KOBE, Japan—Shen Yun Performing Arts held three performances from Feb. 11–12 at the Kobe Bunka Hall in Kobe, a cultural hub in the Kansai region of Japan. Each performance was sold out, and the venue’s management marveled and described the turnout as a “miracle” in the theater’s history.
“The Shen Yun show is world-class in every aspect,” said Nobuo Kamioka, a special consultant to MRTad Co. Ltd. and Miyazaki Television Broadcasting Group.
“I can hardly imagine the level of dedication required to attain such mastery. Their effort truly moved me, and I sincerely respect the Shen Yun performers,” he added.
Shen Yun is based in New York, and its artists are trained in classical Chinese dance. Mr. Kamioka expressed his admiration for the mastery that the artists displayed.
“Achieving such technical excellence requires extraordinary spirit and perseverance akin to that of gods,” he said.
“From the second floor, I noticed a true sense of harmony between the stage and the orchestra pit. When dozens or even hundreds of people work together in perfect harmony, the synergy between their thoughts and the performance is truly magnificent and moving,” he said.
“The performance was amazing! The seamless integration of the stage and the three-dimensional backdrop made me feel like I was truly there,” exclaimed Mr. Kamioka.
China was once known as the land of the divine. It was believed that Chinese culture was divinely inspired. Mr. Kamioka commented that “Shen Yun highlights the vastness and profundity of Chinese traditional culture.”
“The superb skills and vitality of Shen Yun performers inspire me to live with more passion,” he said.
Mr. Aoyama was struck by the lyrics of Shen Yun’s songs. Shen Yun’s digital backdrop projects a translation of the text so that audiences around the world are able to understand what is being sung.
“The song ‘Life Is Waiting’ touched my heart and enlightened me,” said Mr. Aoyama.
“I am almost a non-believer. I was not interested in the existence of gods—I cared only about humanity. But the performance changed my view of faith,” he added.
“The song included the text, ‘Many people are reincarnations of gods, coming from beyond the heavens,’ and this new information shocked me,” said Mr. Aoyama.
Shen Yun’s songs and dances are filled with respect for the divine. Mr. Aoyama shared that seeing Shen Yun has given him joy and brought him closer to spirituality.
“Usually, when it comes to the concept of the relationship between humans and gods, the basic perception is [that] gods are great and objects of worship. But from the song, I had a deeper realization: gods actually exist within everyone’s heart. With this new understanding, my heart became fulfilled and joyful,” he said.
From the start of the performance to the ending, Shen Yun captivated Mr. Aoyama with its artistry.
“The opening program of the performance tells the story of gods descending to the world and ending in great perfection. The performance blended profound connotations with perfect artistry and allowed me to feel the continuity of the story in the show. [Shen Yun] uses exquisite dance to express a worldview in a profound yet straightforward manner, it was very effective,” he said.
