Yugen was founded in 1978 as a site for experimentation focusing on the Japanese theatrical traditions of Noh and Kyogen and their contemporary interpretations. Since its inception, Yugen and its venue NOHSpace located in San Francisco’s oldest artist cooperative Project Artaud in the Mission District have been a gathering place for different cultures, communities and traditions. In addition to creating original productions and presenting collaborative works, Yugen also became a training center to teach these ancient theatrical forms to future generations in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.

In addition to community programming and co-presentation series, Yugen delivers and engages diverse community demographic in San Francisco through the following programs:
– Performances: Yugen presents average 1-2 major productions with 4-5 smaller presentations annually.
– Artist-in-Residence: Artists work variously as collaborators on new productions and to lead workshops.
– Training and Apprenticeship: Students and apprentices work with local and international performers and teachers in workshops, works in-progress, and full productions.
– Educational Program: Yugen’s educational initiatives include in-school and in-theater residencies for students of all ages. Programs include “Welcome to Kyogen,” “Little Bunnies,” “Passport Workshop,” “School Assembly,” “Kyogen Characters on Parade!” and “Crazy for Words.” Each program or residency covers various subjects, ranging from principles of posture and movement, classic dances and puppetry, to children-friendly performances of classic Kyogen plays.

In the recent years, Yugen has also been committed to providing audiences with multi-sensory theatrical experiences. One of the threads has been incorporating Japanese foodways into its projects and presentations, coinciding with the timing of “Washoku” (Japanese cuisine) added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list and becoming ever more popular.