While researching on Circus acts and troupe in Singapore starting with Tai Thean Kew and subsequently Kamala Circus, i came across another unique circus troupe, a Japanese circus troupe by the name of Kinoshita Circus. It was the first Japanese circus to perform in Malaya and the troupe features trained seals, elephants, a fighting kangaroo, high wire trapeze artist, daredevil riders and other acts. Kinoshita circus arrived in Singapore in December 1955 together with 23 girls, 30 men, 4 elephants, a kangaroo and 6 seals. The President of the circus troupe was Mitsuzo Kinoshita, a man born and bred in Okayama City. In February 1957, Kinoshita Circus returned for the second time and one of its performance at Great World was attended by Singapore Governor, Sir Robert Black and Lady Black, Japan's Consul-General, Mr. Ken Ninomya and cinema magnate, Mr. Run Run Shaw.
Kinoshita Circus came back to Singapore for its 3rd time in February 1969 for a 36-day run at the Great World Amusement Park. According to the 1969 article, the circus has a 62 years of history behind it. This means it was established around 1907. Researching further, the circus was actually established in 1902 and what is more interesting the circus still exist and is functioning till today, making it a 120 years old circus troupe !
1969 Visit by the Kinoshita Circus to Singapore
Personalities from the Kinoshita Circus
The first person that i should mention is the President of the circus troupe at that time, Mitsuzo Kinoshita, a man born and bred in Okayama City.
Mitsuzo Kinoshita
The picture below is striking to me as it features Noriko Tada (21) who is an acrobat and an elephant girl together with Hanako Sakamato (26) (left) who rides the Globe of Death on a motorcycle which is one of the most thrilling performances where the suspense comes from 2 motor-cyclist riding inside a 10 foot globe, circling in arcs and missing one another by a hair's breadth. This circus troupe features women prominently in many of it act items and this is evidential from the many articles i found that features them especially Noriko Tada / Norika Tada.
Norika Tada (21) and Hanako Sakamoto (26) together with "Erudo" the Siamese Elephant
Miss Noriko Tada (21 year old who performs balancing act on top of ladder and elephant trainer)
Miss Noriko Tada
Miss Nobuko, a member of the Japanese Kinoshita Circus hugs Cher Hiang Liang, a St. Andrew's Orthopaedic Mission Hospital, when 23 circus girls made a goodwill call on the hospital. The girls also visited the Singapore School for the Blind and the Home for the Age (run by the Little Sisters of the Poor).
Miss Nobuko with Cher Hiang Liang
Miss Nobuko (20) -one of the youngest members of the circus
21 year old Miss Yaeko standing on the back of a horse and jumping through a fire ring
Seal performance
Seal performance
The ladder act (still performed today)
Stories from the Kinoshita Circus
Generous Friend to Singapore
During their tour to Singapore, the Kinoshita's circus conducted activities to foster better relations such as visits to the Home of the Aged and the St. Andrew's Orthopaedic Hospital with gifts for inmates. This in addition to free shows to 3,500 underprivileged and handicapped children in Singapore. Its final show on the night of 23 January 1956 was also a show in aid of 6 charitable institutions. It did the same for its second visit to Singapore in 1957 and was graced by the Governor of Singapore, Sir Robert Black.
Sir Robert Black and Lady Black, Japan's Consul-General, Mr. Ken Ninomya and cinema magnate, Mr. Run Run Shaw.
Another touching account was a visit to the Home of the Aged in Thomson Road run by the Little Sisters of the Poor were 6 girls of the Kinoshita Japanese Circus were pictured to have met with Miss Tanaka, a 90 year old Japanese inmate of the home since the war began. Miss Tanaka told them she had no friends and relatives in Japan to go back to and was emotional to meet people from her native land that she took each girl by the hand and kiss their hand as they bid her "Sayonara". An interesting to note, in the 2nd visit to Singapore, the troupe visited Miss Tanaka again in 29 January 1957 keeping their promise to visit again the oldest living Japanese resident in Singapore.
6 girls of the Kinoshita Japanese Circus with 90 year Miss Tanaka (an inmate of the Home of the Aged in Thomson Road run b the Little Sisters of the Poor)
Circus star is hurt in fall
Miss Midori Akase (24) was injured during an acrobatic act when involved a 7-chair balancing act. She fell 15 feet to the ground during a pyramid stand. Miss Akase who was with the circus since she was 17. was rushed to the General Hospital for an x-ray of her spine and skull and discharged after treatment. (23 January 1956)
Elephant breaks loose
A full grown broke loose from a goods wagon at the railway station causing people to scatter. The animal belonging to Kinoshita Circus was caught after 20 minutes. (25 January 1957)
Women Scream as "Big Top" Man falls 30 feet
An attendant of the Kinoshita Circus by the name of Sanno (27 years old) fell 30 feet to the ground while adjusting an instrument in the "big top" while performing in Kuala Lumpur (24 January 1957)
Animal Rights and Trade
The Kangaroo boxing act consisted of a male kangaroo with gloves, trading punches with a circus clown also with gloves. It was shown for 3 days, on Dec 16, 17 and 18 before protest from the Singapore animal lovers on the act of punching was cruel led to its cancellation which was reported by the circus spokesman, Mr. A. Hamid. (24 December 1955). I noted that it made its reappearance again in the 1969 advertisement as you can see above. In 1983, the president of the Japanese Kinoshita Circus, Mitsunori Kionshita (38) was fined by the Hong Kong courts after convicted on 5 charges of cruelty to animals.
The use of animals for entertainment is indeed controversial and with the international rules (e.g. CITES) in place to limit the trade of endangered animals, circus troupe worldwide have been reinventing itself to continue to be relevant in today's world. Kinoshita Circus is one of the rare ones that still feature lions and elephants in its act.
Kinoshita Circus today
The circus has earlier mention is very much in operation. Like many other groups that survive on mass entertainment, Kinoshita Circus is struggling during this pandemic and working hard to keep going on their 120 years of existence. If any of you have old photos of this circus troupe or any other circus troupe, do email me !
I was watching a programme on NHK World in in the UK. They have a children's programme "pythagora switch" in the episode today featuring the "algorithm exercise" they were accompanied by a circus troupe. I was so surprised to see a performing elephant! Not something we see a lot of, to be fair I don't agree with it. Just interesting to see it on a children's TV show. Sad to see the elephant 🐘 😢
I was watching a programme on NHK World in in the UK. They have a children's programme "pythagora switch" in the episode today featuring the "algorithm exercise" they were accompanied by a circus troupe. I was so surprised to see a performing elephant! Not something we see a lot of, to be fair I don't agree with it. Just interesting to see it on a children's TV show. Sad to see the elephant 🐘 😢
ReplyDelete