Nihon Buyo Dancer Hanayagi Toshinami, National Treasure, Dies at 93

September 12, 2018

Tokyo- Hanayagi Toshinami, a noted performer of "nihon buyo" classical Japanese dance and a designated living national treasure, died of old age in Tokyo early Tuesday morning. She was 93.

Born in the capital, Toshinami, whose real name was Teruko Shibazaki, debuted as a nihon buyo dancer in 1932 and was allowed to use the stage name in 1942.

She was known as a distinguished performer both in the classical and creative forms of nihon buyo.

While bringing a contemporary touch to classical works including "Kyoganoko Musume Dojoji," she won high praise for creative programs, such as "Wagahai wa Neko de Aru" based on the same-name novel by renowned Japanese author Soseki Natsume.

Toshinami was designated as a living national treasure in 2004 and was picked as a person of cultural merit in the following year. Jiji Press