SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Japanese Entrepreneurs Say Shen Yun Brings Hope to People

Jan 29, 2023

NAGOYA, Japan—Many Japanese entrepreneurs attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Aichi Prefectural Art Theater in Nagoya on Jan. 29, and several of them said Shen Yun brought hope to people.

“We are in the pandemic. I was very touched to attend Shen Yun, such a fabulous show,” said Mr. Okamoto Shigeru, the president of a paint manufacturer. “I was moved, and I am excited.”

He said Shen Yun’s programs were brilliant, full of elegance, magic, beauty, and grace.

“The dancers synchronized with each other perfectly, and their flexibility is outstanding,” he said. “They must have received tremendous and strict training. It’s very touching. It’s fantastic.”

Mr. Okamoto said he is a Buddhist, and felt Shen Yun was spiritually encouraging.

“There’s a divine nature in Shen Yun. I felt traditional Chinese culture is given by divine beings,” he said. “The messages that Shen Yun presented resonated with my soul. My heart is incredibly relaxed now.”

Mr. Okamoto said Shen Yun is the best performance he has attended in his life. He felt hope in Shen Yun and was inspired by it.

Mr. Okamoto Shigeru, the president of a paint manufacturer, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Aichi Prefectural Art Theater in Nagoya, Japan, on Jan. 29, 2023. (Annie Gong/The Epoch Times) — Mr. Okamoto Shigeru, the president of a paint manufacturer, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Aichi Prefectural Art Theater in Nagoya, Japan, on Jan. 29, 2023. Annie Gong/The Epoch Times

New York-based Shen Yun is the world’s top classical Chinese dance company, and has a mission to show the beauty and goodness of “China before communism.” For 5,000 years China’s civilization was built on values and virtues from the spiritual teachings of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.

‘I Was Very Touched’

Mr. Kudo Takahiko, the president of a real estate company, was impressed by Shen Yun’s beauty.

“The female dancers are very pretty. They dressed in gorgeous costumes. Their movements are magnificent. Their dances made me very emotional. I was very touched,” he said.

Mr. Hatori Kiyoshi is the president of Gifu Steel Co. He felt all the dancers are great.

“The male dancers are masculine and valiant. Their dances are majestic,” he said. “All dancers have very high skills and techniques. They all are full of energy.”

Mr. Hatori said the dancers uplifted him during the show. He enjoyed seeing the beautiful costumes.

“The costumes are from different periods of China’s history. The color schemes can’t be found in Japan. They are splendid. I felt great satisfaction,” he said.

Mr. Hatori enjoyed Shen Yun’s dynamic backdrop, which is patented and allows interaction between the performers, screen, and stage.

“The backdrop changes according to the story that the dance is telling. The cooperation between the backdrop and stage is seamless. It’s amazing and magic that the two can coordinate to this extent. I really admire Shen Yun,” he said.

Each Shen Yun performance consists of nearly 20 vignettes, presented through highly-expressive art forms such as classical Chinese dance, original orchestral music performed live, soloists who sing in the bel canto tradition, animated digital backdrops, and more.

Connection to Divine Beings

Dance teacher Ms. Tanaka Miwa said she learned from the dancing formations and choreography in Shen Yun.

“The dancers’ formations are very pretty. They changed their positions when dancing and then formed different formations, which all are beautiful. It’s worth learning from them, such as when the dancers should move, and when should stay on the spot,” she said.

Ms. Tanaka enjoyed the classical Chinese dances.

“Their dances are spectacular! Their skills and synchronization are excellent,” she said. “They are breathtaking!”

Ms. Tanaka said Shen Yun’s music calmed her down, and made her feel that the music connected her with divine beings.

“Regarding faith, Chinese culture is different from our Japanese one. But I learned from the show that we should respect divine beings, and devote ourselves in faith,” she said. “I also felt that Shen Yun wants us to be better people, to be kind. It’s very interesting.”

The name “Shen Yun” means the “beauty of divine beings dancing.” Traditional Chinese culture encourages people to embrace virtues like loyalty, propriety, wisdom, justice, and benevolence—values that are universal and shared the world over.

Reporting by Epoch Times Staff in Nagoya, Japan.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.