Events

A piece by Tatsumi Hijikata, presented on May 24, 1959, at the 6th Newcomers’ Dance Performance organized by the All Japan Dance Artists Association (Dai-ichi Seimei Hall). It was performed as a duet by Tatsumi Hijikata and Yoshito Ohno. The title 'Forbidden Colours (Kinjiki)' is taken from the novel of the same name by Yukio Mishima.

Upon hearing that his novel had been adapted into dance, Mishima visited Hijikata’s rehearsal studio and asked them to perform it for him. Yoshito Ohno later recalled that Mishima simply remarked, “Beautiful.” When asked by Yoshito about the theme of the piece, Hijikata replied, “It is the true friendship between men.”

Although a short piece of approximately fifteen minutes, it caused considerable controversy due to its theme of homosexuality and a scene suggesting the killing of a chicken (which, according to Yoshito Ohno, was not actually killed). This incident became one of the reasons for Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ohno leaving the association. The piece later came to be regarded as “the first work of butoh.”

In September of the same year, Hijikata presented 'Forbidden Colours (Reworked Version),' in which Hijikata invited Kazuo Ohno to perform for the first time for his work.