TRANZIT#6: “LETTERS FROM CHIRAN” – TOMOYA KAWAMURA
8.8.2025.
23rd October 2025 at 7.30 p.m.
HKD na Sušaku, Strossmayerova 1, Rijeka
Duration: 65 mins
The performance is in English language.
⚟ 2ND WW, KAMIKAZE PILOTS, PERSONAL CHOICE, JAPANESE THEATRE
Tickets can be purchased online and at authorized Eventim sales points.
“Letters from Chiran” is a one-man storytelling mask theater performed by Tomoya Kawamura, inspired by the story of Tome Torihama, a woman who survived World War II in Japan and the Kamikaze pilots. The play focuses on the ordinary lives of civilians against the reckless decisions of wartime leaders, exploring themes of human connection, censorship, and the weight of individual choices.
The storyteller switches swiftly between different characters, drawing attention to the ordinary, everyday life of civilians during wartime, bringing to light the warmth and resilience found in Tome’s Shokudo, where the young pilots sought comfort and familiarity amid the complexities of their reality. The performance, while looking at the historical facts, invites the audience to reflect on the lives of those caught in the crossfire, the impact of censorship, and the exchanges embodied in the last letters penned by the kamikaze pilots.
Performance and Concept by Tomoya Kawamura
Directed by Francesco Procopio
Co-Written by Tomoya Kawamura & Francesco Procopio
Masks by Richard Dent & Francesco Procopio
Photos by Yozy Zhang
In the southern Japanese region of Kyūshū during WW2, the young pilots of the military base of Chiran, would always have their meals at the nearby “Tomiya Shokudo”.
This dining hall was named after its owner Tome Torihama, who use to run the Shokudo before and after the war.
In 1945 the pilots of the Japanese Special Attack Units, commonly known as “Kamikaze”, would share with Tome some of their stories and leave behind their last wishes and dreams, before beginning what was, for many of them, their last mission.
Tome tells us her story and the one of far too young “Kamikaze” pilots, in times where it seemed reasonable to somebody, to send the youngest generation of a nation to die in vain, in a completely senseless mission during an already lost war.
The question comes spontaneously: Is there any scenario where this sacrifice is acceptable?
The story unfolds at Tomiya Shokudo, a canteen run by Tome Torihama, where young Kamikaze pilots share their dreams and leave final letters before their missions. The performance uses theatrical masks to portray diverse characters, including a historian delivering a darkly comedic account of Japan’s militaristic history and a sensitive young pilot navigating his conflicted ideals.
The narrative highlights Tome’s interactions with the pilots, emphasizing their youth and humanity amid the tragic reality of their fates. Despite censorship risks, Tome chooses to preserve their letters, ensuring their voices endure.
The play closes with Kawamura’s personal connection: Tomoya´s grandfather, a Kamikaze pilot trainee, feigned illness to avoid his mission, a choice that allowed him to survive. This revelation ties the past to the present, reinforcing the theme: “The choices of the past shape today, and our decisions shape the future.”
By challenging audiences to reflect on moral courage and societal values, the play transforms historical tragedy into a universal exploration of responsibility and the power of individual choice.
The theme of the show is based on the profound awareness that “the decisions people made in the past shape the present, and the decisions we make in the present will influence the future.” The characters in the performance lived their daily lives during a time when militaristic values were the norm, and they were faced with a multitude of choices.
Some of their decisions went against the societal rules and “laws” of their time. They had to summon the courage to deviate from the majority, and in some cases, these actions put their lives at risk. From today’s perspective, their choices might be considered “right.” But the question remains: “If you were in the same situation as they were, could you make the same decision?”
It is not easy to question the fundamental values of the society to which one belongs and to act according to one’s own will within that society. This show is set against the backdrop of the real tragedy of war 80 years ago and poses the universal question, “What is your choice?” It challenges today’s audience with the same universal question: What choice will you make?
Tomoya Kawamura is a Berlin-based actor, physical theater performer, dramaturg, and director from Tokyo Japan. He has nearly 15 years of professional experience in traditional Japanese mask theatre and also experience in Western theatre as an actor since moved to Berlin in 2019.
Based on this, the most important productions in recent years have been “Ich hab die Nacht geträumet” at the Berliner Ensemble, and “Madama Butterfly” at the Festival D´Aix-en-Provence both directed by Andrea Breth, where he was involved in the production as a Movement Director and Choreographer.
The focus of his work is on contemporary and socially relevant issues such as queer spaces, gender roles, and integration, as well as war trauma, and mixing them into Japanese / Eastern Traditional Theatre, such as Noh Theatre and Kabuki Theater. He studied Kabuki and Noh Japanese traditional Theater Performing under the master Kabuki actor Omezo Ichikawa the 6th (2009.- 2018.), as well as Noh Theater Education with Kanze Group (2013. – 2018.).
Research lab “間 MA”: The Art of Silence
Author and leader: Tomoya Kawamura
Language of the lab: English
24th October 2025 – 26th October 2025 (Friday 6.00 p.m. – 9.00 p.m., Saturday 10.00 a.m. – 3.00 p.m., Sunday 11.00 a.m. – 04.00 p.m.)
Public presentation of the research lab: 26th October 2025. at 4.00 p.m. (entrance free)
Filodrammatica, Korzo 28, 1. kat
Apply to participate via online form.
Participation fee: 50,00 – 65,00 euros
Additional Info
- Post-Show Talk: There will be a 30-minute post-show talk after the performance on 23rd Oct 2025. The moderator is Iva Nerina Sibila, theatre and dance critic, publicist and dance artist from Zagreb, Croatia.
- Age Limit: Recommended for audiences aged 14 years and above.
- Latecomers Policy: Latecomers will only be admitted at a suitable break in the performance.
- Language: The performance is in English.
- Research lab: Artist Tomoya Kawamura will lead a research lab “MA – The Art of Silence” from 24th till 26th October 2025.
| TYPE | PARTER | ADDITIONAL INFORMATION |
| General | 15 euros | Online and at the box office |
| Early bird | 12 euros | Online before 1st September 2025 |
| FESTIVAL ticket for 5 performances | 50,00 euros | Only via email krila.rezervacije@gmail.com before 17th September 2025 |
| Group Sales (Bundle for 4) | 42,00 euros | Online and at the box office |
Production: Creative Laboratory of Contemporary Theatre KRILA
Artistic Director and Curator: Ivana Peranić
Visual identity: Ana Somek
Design of promotional materials: Katarina Ratkaj
Financial Support: The City of Rijeka, Ministarstry of Culture and Meda of Republic of Croatia, Primorsko-goranska County, Kultura nova Foundation
Logistic Support: HKD na Sušaku, Savez udruga Molekula
Partner: Choreoscope – Barcelona Dance Film Festival
Media Support: H-Alter, Kulturpunkt.hr, Rijeka Danas, Novi list, teklić.hr svakidan,Rijeka Tourist Board
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