Japanese artiste Michi Ko Ono performing Madhukasapam Nangiarkoothu at the 39th Koodiyattam Mahotsavam organised by Ammannur Gurukulam at Irinjalakuda in Thrissur on Tuesday. The percussion orchestra for the performance was played by Japanese artistes Toyomi Iwato (Mizhavu) and Tomoe Tara Irino (Thalam) along with Kalamandalam Hariharan and Kalanilyam Unnikrishnan.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
As part of the ongoing 39th Koodiyattam Mahotsavam organised by Ammannur Gurukulam in Thrissur, a Nangiarkoothu performance by Japanese artiste Michi Ko Ono was staged on Tuesday. The performance marks a rare intercultural moment in the classical theatre tradition.
Ms. Ono presented Madhukasapam Nangiarkoothu. She is a disciple of Saritha Krishnakumar, an artiste of the Ammannur Gurukulam.
Moreover, the percussion orchestra for the performance was played by two Japanese women artistes Toyomi Iwato (Mizhavu) and Tomoe Tara Irino (Thalam). They have undergone systematic training in the instruments.
The event is being seen as a significant milestone in the evolving global engagement with Koodiyattam and Nangiarkoothu, reflecting the Gurukulam’s role in nurturing and sharing Kerala’s classical performance heritage across cultures.
Published – January 06, 2026 08:48 pm IST
