KARIN AMANO
Charleston, WV
407-301-8121japaneseStoryteller@gmail.com
https://www.japanesestoryteller.com/
VIDEO OF KARIN
"Japanese Storyteller"
Karin was born and raised in Japan, where she was trained in Japanese Traditional Dance as well as singing and acting. She received her BS in Educational theater from New York University.
Karin has been an actor/storyteller at Walt Disney World for 25 years and still performs as a holiday storyteller at Epcot every year.
Karin wears traditional Japanese attire and uses a traditional Japanese folding fan, which she calls a convenient “all-in one prop” for Japanese storytellers. It can be used for a scene to simulate chopsticks as well as snow falling, a sword, a sake cup, a letter, a pen, and so on. Karin also uses stylized movements with the fan that one sees in the Kabuki theater. She plays multiple roles spontaneously or picks audience members to participate in her show.
She has adapted many Japanese folktales, comedic Japanese children’s stories, and tales from Japanese mythology. She performed at National Storytelling Festival's Exchange Place in 2019, Sierra Storytelling Festival in 2023, and was featured at Bay Area Storytelling Festival in 2024. She has been telling her personal stories at Women's Storytelling Festival as well as National Storytelling Network conference. She also presents workshops at conferences and museums.
She is a co-chair of YES special interest group/ Board member of NSN.