Stephen Comee
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Stephen Bruce Comee (b. 1950 in Gardner, Massachusetts) is an American writer, Noh actor, martial artist, and long-time resident of Japan.
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[edit] Biography
From an early age, Comee expressed an interest in things Asian, especially related to ancient literature, alternative methods of healing and the martial arts. John Tagliabue, his English professor at Bates College, from which he graduated in 1972, played an important role in his life through his introduction of Asian literature and his wonderful Mario puppet plays, and this in turn stirred up a need to know more about Japan and its Bunraku and Noh. Professor Tagliabue was one of the main reasons that Comee went to Japan in 1974, in order to study Noh drama. In 1970, Comee furthered his studies at Oxford University, where he began studying Sanskrit and Chinese and started translating ancient texts. During his time there, he began his study of karate (first, Shotokan; later, Goju-ryu) and aikido.
[edit] Study of Noh, Japanese language and culture
In 1974, Comee traveled to Japan to learn about Noh drama, and he began studying under the great Manzaburo Umewaka II and his son Makio (now Manzaburo III). Shortly thereafter, he was the first non-Japanese ever to be accepted as a professional Noh actor. He continues to perform and to give lecture-demonstrations on Noh around the world. At the same time, he continued studying karate (Goju-ryu) in Japan, and soon thereafter began to study Japanese in a series of intensive sessions with translator Chifumi Shimazaki, with whom he spent over 20 years examining every aspect of the Tale of Genji in the original 11th-century text.
[edit] Martial arts studies
Comee studied acupuncture in both Tokyo and Beijing, and further pursued the martial arts. Becoming proficient in T'ai-chi Ch'uan (Taijiquan), Ch'i-kung (Qigong), Hsing-i Ch'uan (Xingyi-quan), and Pa-kua Chang (Bagua-zhang), he is currently an instructor at the main dojo of the All Japan Soft-Style Martial Arts Federation in Tokyo. This school was founded by Hidemine Jibiki at the request of his teacher, the great Chinese grandmaster of the Chung-nan lineage, Wang Shu-chin (Shujin); he thus also receives instruction directly from Wang's successor, the current Grand Master, Wang Fulai. He has also studied under Master Yiu Kwong of the Yang-school lineage. Comee published, with co-author Stephen Kuei, the popular Beginning Qigong.
[edit] Friendship with Prince Takamado
Also having a deep interest in international cultural exchange, Comee began working as special consultant for the Japan Foundation [1] in 1987. While there, he made the acquaintance of H.I.H. Prince Norihito Takamado, and the two became close friends. After His Highness's untimely death at the age of 47, Comee published a book of memoirs, Traces: Memories of H.I.H. Prince Takamado, which gives several episodes that show the prince to have been an extremely sensitive, intelligent, and friendly man with a good sense of humor who was keenly devoted to cultural exchange on all levels. Comee simultaneously published this book in Japanese as well, under the title Omokage: Takamado-no-Miya Denka no Omoide.
[edit] Other written works
In addition to the works mentioned above, Comee has written several volumes of poetry, both in English and Japanese (as well as French and Italian), several articles both fictional and non-fictional in both English and Japanese (some of which were ghostwritten), and translated the Noh plays included in Kunio Konparu's The Noh Theater: Principles and Perspectives.
[edit] Personal life
Since 1974, Comee has made his home in Japan, where he now lives with his wife and children on the Kujukuri seacoast east of Tokyo.
