Nihon University Conllege of Art Nihon University Conllege of Art
Nihon University Conllege of Art
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Department of Theatre
College of Art
Nihon University
The Department of Theatre fosters
a self-driven creative person.

About College of Art
and our history

Nihon University is the biggest universities in Japan, with 86 departments in 16 colleges, 3 junior colleges, 4 schools of distance learning, 19 graduate schools, and 2 independent graduate schools.
College of Art was founded in 1921. The Department of Theatre was founded in 1950 (although it stems from a theatre major founded in 1929). We provide theoretical study and practical study in parallel and boast many notable graduates in the professional theatre field of Japan.

Our Courses

The Department of Theatre offers classes in a variety of 10 majors in 4 courses, including “Stage Producing” (to the five majors of Playwriting, Directing, Sound Design, Stage Management, and Planning and Producing in the second year), “Acting” (Acting), “Theatre Visuals” (Set Design, Lighting Design), and “Dance” (Japanese Dance, Western dance), with consideration for the balance of learning "theories" and "actual practices."

In practical classes such as “Sogo Jisshu (General public performance)” and “Joh-en Jisshu (Performance of playwriting and directing),” students of all majors commit themselves under the guidance of teachers who are active at the forefront of the Japanese performing arts world. Our curriculum, along with liberal arts curriculum and those from other 7 departments of College of Art, such as Photography, Cinema, Fine Arts, Music, Literary Arts, Broadcasting, Design, is composed so that students can cultivate the ability to think creatively and to acquire practical skills to shape careers in performing arts world.

Degrees and Requirements

Bachelor of Arts. 124 credit. 4years.

Curriculum※As of September 2024

Required courses

Theatre History I (Japanese Theatre History), Theatre History II (Western Theatre History), Introduction to Theatre I, II

Electives courses include

Stage Planning: Playwriting Introductory + I-II, Directing Introductory + I-II, Sound Design Introductory + I-II, Stage Management Introductory + I-II, Performing Art Management Introductory + I-II, Play Analysis, Theory of Directing
Acting: Acting I-II, Physical work for actors, Voice work, Theory of Acting
Theatre Visuals: Set Design I-III, Lighting Design I-III
Dance: Japanese Dance I-II, Western dance I-II, Oriental Dance

Sogo Jisshu (General public performance) I-III, Joh-en Jisshu (Performance of playwriting and directing) I, Japanese contemporary theatre analysis, ​Costume practices, Projection design, Theatre Theory I&II, Introduction to accounting, Marketing basics, Noh study, 2.5 musicals analysis, Theatre Seminars I-V, Education and Theatre, Applied Theatre, etc.

Our Facilities

Facilities we have include Middle-size theatre (249 seats), and Small theatre (appx. 80 seats, box theatre), seven rehearsal studios, a recording studio, Workshop A (scenery workshop) , and Workshop C (costume workshop).

Middle-size theatre

Middle-size theatre

Small theatre

Small theatre

Workshop A (scenery workshop)

Workshop A (scenery workshop)

Workshop C (costume workshop)

Workshop C (costume workshop)

rehearsal studios 1

rehearsal studios 1

rehearsal studios 2

rehearsal studios 2

rehearsal studios 3

rehearsal studios 3

rehearsal studios 6

rehearsal studios 6

Faculty

Midori Okuyama

Midori Okuyama (Head Of Department)

Theatre producing
Performing arts management

Fan Lyu

Fan Lyu

Modern dance, Oriental dance

Masahiko Matsunaga

Masahiko Matsunaga

Western dance

Naoya Kobayashi

Naoya Kobayashi

Japanese Dance, Theatre history,
Folkloric performing art research

Sigeki Nakano

Sigeki Nakano

Directing

Ryu Matsuyama

Ryu Matsuyama

Acting

Eiho Yamaguchi

Eiho Yamaguchi

Stage and Production management

Takuya Aoki

Takuya Aoki

Set design

Kaori Minami

Kaori Minami

Lighting Design

Haruhi Imai

Haruhi Imai

Sound Design

Yoko Ōike

Yoko Ōike

Playwrighting