What are we researching?
"Listening to Mermaids" is an artist-in-residence project that re-examines mermaids—not merely as figures of legend, but as beings that reflect the relationship between humanity and the sea.
Drawing upon stories such as Japanese mermaid folklore, Western sirens, Hong Kong’s Lo Ting, and the legend of Yao Bikuni, we engage with the landscapes, culture, and memories of the local people in Takeno, channeling these encounters into new creative work.
What We Value
We regard the dialogues we share with the people of this region, the time spent walking along the shore, the sounds we hear, and the memories embedded in the land itself as integral parts of our creative process.
The stories the community shares with us have become the seeds of a new work.
Our Journey begins with Takeno community...
Special Thanks (In the order we met)
To Takashi Naniwa and his wife Shigemi, our lovely hosts at Naniwa, for always looking out for us and caring for us in so many ways throughout our stay. We love you both!!
To Junko Hanafusa, for teaching us how to make the Nagomi lanterns that became such an essential part of our spatial design.
To everyone at Nagomitee, for always welcoming us so warmly.
To the fisherman Shinto Ueno, whose stories marked a turning point in the creation of this work.
To Shinichi Yoneda, for introducing us to the sea around Takeno through geo-canoeing and snorkelling.
To Kennichi Tsujimura, for kindly driving us around and sharing his stories with us.
To Hiroko Kobayashi, for sharing her stories with us at Kawaminatokan and on the bridge.
To Hiroshi Okada and Wataru Nakagawa, for welcoming us so warmly to Kawaminatokan and taking the time to show us around in such detail.
To Harushige Aoyama, for teaching us so very much about Takeno.
To Shikoku Goto, Shigemi Hashii and Keiko Funano, for preparing tea for us at Kawaminatokan and sharing their stories with us.
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成果発表・交流イベント
RESEARCH SHARING & EXCHANGE
2026.8.23 SUN — 17:00Kitamaekan, TAKENO|竹野/北前館
We present work-in-progress findings inspired by Takeno’s maritime landscapes and Ningyo folklore. This interactive session invites the local community to share stories, voices, and movements, co-creating the foundation for our performance at the Toyooka Theatre Festival Fringe.
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ワークインプログレス公演
WORK-IN-PROGRESS
2026.9.20 SUN — 12:15
Kawaminatokan, TAKENO|
竹野/川湊館(御用地館)
Set inside a centennial heritage house in Takeno, we dance together with the community to form a new ritual—grounding the speculative Asian mermaid figure within site-responsive movement and local coastal history.
2026.9.20 SUN — 17:00
Toyooka Theatre, TOYOOKA|
豊岡/豊岡劇場
Situated in a 99-year-old movie theatre, this multimedia performance weaves together video art, live music, and choreographic movement to reimagine the mountain and the sea's Ningyo legend through a contemporary lens.
ARTISTS
Choreography/ Performance: Alysa Leung @iftimes_limited
Composition/ Live Music/ Scenography: Uka @amicharliesiekierczak / @uka_gohan_
Video Director: Mo Lai Yan Chi
Video Editor: Rain Ip