6 shows in Tôkyô (Kabukiza, National Theatre, Shinbashi Enbujô), 1 in Ôsaka (National Bunraku Theatre), 1 in Toyooka (Eirakukan) and 1 in Kyôto (Minamiza)!

Nakamura Kanzaburô, Bandô Mitsugorô, Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Fukusuke and Nakamura Senjaku perform at the Kabukiza !

The Naritaya guild performs at the Shinbashi Enbujô!

Young and talented actors perform at the Eirakukan!

All the others great Kabuki actors are on vacation ...

Nakamura Kanzaburô, Bandô Mitsugorô, Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Senjaku, Nakamura Fukusuke, Bandô Yajûrô, Kataoka Kamezô, Nakamura Kantarô, Ichikawa Komazô, Ichimura Manjirô, Nakamura Baishi

8th of the 16 Kabukiza Sayonara Kôen, the Kabukiza Farewell Performances, which will be held up to April 2010. In August, the season of gala programs at Kabukiza to say farewell to the old theater building continues with a group of popular young stars headed by Nakamura Kanzaburô and Bandô Mitsugorô in three short programs of Kabuki, perfect to fight the heat of summer.

Tenpô Yûkyôroku:
(Record of an Unruly Life)
Katsu Kokichi (Nakamura Hashinosuke), a low-ranking warrior, is universally disliked for his dissolute behavior but he reforms for the sake of his small son who later becomes Katsu Kaishû, one of the leading figures of the Meiji Restoration of 1868. A modern historical play, it was written by Mayama Seika, one of the most important Japanese dramatists of the twentieth century.

Rokkasen: a rare full-length performance of a humorous series of dances, which show the ancient poetic geniuses famous from classical Japanese literature, reinterpreted to the tastes of Edo period audiences. Ono no Komachi, the only woman of the six, was famous as a great beauty and in this dance, all the other poets are in love with her. The first dances are filled with the atmosphere of the Heian period imperial court, but then changes to a contemporary scene. Starring Bandô Mitsugorô in the five male roles (Henjô, Bun'ya, Narihira, Kisen and Kuronushi) and Nakamura Fukusuke in the role of Ono no Komachi.

Toyoshiga no Shi: the story of the vengeful spirit of the horribly disfigured woman Kasane is one of the most famous in Japanese folklore. In the Meiji period, rakugo storyteller Sanyûtei Enchô reworked this into a modern tale of psychology. The most famous episode shows Toyoshiga (Nakamura Fukusuke), a middle-aged music teacher who is passionately in love with her young student Shinkichi (Nakamura Kantarô). Shinkichi is in love with an attractive young neighbor, Ohisa (Nakamura Baishi) and wants to get away from Toyoshiga, who is ill and demanding, but even death will not stop her desperate passion.

Funa Benkei: although he won a war against the enemy Heike clan, the young general Yoshitsune (Nakamura Fukusuke) has gained the disfavor of his brother, the Shôgun, and tries to flee to Kyûshû by boat. Before he sets sail, he must say farewell to his lover Shizuka (Nakamura Kanzaburô), who performs a dance expressing her grief at their separation. Once the boat sets sail, the spirit of the great Heike general Tomomori (Nakamura Kanzaburô), killed by Yoshitsune in battle at sea, appears and attacks to take revenge for the destruction of his clan. They are only saved by the prayers of Yoshitsune's companion, the warrior-priest Benkei (Nakamura Hashinosuke). The roles of both Shizuka and Tomomori are played by the same actor.

Okuni to Gohei: this play was written by the famous 20th century novelist Tanizaki Jun'ichirô. Okuni (Nakamura Senjaku) has set out on a vendetta against a former lover Tomonojô (Bandô Mitsugorô) for killing her husband. When she finds him, he reveals that he has actually been following her all the time during her long search disguised as a traveling priest. Tomonojô begs for her forgiveness, but Okuni is still forced to kill him, as he has seen that she has fallen in love with her servant Gohei (Nakamura Kantarô) who has accompanied her on her journey.

Chibusa no Enoki:
(The Ghost and the Milk-Giving Tree)
Based on a rakugo story by Sanyûtei Enchô, this is a showpiece for the star actor (Nakamura Kanzaburô) who plays multiple roles, culminating in a thrilling fight scene in a waterfall where he switches rapidly from one to another. An artist named Hishikawa Shigenobu (Nakamura Kanzaburô) is killed by a handsome samurai named Isogai Namie who makes love to Shigenobu's wife Oseki (Nakamura Fukusuke). He carries out the murder with the help of Shigenobu's honest, but simple minded, servant Shôsuke (Nakamura Kanzaburô) and the tattooed villain Uwabami no Sanji (Nakamura Kanzaburô). But the baby is rescued by the ghost of Shigenobu and finally the boy avenges the death of his father by killing Isogai.

Source: Earphone Guide website

Kataoka Ainosuke, Nakamura Kanjaku, Bandô Shinsha, Ichikawa Omezô, Nakamura Kazutarô

This is the second Kabuki program at the Eirakukan, a renovated traditional theater built in the city of Toyooka (prefecture of Hyôgo).

Ichikawa Danjûrô, Ichikawa Ebizô, Nakamura Shichinosuke

A brand-new play about the larger-than-life king of thieves Ishikawa Goemon. The role of Ishikawa Goemon is played by Ichikawa Ebizô.

Bandô Tamasaburô

A special Buyô program in Kyôto, starring the amazing onnagata Bandô Tamasaburô

11th edition of the summer program of the association Ne no Kai (literally 'the Sound Association'). The first item feature only the geza musicians and the Nagauta music ensemble. The second item features only the Gidayû ensemble. The last one is a dance, which stars disciples of major actors.

Ichikawa Kamejirô, Ichikawa Danshirô, Nakamura Kikaku, Bandô Kamesaburô

7th edition of the program of the association Kamejirô no Kai, which stars the young and talented actor Ichikawa Kamejirô.

15th edition of the common program for 2 associations, the Chigyokai (the Young Fishes Association) and the Kabukikai (the Kabuki Association), which stars stars' disciples in the leading roles of all the items in the program.

19th edition of the Kamigata Kabukikai (the Kamigata Kabuki Association), a summer program in Ôsaka which stars Kamigata Kabuki stars' disciples in the leading roles of all the items.