Hosho Noh School, which is based in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward and is the second-largest of its kind in Japan. When not acting on stage, Hosho plays the roles of director (for modern noh performances), researcher (scouring old texts for possible revival ideas) and cultural ambassador (traveling to places such as China and Italy to introduce people to the theatrical genre).
Currently, Hosho's focus is not overseas but squarely on Tokyo. He has teamed up with novelist Seiko Ito and translator Jay Rubin to present "Mizukagami of Noh: Hagoromo" ("A Reflection of Noh: The Feather Mantle").