On this occasion of the Fukuoka Prize 2022 Award Ceremony today, I wish to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Hayashi Eitetsu, laureate of the Grand Prize, Professor Timon Screech, laureate of the Academic Prize, and Ms. Shahzia Sikander, laureate of the Arts and Culture Prize.

The Award Ceremony in 2020 was postponed, and last year in 2021 it was held in a hybrid format. This Award Ceremony is therefore the first in three years to be held with all laureates present in person. It is a great pleasure for me to join you all at this Award Ceremony, and to be able to speak with the laureates here to gain more knowledge in person of their admirable activities and research.

I would also like to express my deep respect to all those who have contributed their utmost efforts towards holding this Award Ceremony, while COVID-19 is not yet fully behind us.

The “Fukuoka Prize” is awarded to honor those who have made distinguished achievements in furthering the purposes of the Prize, which are to respect the diverse cultures that have been handed on over the generations in various parts of Asia, and contribute to their preservation and continuation, as well as to create new culture and promote academic research on Asia.

Having frequently visited other Asian countries myself, I have been intrigued by the wealth and depth of Asian cultures, including the distinctive history, languages, folklore, and arts that have been created and nurtured by Asia’s diverse climates and natural environments since antiquity. I have long felt strongly the importance of continuing to document, preserve, pass on, and also further develop this wealth and depth of cultural heritage, and of academic research enabling an in-depth understanding of Asia. On the other hand, the spread of COVID-19 has caused people to experience the possibility of a situation in which person-to-person interactions are restricted, making it difficult to encounter distinctive cultures directly. I therefore believe that it is of great significance that this Prize communicates the value of Asian cultures, as well as their academic aspects.

This Prize has played a remarkable role in acknowledging Asian cultures and demonstrating their value to the world, with a glittering array of past recipients, including many who have been prominent not only in Asia, but also in various other parts of the world.

I believe that by being shared with society as a whole, the outstanding achievements of the three laureates will become a valuable asset of humankind to be passed on to future generations, with the Fukuoka Prize acknowledging the significance of these achievements not only for Asia, but also for the world at large.

In closing my address, I would once again like to congratulate all the laureates, and I hope that this “Fukuoka Prize” will continue to enhance the understanding of various parts of Asia, as well as further promote peace and friendship throughout the international community.
 

Believing in the Sound of the Taiko Drum to Transcend Race and Make People Positive

Today, with the presence of Their Imperial Highnesses Crown Prince and Princess Akishino, I would like to appreciate deeply for holding this award ceremony. I am honored to receive the Grand Prize of the Fukuoka Prize and I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all of whom involved in the screening process, to the city of Fukuoka, to the citizens of Fukuoka, for their long standing support for this award. For more than a half a century, I have been searching for the forms of expression using the Japanese type drum, but I have often felt that my work is not resonating anywhere in the society. It was like I was groping my way through the darkness.

I never thought that 51 years later I would be illuminated and encouraged in this way. 

When I was young I had a strange experience while playing the taiko drum. I felt as if the echos of the taiko were the voices of the universe and I was surrounded by the feeling that my whole way of my life was affirmed in the blaring beat of the taiko. 

Before we are born, we are exposed to the sound of our mother’s heartbeat while we are still in the womb. And I was moved to the point of a shivering when I learnt that the frequency of the sound of the mother’s heart was almost same as the frequency of my own drum beat. I began to wonder if I could create a musical expression that would make the most of the sounds that all the people regardless of the race experienced before they were born. Then I started out my own path. In Asia, the big drum has long been a symbol of the universe, the sun, the moon, the heaven and the earth. I wanted to revive the magnificent images of the ancient people in the modern world. I was surprised to find that my taiko technique and rhythm have spread not only throughout Japan but also to the other Asian countries and to the rest of the world. Dr. Tetsu Nakamura, who won the Grand Prize 9 years ago, likened himself to Gauche the Cellist. Like the cello in the story, I believe that the sound of taiko has the power to comfort people and make them feel positive. 

Though it may fall far short of the Nakamura’s life given activities and the great achievements, I believe that the sound and expression of taiko is necessary to make people feel positive in this day and age when the wind of the worlds are blowing so violently and I would continue to strive for such expression in the future. The Grand Prize of the Fukuoka Prize will be the greatest support for me. Thank you very much.
 

In Appreciation of the Recognition of Edo Studies by Fukuoka, a Historic Center of International Exchange

Your Imperial Highnesses, Mr. Mayor, distinguished guests and learned friends, it is with a huge sense of honour that I stand before you to accept the 2022 Fukuoka Academic Prize. 

Many admired scholars have received this academic prize before. Last year I left the University of London, where I taught for 30 years, and took up a post at International Research Center for Japanese Studies (Nichibunken), in Kyoto. It was a huge change, being the first time I had moved job, as well as being a permanent relocation to Japan. This prize is the finest and most delightful possible conclusion to that process.

When I began studying Edo, about 1985, the word that first came to mind was sakoku, or ‘national isolation’. Yet while certainly there were restrictions, sakoku is not the best definition for Edo, was, in some ways, quite international. The word sakoku is not even Japanese, but a translation from the Dutch, itself a translation from the English, translated from German and Latin.

Fukuoka has been known over the centuries as a site of international encounter, first with the continent of Asia, then with South-east Asia, and then with Europe. As someone who has always tried to work with what is now called Global Japanese Studies, I am especially delighted and honoured to receive a prize awarded by the people of Fukuoka.
 

Overturning Stereotypes through Art and Sharing Beliefs with the Younger Generation

I am deeply honored to become part of the history of the Fukuoka Arts and Culture award. My sincere gratitude to the citizens of Fukuoka for their belief in creating such a significant recognition of Asian histories, traditions and innovations. I would also like to thank ‘Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Akishino’. I have followed and respected the work of the individuals who have won in the past and I am grateful to be in their company. I would like to also congratulate Professor Screech and Mr. Hayashi for their awards. 

Beginning in the mid-1980’s, my work pioneered a visual art form now known as ‘Neo-Miniature,’ by bringing into dialogue Central South and East-Asian manuscript painting traditions with contemporary international art practices. For more than three decades my commitment towards its research and expansion through new methods and technology has stemmed from my desire to diversify a predominantly Eurocentric Art History.

As a young child, I was inspired by my father’s generous and kind spirit. He encouraged me to keep doing and making, taking risks, pushing my own boundaries. From him I learned to cultivate imagination by giving attention to others and living a life of purpose. I was lucky to be creatively nurtured by him and others, including mentors, books, scholars, poets, artists that I read and learned from. 

Art lives, survives, inspires. It is messy and complicated, like life. It is about knowledge construction. What we believe shifts and evolves based on how we approximate, reproduce and re-enact our culture, history and values. If we use art and media to reverse stereotypes about representations, gender, race, immigrants and the unfamiliar, the beliefs we pass on to future generations will inspire the youth and also reflect the complex and dynamic world we all live in. It is this ethos that I find exemplary in the Fukuoka prize and I dedicate it to the younger generation in their recognition and celebration of Asian knowledge, history and innovation.
 

What was your process for searching for new forms of expression through taiko?
Mr. Hayashi: Taiko drums were originally used in traditional local performing arts to accompany music, dancing and singing at festivals. The idea of isolating the taiko and making it the main part of a performance was first started by a group I belonged to when I was 19 years old. Since there was no precedent at the time, we had to be creative to turn the taiko into a stage performance art that everyone could enjoy. The most difficult time for us was when we started exploring the art; it felt like we were just feeling our way through the dark.

I sense you have a consistent and firm core throughout your activities. What is the main driving force behind it all?
Mr. Hayashi: There are many challenges in making taiko a profession, and it is also very physically demanding. But I think I have managed to continue playing because the sound of the taiko is similar to the sound that we all heard in our mothers' wombs. It subliminally inspires and stimulates us in many ways. When I perform around the world, there are many people who listen to my performances with tears in their eyes. I receive a lot of energy from the voices of my audience who are encouraged and moved by the sound of my taiko strikes.

What you would like to achieve in the future?
Mr. Hayashi: Nowadays, more and more people around the world are getting into taiko drumming. Some American universities have established taiko clubs: at Stanford University's School of Music, taiko is now a class and has produced some professional drummers. I've been teaching these artists, but until now, there hasn't been a decent systematized curriculum for taiko. Therefore, I'd like to write a book to give my teaching methods form, so people can create new types of expression while expressing Japanese culture.
 

Why did you decide to focus on Japan out of the many fields of academic study?
Prof. Screech: I majored in Japanese language at university. At the time, Japan was in a period of rapid economic growth, and I was told that there would be a need for people who could speak Japanese in the future. My father encouraged me during that time. He lived in Japan for three years as a soldier right after the war; he was impressed by the Japanese people who lived their lives with dignity even during times of difficult, and he fell in love with Japan. My father inspired me to think about Japan, and that was the starting point of my career.

What is the appeal of studying Edo culture based on visual materials?
Prof. Screech: The language of the Edo period is different from modern Japanese, making it difficult to understand. But everyone can be moved by visual materials like beautiful paintings and sculptures. As a starting point for my research, I started considering the stimuli obtained through the eyes when I was a university student majoring in Japanese studies. I saw an exhibition of Edo art in London that completely opened my eyes to the world of visual stimuli. I decided that I wanted to study Edo period art, but there were no professors who could supervise me in the subject in England then. Therefore, I went to the United States and entered a doctoral program there.

What challenges are you looking to take on in the future?
Prof. Screech: I would like to research Tōshō-gū shrines throughout Japan. I chose Tōshō-gū shrines because they are extremely comprehensive monuments and have numerous appealing features such as architecture, sculpture, paintings and pilgrimage sites. Having moved from Tokyo to Kyoto, I feel that Nikko is now a bit further away. However, I am currently studying not only the one in Nikko but the whole national network of Tōshō-gū shrines.
 

Why did you choose to incorporate digital art into the traditional art of miniature painting?
Ms. Sikander: New technologies captured my imagination as an artist. And I thought that the traditional Asian painting that I had been working with was very intelligent and timeless. Hence I felt I could develop my art into something unexpected and exciting by combining them together. In addition to that, I pay great attention to how to tell a story by incorporating history from multiple vantage points.

Could you share an episode about your father?
Ms. Sikander: When I was a child, my father often used to read to me. Instead of reading the text as it was written, he would start creating his own narratives enacting the stories into a theatrical experience with sound and movement and creative imagination. Thanks to my father, I have been able to cultivate my imagination through books. Even now, as an adult, books inspire me in so many ways and allow me to travel with my wings of imagination. 

What do you hope to pass on to the next generation through the arts?
Ms. Sikander: Art is how we learn to tell stories about our truth and how we negotiate the world in future generations. My advice to young people is to practice introspection and resilience and to think of creativity as a catalyst, a way of living and enriching community. Ask yourselves, how are you going to continue to give meaning to your work and in your actions, and contribute that which enables you and the people around you to take power and transform their realities?