About Hanayagi Juraku

Third generation japanese dancer, the eldest son of Hanayagi Kinnosuke II. He studied under his grandfather, Hanayagi Juraku II, a Living National Treasure, from an early age. In 1990, he assumed the name Hanayagi Kinnosuke III, and in 2009, he assumed the name Hanayagi Juraku III. In addition to providing choreography instruction for Kabuki performances and Yukio Ninagawa’s theatrical productions, he has participated in a wide range of genres, including NHK’s Taiga dramas, the Takarazuka Revue, and OSK. In addition to presiding over the Hanayagi Juraku Dance Company, he also founded the Goyo-kai dance company, a group of five dancers, with the aim of creating a comprehensive art form for the stage, and continues to perform across the country. The elegant expressiveness and technique he displays on a variety of stages have long been highly praised, and he has received numerous awards, including the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize from the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Japan Art Academy Prize. He is a lecturer at the National Theatre Kabuki Training Department and at the Gakushuin Girls’ Junior and Senior High School Japanese Dance Club.