Kabuki Day

I had a great time and really enjoyed my Kabuki day with my good friend Yuriko-san. What made it more fun for us was going to the theater in kimonos. Due to the pandemic, it had been quite some time since I last had the opportunity to savour the spectacular, dramatic, breathtaking and powerful experience of Kabuki theater. All in all, it was a perfect day.

Kabuki is an art that was proclaimed by UNESCO as an intangible heritage with an outstanding universal value. In today's diverse world, this traditional performance remains pre-dominantly male-dominated with a history spanning over 400 years, although it might be interesting to learn that it was first originated by a female dancer and her troupe. Kabuki went through some complicated changes during its early development before attaining its current social status as having one of the most accomplished traditional troupe of performers. Preserving their tradition and performance skills has been an ongoing and continous endeavour. Ultimately, this comes down to the expectations in the family and the goals set in the house of the male performers.

Yesterday I watched the performance in a Kabuki theater where one of the renowned families of Kabuki performers made a public appeal on stage. They announced that their 10-year-old son is now prepared to start his professional life as a Kabuki actor. It was so touching to see his innocent but perfect performance. I was deeply moved as I envisioned the long and challenging journey that lies ahead for him to become a respected kabuki actor of the next generation, inheriting his father's skills and reputation.　

The theater is back

The new Misonoza Theater in the city of Nagoya opened after five years of rebuilding. A kabuki play put on by one of the prestigious families of actors is now being performed every day to celebrate the grand opening of the theater. April 25 is the last show.

I love kabuki.

For one thing, I am fascinated by the gorgeous stage, which follows tradition, and also by how it is performed, which has been passed on for generations. And for another, my friend plays a leading gidayu; in other words, a narrator who chants stories with his powerful and emotional voice.

Watching kabuki gives me a chance to leave my routine life behind and get lost in a unique and magical world.

Kabuki at a temporary theater in the Nagoya Castle grounds

The Heisei Nakamura-za, the most renowned troupe of kabuki performers, came back to the Nagoya Castle grounds for the first time in 8 years!
Tickets were quickly sold out.

That just goes to show how people have been waiting for their next performance at a temporary theater, especially after the troupe had lost their main actor to cancer. His name was Kanzaburo Nakamura XVIII, and he was just 58 years old at his death. He put his all his energy into revitalizing the traditional atmosphere which a temporary theater brings to an audience; just the way kabuki used to be.

Unlike many modern kabuki theaters with advanced technologies, this type of theater is a temporary one, and after a run, it will be taken away. This was common in the olden days when a troupe visited rural towns and villages for a performance.

In general, a temporary theater is small but it has an advantage! You find yourself much closer to the stage. Your eyes meet your favorite actor's eyes when he stops on stage for an exaggerated, dramatic pose. It is very particular in kabuki performance.

Kabuki has a very unique style of stage performance, and has a long history of more than 400 years. Historical stories based on the era of the samurai warriors were performed by men-only troupes (they take the women's roles as well). The actors grow up and are trained in notable families of kabuki performers, as it has always been over the generations.

Dynamic stage settings and colorful, traditional costumes are eye-catching. The style of performance is elaborate and bold with lots of motion and sound. Kabuki actors, with their strong attachment toward Japanese traditional arts, have been entertaining people for centuries.


Now the Heisei Nakamura-za troupe is back again with Kanzaburo's two adult sons following in their father's footsteps. That day, in the temporary theater in the Nagoya castle grounds, the whole audience gave a big round of applause for the passionate kabuki performance.

Kabuki

If I don't have a friend whose career is so much related to Kabuki, I wouldn't have had a chance to enjoy one of the sophisticated culture of my country.

Let me talk about Kabuki for those who don't know what is all about.

Kabuki is a form of classical theater that started in the early seventeenth century. It is characterized by the rhythm of the lines spoken by the actors, extravagant costumes, flamboyant makeup, and the use of mechanical devices to achieve special effects on stage. Most of the plays based on medieval or warriors period or Edo period (just about between 7 to17 centuries)themes, and all the actors, even those playing female roles, are men.

The world of Kabuki fascinates many people from abroad as well as the Japanese.

Well, a friend of mine who commits his life to the Kabuki world is not a Kabuki actor. He is so-called "a chanter" who plays an important role telling a story during the play.

On one of the days during the run, I make it a rule to see the Kabuki with one of my good friends and really have a good time to enjoy the Kabuki world. I'm really proud of him to devote himself for the traditional Japanese culture.