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Jeff Blair's
Kabuki Page

http:// www3. aichi-gakuin. ac.jp / ~jeffreyb / kabuki.html
rough machine translation ... [ Eng=>Jpn ]

Kabuki at Misonoza in Nagoya

Welcome to my Kabuki-page. Ka-bu-ki is a traditional theatre art from Japan, which combines many diverse elements, including the story, music, songs, dance, costume, make-up, stage design, and various performance styles and techniques.

Twice each year, in the spring and fall, Misonoza in Nagoya (Japan) stages a collection of kabuki performances. The following stories will be presented Feb 5-26, 2010. If you like them and happen to be in the area that month, why don't you come see the theater performances. Misonoza Theater is located very close to the subway station at Fushimi.

    Daytime Performance (11am)

  1. Ashiya Doman O-uchi Kagami
  2. Kanjocho
  3. Yowa Nasake Uki Na no Yokokuji
    Evening Performance (4:15pm)

  1. Yoshitsune Senbon Sakura
  2. Ni-nin Dojo-ji

The number for reservations by phone is (052) 222-1481 (in Japanese only). If you go in person to the theater to make reservations, however, I am confident that the staff will be able to find someone to help you in English.

Actors appearing on stage include

Information about other kabuki actors in English or French.

Kabuki Summaries

by Hisao Watanabe
Edited by R. Jeffrey Blair

Some stories that have been presented at Misonoza:

  1. Aotozoshi Hana no Nishikie--Five rascals
  2. Bancho Sarayashiki--A tested love
  3. Chikagoro Kawara no Tatehiki--A love affair at the river corner
  4. Dattan--Penance of Fire
  5. Fubuki Touge--A pass in a snowstorm
  6. Fuingiri--The broken seal
  7. Genji Monogatari--The story of Genji
  8. Gonza to Sukeju
  9. Hikimado--Justice and humanity
  10. Ichijo Okura Monogatari--Camouflage
  11. Imayo Kasane Kesho no Sugatami--A cursed makeup mirror
  12. Kajiwara Heizo Honmare no Ishikiri--
    The great acheivement of Kajiwara
  13. Kamiyui Shinza--Shinza the hairdresser
  14. Kanadehon Chushingura--Ichiriki Teahouse
  15. Kanjincho--The list of contributors
  16. Kawatsura Hogen Yakata no Ba--At Kawatsura Hogen's mansion
  17. Keisei Hangonko--Matahei's masterpiece
  18. Kenuki--Tweezers
  19. Kitsunebi--Fox fire
  20. Kochiyama--The bogus priest
  21. Kotobuki Soga no Taimen--Confrontation
  22. Kumagai Jinya--Kumagai's Camp
  23. Kuruwa Bunsho--A love tale of the gay quarters
  24. Kyokanoko Musume Dojoji--Dojoji Temple
  25. Makura Jishi--Pillow lion dance
  26. Naozamurai--A naive playboy
  27. Narukami--Narukami the saint
  28. Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami--A Story of Justice and Vice in Naniwa
  29. Noriaibune Eho Manzai--A boat with seven merry gods
  30. Okuni to Gohei--A forbidden love
  31. Otoko no Hanamichi--A Promise Between Men
  32. Sakanaya Sogoro--Sogoro, the fish dealer
  33. Sasaki Takatsuna--A betrayed promise
  34. Shibahama no Kawazaifu--Fortune At Shibahama
  35. Shigure no Kotatsu--The coverlet drenched with tears
  36. Shinobiyoru Koi wa Kusemono--Panoramic love and intrigue
  37. Shiranami Gonin Otoko--Five dandies from the underworld
  38. Shunkan--Shunkan the exile
  39. Sonezaki Shinju--Double suicide at Sonezaki
  40. Stories of the Minamoto (Genji) Clan
  41. Stories of the Taira (Heike) Clan
  42. Sukeroku Kuruwa no Hatsuzakura--Sukeroku the dandy
  43. Sumoba--The sumo arena
  44. Tachinusubito--A sword thief
  45. Tsuchigumo--The spirit of the ground spider
  46. Wakaki Hi no Nobunaga--Oda Nobunaga in his younger days
  47. Yanone--Arrowhead
  48. Yoshino Yama--Mount Yoshino
  49. Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura--A Thousand Cherry Trees

  1. Kamikakete Sango Taisetsu--Sango, My Life
  2. Imhori Choja--A potato digger
  3. Iromoyou Chotto Karimame

Four Hundred Years of

Kabuki History

1603-2003

another chronology--in French

1603--Izumo no Okuni creates (women's) Onna Kabuki in Kyoto at Kitano Shrine and at Shijo Gawara of the Kamo River (a dry river bed at 4th street)

1624--Nakamura-za opens in Edo

1629--Onna Kabuki, which features sensual dances and erotic scenes, is banned by the Tokugawa shogunate and replaced by (young men's) Wakashu Kabuki, which displays the actors' youthful physical charms

1652--Wakashu Kabuki is banned
1653--and is replaced by (men's) Yaro Kabuki "hassoku"

1664--Use of draw curtains allows multiple scenes

1673-- Ichikawa Danjuro I (1660-1704) creates Aragoto (rough business) plays featuring superhuman heroes

1684--"Narukami Fudo Kitayama-Zakura" (Narukami and the God Fudo, #2 of the Eighteen Kabuki Plays of the Ichikawa family) is first performed

1685--Takemoto-za opens in Osaka

1702--47 Ronin avenge the death of Lord Asano

1709-- Sakata Tojuro I (1647-1709) dies

1714--Ejima (1681-1741)-Ikushima Shingoro (1671-1743) Scandal--both sent into exile and the Yamamura-za closed

1717--Kabuki theaters becomes "zengai shiki" fully covered

1723--Shinju Mono--plays about double suicide--are banned

1724--Chikamatsu Monzaemon (Sugimori Nobumori, 1653-1724), often called the Shakespeare of Japan, dies

1729-- Yoshizawa Ayame I (1673-1729) dies

1736--The hanamichi becomes an established part of the stage

1742--"Kenuki" (The Tweezers, #14 of the Eighteen Kabuki Plays of the Ichikawa family) is first performed

1746-- "Sugawara Denju Tenari Kagami" (The Secrets of Sugawara's Calligraphy) is first performed

1747--"Yoshitsune Senbon-Zakura" (The Thousand Cherry Trees of Yoshitsune) is first performed

1748--"Kanadehon Chushingura" (The Treasury of Loyal Retainers) is first performed

1751--Namiki Shozo I (1730-1773) leaves puppet theater for kabuki

1753--"Miyako Kako Musume Dojoji" (The Maiden at Dojoji Temple) is first performed

1758--A revolving stage is perfected

1825-- "Tokaido Yotsuya Kaidan" (The Ghost Story of Tokaido Yotsuya) is first performed

1829--Tsuruya Nanboku IV (1755-1829) dies

1840--"Kanjincho" (The Subscription List, #18 of the Eighteen Kabuki Plays of the Ichikawa family) is first performed

1841--Tempo Reforms (prohibitting luxury)--three theaters moved to Asakusa

1842--Ichikawa Danjuro VII (1791-1859) banished from Edo (returned in 1849)

1853--"Yowa Nasaki Ukinano Yokogushi" first performed

1860--"Sannin Kichiza Kuruwa no Hatsugai" (Three Men Called Kichiza) first performed

1866-- Ichikawa Kodanji IV (1812-1866) dies

1872--Theater censorship etc

1886--Engeki Kairyo Movement

1887--Tenran (royal performance) Kabuki

1889--Kabuki-za opens in Tokyo

1893--Kawatake Mokuami (1816-1893) dies

1896--Misono-za opens in Nagoya

1906--Minami-za opens in Kyoto

1923--Shochiku-za opens in Osaka

1923--Kanto Earthquake and fire

1928--First kabuki performance in Russia

1945--Almost all theaters destroyed in air raids

1947--Occupation forces lift the ban on theater performances

1951--Kabuki-za reopens

1955--First kabuki performance in China

1960--First kabuki performance in the U.S.

1965--First kabuki performance in Europe

1966--National theater opens

1985-- Ichikawa Danjuro XII receives stage name

Kabuki Links

Theater Information

Theater Location Program Prices
Misonoza Nagoya
Tsurumai Line
Fushimi		 May
October		 15,000 - 3,900
20,000 - 6,500
Kabuki-za Tokyo
Toei-Asakusa Line
Higashi Ginza		 March
April
May		 14,700 - 2,520 yen
Shochikuza Osaka
Subway
Namba		 July prices
Minamiza Kyoto
Keihan Dentetsu
Shi-jo		 March
April
May 6-8		 prices
Za Kabuki Australia program prices


Kabuki History
and Background

  1. Izumo no Okuni
  2. Kabuki History
  3. Ichikawa Danjuro I
  4. Yoshizawa Ayame I
  5. Chikamatsu Monzaemon

Video Clips
on YouTube

  1. scenes from kabuki
  2. a kabuki courtesan
  3. a lion dance
    .
    .

More Kabuki
Summaries

  1. Twelve famous plays
  2. French summaries
  3. Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura
    .
    .

Photos and Other Images

Used with Permission
none

Permission Pending
http://www.kabuki-za.co.jp/img/top/kabukiko_anime.gif
http://www.mypixel.co.jp/kabuki/nakamura/img/pr_kanku.jpg ... etc.
http://ddb.libnet.kulib.kyoto-u.ac.jp/metaphor/okuni/image/jpg/okuni20.jpg
http://web-japan.org/museum/kabuki/kabuki01/kabuki_img/pa11_1s.jpg
http://www.naritaya.jp/profile/images/dan_photo.jpg
http://www.fix.co.jp/kabuki/image/fuji/fuji2.jpg
http://www.lejapon.org/img9.JPG ... etc.
http://webforce.nwrain.net/kabuki/Photoscans/17.JPG
http://www.lightbrigade.demon.co.uk/Images/Image%201.jpg
http://www.ifrance.com/kabuki/lib/k176.jpg ... etc.

Last updated March 2010
Copyright (C) 1997-2010 by Jeff Blair
contact information