Genki: A Case Study of Benefits for Foreigners Producing Theatre in a Japanese Regional Dialect

Abstract

This paper describes the Genki Tosaben Musical (Genki), a unique community theatre project in Kochi prefecture in Japan. Since 1996, foreigners living in Kochi have been creating original musical theatre productions in Tosaben, the local Japanese dialect, and touring the prefecture to raise money for charity and promote cross-cultural exchange. In this study, qualitative survey responses from 35 former participants in Genki were analyzed. Based on these survey responses, this paper explores the motivations of the participants in this production, how the experience impacted language learning and community integration, as well as the positive and negative aspects of partaking in this event.

Drama for Foreigners’ Japanese Learning and Integration: Theatre vs Video

“…This study examined how performing live theatre in a foreign language outside a classroom setting influenced language learning and community integration among JETs in Kochi. The results of this study mirror previous results (Head, 2022) that found participating in Genki led to perceived increases in both language learning and community integration. Interviewees in this study pointed to improvements in spoken fluency due to practicing dialogue with native Tosaben speakers, as well as increased vocabulary knowledge through learning their lines.…”

“…Meanwhile, both KM (fluent speaker) and EB (rudimentary speaking) saw creating a play in Japanese as more of a personal challenge than solely a language-learning opportunity. These motivations echo results from Head (2022), which showed that most participants in Genki had an existing love of performance and that the most common motivation for participating was the formation of social connections, with language learning being a secondary goal (although language learning did occur, as shown in the next section). Reasons for Joining Genki…”

“…The purpose is to promote grassroots cultural exchange, and the production tours the prefecture collecting donations to fund study abroad scholarships for local students (Genki Seinenkai, n.d.). For a more detailed overview of Genki, Tosaben, and the living conditions of JETs in Kochi, see Head (2022).…”