Ding-Dong it’s Tchindon!

On November 7, a special presentation of the movie Tchindon will take place in the unique setting of Kaho Gekijyo Theater in Iizuka City. Directed by Emil. M. Sibelius and released just under a year ago, Tchindon tells the story of a group of traditional street performers and stars real-life Tchindon troupe Adachi Sendensha, who are based here in Fukuoka.

Before going on any further, though, it might first be useful to elucidate a little more on Tchindon itself. This uniquely Japanese phenomenon emerged in Osaka during the middle of the nineteenth century when merchants and salespeople started to advertise their wares with musical performance and street entertainment. It wasn’t long before groups of performers, who became known as Tchindonya, appeared around the country, advertising various different products and establishments. The word Tchindon is onomatopoeic and could be loosely translated, in a more Western-friendly way, to ding dong. Tchindonya were difficult to miss with their colorful, over-the-top Edo-period costumes and the din they made with their marching bands and this mode of advertisement remained popular until the advent of the Second World War, with a brief revival in the 1950s.

Unfortunately, the massive advances in technology that have characterised the last number of decades have not been kind to Tchindon and today it is very much a dying art. However, there are still a number of companies who have managed to carve out a niche for themselves, not least of all Adachi Sendensha. The collective is led by Hideya Adachi, who graced the cover of this very magazine back in September 2005. A former rock musician and radio announcer, Adachi discovered Tchindon just over a decade ago and took to it immediately. His group has since won several national competitions.
Although shot in and around Fukuoka and featuring a largely Japanese cast, Tchindon’s script is entirely in French. If you’re wondering where the French connection could possibly be in all of this then look no further than Jean Christian Bouvier, a former university instructor in Fukuoka and a long-term member of the group (also a FN cover boy, July 2004). In fact, one of the reasons for the production of the movie in the first place was to mark the 150th anniversary of official relations between France and Japan.

Beyond the film itself, the venue for the screening is another massive draw to the event. Constructed in 1921, Kaho Gekijyo Theater is one of the few remaining traditional wooden playhouses in Japan and the only one in the Chikuho area, a district once inundated with such establishments. Its survival comes against all odds as the building was destroyed by fire and a typhoon in 1928 and 1930, respectively, and it suffered massive flood damage in 2003. Designed in the Edo style, it boasts all manner of charming features including a revolving stage, wooden box seats and long walkways called hanamichi, which lead to the stage through the audience and allow actors to make suitably dramatic entrances.

The screening will be preceded by a performance by Adachi Sendensha which should make for an entertainingly old-school overture to the main event. As for the movie itself, director Emil. M. Sibelius describes it as follows: “The film is a puzzle. It is up to you to reassemble the scattered pieces and complete the picture.” It sounds like a most intriguing prospect, then, and one not to be missed.

Doors open at 13:30 and proceedings get underway at 14:00. Tickets are ¥2,000 in advance and ¥2,500 at the door. For more information on buying tickets and getting to the theater, you can contact the venue itself on 0948-22-0266 or visit the official movie website at tchindon1.web.fc2.com