Arts Agenda - Grease my toad

Shoppers minding their own business at Lenox Square March 2-3 may be surprised to notice entertainers from another continent and another era. The Japan Foundation will sponsor free shows by an award-winning troupe specializing in “daidogei,” or Japanese street performance, an artistic style that dates back to the 12th century.
Dressed in colorful traditional kimonos, the performers include Chuu Momokawa, a “kamikiri” artist who creates paper silhouettes and images on demand, from animals to celebrity caricatures. Circus top spinner Monya Mimasu can balance tops on such unlikely objects as a piece of thread or the blade of a sword. The acrobatic team of Katshunosuke Okinaya and Katsumaru Okinaya have a repertoire that includes kagura juggling and balancing acts.
The most intriguing is Goro Gen, billed as a “Comical Toad Grease Peddler and Traditional 17th Century Magician,” whose spiel promises to echo the approach of Western snake-oil hucksters. The presence of the entire troupe promises to temporarily give Lenox Square the authentic vibe of a bustling Japanese bazaar.
The Japanese Street Performers can be seen Friday, March 2 from 6-7:30 p.m. and Saturday, March 3 from noon-1:30 p.m. and again from 3-4:30 p.m. in front of Rich’s at Lenox Square, 3393 Peachtree Road. Free. Call 404-233-7575.