There are three main religions in Japan - Buddhism, Shintoism and Brandism. Buddhism celebrates the concept of eternal life without dogma or grand notions of divinity. Shintoism is the worship of ancestors and national heroes. Brandism, meanwhile, worships the truly great gods of the 20th century - Coke, Nike, Budweiser, U2 and McDonalds. For a certain generation of a certain frame of mind, a brand name is something they connect into at a fundamental level. It implies familiarity, comfort and that all-important but somewhat elusive quality - identity.
While it would be unwise to state that the 70,000 or so Japanese people who have seen Riverdance on stage in both Tokyo and Osaka identify with it (not counting the millions who have seen it on Japanese television), it would be safe to say that it's only a matter of time until they do. Serendipity is a word that has passed from the lips of one Riverdance executive to another over the past five years - the accidental confluence of images and events that, along with hard work and acute marketing strategies, has made fortunes for the major players involved.
With regard to Riverdance in Tokyo and Osaka, who was to know, for example, that the set design images of rising suns and other traditional Japanese iconography would have such an effect on the audiences' perception of the show? Artist Robert Ballagh, Riverdance set designer, says there was no specific set design for the shows in Japan.
"We were lucky that some of the imagery seemed to work very well," he says, surrounded by the architectural splendour of the Tokyo International Forum, and wearing around his neck an Access All Areas pass bearing not the usual blackmail passport photo, but a cartoon self-portrait. "Anyone who has seen Riverdance will know there are representations of rising suns and golden panelled images, which are traditionally Japanese. Thankfully, they integrated very well."
Another moment of Eastern serendipity came with the Irish dancing. While Japan has an enviable history of theatre through Kabuki and Noh, it is also famous for its traditional drumming. One form of drumming is called Taiko. According to Yuka Tmori, a student of traditional Japanese music, the similarity between Taiko drumming and tap dance rhythms plays an important part in the Riverdance equation.
"The combination of the sounds - the deepness of the drums and the hardness of the dancing - add to the connections the Japanese feel. We find it a very dramatic art form. As you probably know, Japanese people are well-known for their emotional detachment, so it's rare that they connect profoundly with something such as music or art, especially if it's from outside our country. We are attentive and polite, and we appreciate things of this nature, but unless it has a specific or national resonance, we tend to leave it alone."
A type of national shame in celebrating indigenous culture, says Yuka, is also part of the reason why the Japanese have taken to Riverdance so fervently. "Our country's defeat in World War two had a profound effect on the country's psyche. We became ashamed of our culture and tradition. We have a sense of isolation that gives us a tribal mentality, which I think is similar to that of the Irish. The Irish are a proud race, and so are the Japanese, but we are almost ashamed to admit our pride," says Yuka. We think we are different from any other race in the world, and that people can be divided into two groups - natives and outsiders. The Irish are like that as well, aren't they?
"The reason Riverdance is loved so much over here," continues Yuka, "is because we know that Ireland has also been on the receiving end of oppression. Yet Ireland, through Riverdance and many other Irish art forms, has begun to celebrate its traditions and cultures. It has succeeded in losing the shame of defeat. The Riverdance show celebrates this and gives Japanese people a kind of hope."
The Riverdance dates in Japan were showcase, testing-the-water performances. In association with Kansai Telecasting Corporation, the dates took almost two years to set up. Despite the financial success of three Riverdance troupes throughout the world John McColgan says he was reluctant for Riverdance to visit Japan until he was sure that "Japan wanted us".
Riverdance shows operate on a comparatively high break-even point. "We need to be doing 75 per cent plus, and that's where our profit is, " says John McColgan. "Fortunately, we do between 85 and 100 per cent business. The reason we did only two weeks here is a very practical one. If we did a major tour of Japan - as we believe we can do - and it didn't work, it would be an enormously expensive and dangerous exercise. After Dublin, London, New York and Australia, Tokyo was the next big challenge for Riverdance."
Although the success of the show has fuelled interest in Riverdance returning to Japan, decisions are made at a funereally slow pace at Japanese business meetings. "They work collectively, through a hierarchy of decision making," says John McColgan. "The good news is that the dates in Tokyo superseded their wildest dreams and expectations. What Kansai are now saying is that we'll have to regroup, and decide on the availability of dates and venues.
"If the wind is in the right direction, we'll probably play a major six-month tour in Japan next year. There are many millions of people here. If Riverdance comes across to the Japanese people as popular culture, if it is something that becomes a must-see, then they will go and see it. Japanese people love brands. They're very responsive to their brands. I wouldn't necessarily describe the show as a brand, but if it's seen as one, then the potential is enormous."
In May, Riverdance visits Mexico City for a week with another series of showcase performances. And yes, before you ask, tickets are already sold out.