Project representative:
Susumu Aihara(Specially Appointed Assistant Professor/Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies/Kyoto University)

Collaborating researchers and co-researchers:
・Morie Kaneko(Associate Professor/Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies/Kyoto University)
・Gen Tanabe(Lecturer/School of Art and Design/University of Toyama)
・Mai Takahisa(Full-time Lecturer/Fuculty of Liberal Arts/Teikyo University)
・Ryohei Nakazato(Part-time Lecturer/The University of Nagano etc.)
・Ayaka Tanaka(Graduate Student/Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies/Kyoto University)
・Haruka Motoki(Graduate Student/Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies/Kyoto University)

Introducing this project

The purpose of this study is to reveal the relationship between environmental perception and body techniques in the transmission of intangible cultural heritage. By combining eye-tracking and motion capture technologies with anthropological and folkloristic fieldwork, the research offers an integrated analysis of how these perceptual and physical skills are transmitted across generations.

The focus is on traditional performing arts groups, such as the Hachiou-kai, a festival music troupe based in Hachioji, Tokyo, and Chindon Tsushinsha, a street performance and advertising troupe in Osaka. The study captures 3D motion data using the Frame DIAS V system and records gaze behavior with the Tobii Pro 3 eye tracker and its analysis software.

The findings reveal apparent differences in gaze patterns and body movements between instructors, who are typically adults, and apprentices, who are often children. For example, in Hachiou-kai’s “Fox” performance, instructors maintain a steady, level gaze with minimal head movement, while apprentices show more fluctuation due to noticeable head motion. In the “Shishimai” lion dance, instructors looked straight ahead through the lion costume’s opening. In contrast, apprentices often gazed downward, struggling with the physical demands of controlling the lion’s head while keeping themselves hidden.

The study also highlights the role of creativity in the transmission process. Instead of merely replicating the instructor’s movements, performers often adapt techniques to fit the context and express individual style. One member of Chindon Tsushinsha, for instance, modified the troupe leader’s walking style by incorporating upper-body movements to portray a livelier female character. She remarked that copying the leader exactly would have resulted in “a subdued girl.”

Ultimately, the research highlights the dynamic nature of cultural transmission: a process shaped not only by formal instruction but also by personal interpretation and innovation within performance contexts.