The Outside of Butoh Is the Inside of the Body: Ko Murobushi and the Process of Self-Mummification

Abstract

Ko Murobushi (1947–2015) is considered one of the most significant figures of Japanese butoh in the post–Tatsumi Hijikata era. His manifesto, published right after Tatsumi Hijikata’s death, is believed to mark the beginning of a new era for butoh. Murobushi’s work reflects both his understanding of the “outside,” a concept used to describe the dancing body in butoh, and his study of self-mummification.