Hijikata Tatsumi8217;s explosive 1959 performance Forbidden Colors sparked a new genre of performance8212;butoh: an art form of contrasts, by turns shocking and achingly serene.160; Since then, interest has grown by leaps and bounds, and now people all over the world are drawn to butoh8217;s ability to enact paradox and contradiction.160; However, knowledge of butoh8217;s founder has lagged behind.160; Hijikata Tatsumi and Butoh traces the rollicking history of the creation and initial maturation of butoh, and locates Hijikata8217;s performances within the intellectual, cultural, and economic ferment of Japan from the sixties to the eighties.160;160;