Noh theater is said to be the world's oldest contemporary performing art. After emerging 650 years ago, it survived a time of national turbulence with the help of samurai warlords, and it is still going strong today. This time on Japanology Plus, we explore how this traditional form of theater presents profound drama on a simple stage, and with subtle gestures. Our expert guest, Reiko Yamanaka, is head of The Nogami Memorial Noh Research Institute of Hosei University. And in Plus One, noh basics.

Karate is practiced by more than 60 million people around the world, and its roots are in Okinawa. Okinawan karate, the most traditional form, is known for the brutal power of its blows. But that power is cultivated with the intention never to unleash it. This time we explore the paradox of training the body into a weapon that ideally should never be used. Our expert guest is Kiyoshi Tsuha, who has been practicing Okinawan karate for over 50 years. And in Plus One, the basics of Okinawan karate.