Hiromi Maruhashi

🪔 About

Hiromi Maruhashi is a Japanese exponent of Mohiniyattam, a classical dance form from Kerala, India. Born in Utsunomiya, Japan, and a graduate of the Japanese Social Welfare University, Maruhashi first came to India in 1996 to pursue her passion for traditional dance forms. She initially studied Nangiarkoothu under Margi Sathi and subsequently began her Mohiniyattam training under the tutelage of Professor Kalamandalam Leelamma, a prominent Mohiniyattam exponent. Maruhashi completed a short-term course at Kerala Kalamandalam and also received private lessons from Leelamma. Her training also extended to the traditional martial art of Kerala, Kalarippayattu, which she learned at C.V.N. Kalari Sangnam in Thiruvananthapuram. She performed her Arangetram at Rishimangalam Sree Krishna Temple, Vanchiyoor, Trivandrum. In April 1999, Maruhashi established 'Kerala Planning,' a cultural project dedicated to promoting the performing arts of Kerala, including Mohiniyattam, Koodiyattam, Nangiarkoothu, Kerala Natanam, and Kathakali, throughout Japan. In 2001, she was selected as an artist for an overseas internship by the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan. Her career includes numerous performances both in India and Japan, and she has also ventured into Indian cinema and television, notably appearing in the Malayalam film 'Nottam' (2005). Maruhashi is a dedicated teacher, conducting Mohiniyattam and yoga classes in Japan, where she has approximately 50 Japanese students. She is known for her innovative Indo-Japanese Mohiniyattam performances, which blend Japanese myths with Indian music. Additionally, she is proficient in Malayalam, undertakes translation work, and has authored a book in Japanese about her experiences with Kerala and Indian art and culture. Awards & Honours: NIHON KAIRALI KERALEEYAM AWARD (2019), Kala Bhushan (2025).