Direction
Chinen Akane

Chinen Akane is a performer and music instructor born in Naha, Okinawa. Having studied music since early childhood, she has promoted classical music for many years as both a performer and teacher. In 2020, she launched the AKN Project to carry on the work of her father, Chinen Seishin, who passed away in 2013. Through theater plays, music, and literature, the project aims to create stages and events that Okinawa’s younger generation can enjoy. In 2021, during the Corona pandemic, Chinen produced “The Human Pavilion: A Comedy” (directed by Asao Uezu) as an online streaming performance. In 2022, the play was staged at the Naha Cultural Arts Theater NAHArt (directed by Sato Naoko and Chinen Akane) to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Okinawa’s reversion.

Direction
Arakaki Nana

Arakaki Nana is the leader of the theater group Tatara. She began acting in high school and formed the group in 2016. She has directed all of the group’s plays to date. In 2024, she received the Encouragement Award at the Engeki Concourse competition. As an actress, Arakaki has appeared in numerous productions, including the Kyushu-Okinawa version of “Mikai no Gijo” (“Untamed Forum”) (written by Kitagawa Daisuke), whose online performance in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic garnered much attention; “Ryukyu Kaidan” (“Ghost Stories from Ryukyu”) (original story by Kohara Takeshi, directed by Kamisato Yudai) in 2021; and “The Human Voice” (original story by Jean Cocteau, directed by Wada Nagara), part of the Naha Cultural Arts Theater NAHArt’s “Encounter Series 1” in 2023.

Dramaturge
Hayashi Tatsuki

Hayashi Tatsuki is a theater researcher and translator. He currently heads planning and production at the Naha Cultural Arts Theater NAHArt. His translations include “No Light” by Elfriede Jelinek and “Postdramatic Theatre” by Hans-Thies Lehmann (both published by Hakusuisha). In 2012, he received the Odashima Yushi Drama Translation Award for his translations of Jelinek’s work. In 2005, he joined Akira Takayama’s theater group Port B, and in 2014 Chiaki Soma’s NPO Arts Commons Tokyo. Before assuming his current position at NAHArt in 2022, he was a special lecturer at Tokyo University of the Arts (2014–2017), program officer of the Okinawa Arts Council (2017–2019), and as the dramaturg of Künstlerhaus Mousonturm in Germany (2019–2021).

Set Design
Sasaki Ayami

Ayami Sasaki is a Japanese stage designer. She is currently part of the theater group FAIFAI, where she is responsible for scenography. Since graduating from Tama Art University’s Department of Moving Images and Performing Arts, she has worked on the stage design and scenography of numerous productions across theater, dance, music, and contemporary art, and has also performed lecture-performances. Her recent work as a stage designer includes “Sacrifice in Imagination” by Dr. Holiday Laboratory (written ad directed by Justin Karera Yamamoto), “Giselle: A Summary” by Okada Toshiki and Sakai Hana, co-produced by Aichi Prefectural Arts Theater and Dance Base Yokohama as part of the “Time in Between” program, and “Shiwanova Parade” (choreographed and directed by Futome Performance) at the Kitageki Local Artist Collaboration Program of the Kitakyushu Performing Arts Center (all works premiered in 2024).

Costume Design
Fujitani Kyoko

Kyoko Fujitani is a costume designer and a member of the theater groups Faifai and Kyukaku Ushio. She began working as a costume designer while studying at Tama Art University and has since been involved in a wide range of projects in theater, dance, opera, contemporary art, and art festivals both in Japan and abroad. Her work also includes designing promotional costumes, giving lectures, and organizing workshops at art museums. Recent collaborations include theater productions by Okada Toshiki, contemporary art projects by Kaneuji Teppei, styling for musicians such as Kakudo Manami and Nakamura Kaho, and the Great Journey series by Kondo Ryohei (Condors) and Takashi Nagazumi (Hanaregumi).

Sound Design
Yamaguchi Goh

Goh Yamaguchi was born in Aichi. He began working freelance and handled sound operation for various musicians and events while still a university student. In 2009, he founded his company, Next Stage, which specializes in sound technology. Yamaguchi is primarily involved in concerts and events, but also works on sound design for theater, art installations, and contemporary dance.
In recent years, he has explored ways to push beyond boundaries of conventional sound design by utilizing multi-channel speakers, spatial audio, and other technologies.

Lighting Design
Tanahara Eisaku

Eisaku Tanahara is a lighting designer born in Okinawa. After working at a venue management company and a stage lighting company, he became independent and has since worked on a wide range of productions across theater, ballet, and concerts. In 2021, he founded M.L. Studio. He also teaches lighting at the Laugh & Peace Entertainment School in Okinawa.
He received the Newcomer Award from the Japan Association of Lighting Engineers & Designers in 2021, followed by the Excellence Award in 2024.

Inoue Asuka

Inoue Asuka was born in Nanjo, Okinawa. She began acting after seeing her classmates perform on stage during her student days. Her past works include “Warai wa Tsuzuku – Go on! Go on!” by Warabiza (written and directed by Ozeki Hiromasa), the series “Ryujin Mabuyer,” and the FOD series “Gate on the Horizon.” At the Naha Cultural Arts Theater NAHArt, she has appeared in the 2023 production “Boku wa minna ga daisuki” (“I Like Everyone”) (written and directed by Arakaki Nana), the 2024 production “The Good Person of Szechwan” (adapted and directed by Arai Akihito), and the 2025 production “Hanauri no en On (the) Line” (“Fate of the Flower Seller”) (written by Kaneshima Takuya, choreographed by Shiraga Momoko, and directed by both). In addition to acting, Inoue also works as a costume designer and has provided dialect coaching for the TV series “Fence” and the short film “Mom’s Celestial Robe of Feathers.”

Kamida Sei

Kamida Sei trained with Okinawa-based theater group Wagachi no Shogekijo (“Theater in my Town”) before working as an actor in Laos and Thailand. In 2019, he won the Best International Performance Award at the Bangkok Theater Festival for his role in “Brotherhood 3on3” (written and directed by Pak Phanam ). Other major theater appearances include “Backyard in RyCom” (written by Kaneshima Takuya, directed by Tanaka Maiko), “Kasumi-iro no Lilac” (“Hazy Lilac”) (written by Ryo Ichiro, directed by Yonekura Lyena), “John, My Love” (written and directed by Kensuke Yokouchi), and “Little Boy, Big Typhoon” (written by Inoue Hisashi, directed by Kuriyama Tamiya). In addition to his work as a theater actor, Kamida has appeared in numerous films and TV series, notably “The Escape” (directed by Adachi Masao), “Hero's Island” (directed by Otomo Keishi), “Detective Chinatown 3” (directed by Chen Sicheng), the series“Okinawa TV Hajimari no Monogatari” (“Okinawa TV – How it Began”), “Who Saw the Peacock Dance in the Jungle?” and “Inuyashiki Last Hero.”

Nakamine Yusaku

In 1996, Nakamine Yusaku appeared in “Tetsuo Nakandakari’s Permanent Vacation,” produced by the theater group Sozo. In 2010, he launched the theater group ukulelebowl together with Shintomi Furugen. In 2013, he began participating in monthly performances and other events organized by Wagamachi no Kogekijo (“Theater in my Town”) in the city of Naha. In 2018, Nakamine participated in the Toga Theater Contest, representing Wagamachi no Kogekijo. His notable works and performances include “The Blind Young Man” (written by Mishima Yukio, directed by Fukunaga Takefumi), “Kyunin no mayoeru uchinanchu” (“Nine Lost Okinawans”) (written by Awa Gakuji and Kuniyoshi Seiichiro, directed by Toyama Shoichi) and “The Human Pavilion: A Comedy” by the AKN Project (directed by Sato Naoko and Chinen Akane) in 2022. In 2024, he played the role of Wong, the water seller, in a staged reading of “The Good Person of Szechwan” (adapted and directed by Arai Akihito). Nakamine continues to perform primarily in small theaters across Okinawa.