5 shows in Tôkyô (Kabukiza, Meijiza, Makuhari Messe), 2 on Shikoku island (Kanamaruza), 1 in Kyôto (Kyôto Gekijô) and 1 in Fukuoka (Hakataza)!

Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Nakamura Jakuemon, Nakamura Kaishun, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Kataoka Takatarô, Ichikawa Somegorô, Bandô Yajûrô, Kataoka Hidetarô and Ichikawa Sadanji perform at the Kabukiza!

Living National Treasure Sakata Tôjûrô, Nakamura Ganjirô, Nakamura Senjaku, Kataoka Ainosuke, Ichikawa Chûsha, Nakamura Kikaku and Nakamura Kazutarô perform at the Kanamaruza!

Onoe Kikunosuke, Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Bandô Hikosaburô and Kataoka Kamezô perform at the Meijiza!

Ichikawa Ebizô performs at the Kyôto Gekijô!

Ichikawa Ennosuke and the Omodakaya guild perform at the Hakataza!

Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Nakamura Jakuemon, Nakamura Kaishun, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Kataoka Takatarô, Ichikawa Somegorô, Bandô Yajûrô, Kataoka Hidetarô, Ichikawa Sadanji, Nakamura Karoku, Nakamura Matagorô, Nakamura Tôzô, Onoe Matsuya, Ôtani Tomoemon, Ichikawa Komazô

"Gensôshin Kûkai" is a newly-created drama and it is about the stay in China of the priest Kûkai. This drama is staged to celebrate the 1200 anniversary of the acceptation by the emperor of Japan in 816 of the request made by Kûkai to build Kôyasan. The original story was written by the Japanese SF master Yumemakura Baku. Others highlights in April will be:

Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon and his son Kataoka Takatarô playing the roles of Rokusuke and Osono in "Keya-mura".

Matsumoto Kôshirô playing the role of the anma Tomi-no-Ichi, later Shiranui Kengyô II in Uno Nobuo's drama "Okitsu Nami Yami no Shiranui".

Ayatsuri Sanbasô:
(The Puppet Sanbasô)
The Sanbasô is part of the ritual Nô play "Okina", a prayer for prosperity and in Kabuki the vigorous Sanbasô dance is often performed separately. To make the dance especially auspicious, the old man Okina and attendant Senzai appear as well. In Kabuki, the Sanbasô dance appears in all kinds of versions. In this particular version, the Sanbasô is actually a giant marionette (Ichikawa Somegorô), dancing lightly until his antics tangle his strings, creating problems for his puppeteer (Onoe Matsuya).

Shiranui Kengyô: a fishmonger Tomigorô (Matsumoto Kingo) tries to rent 5 ryô gold pieces from a blind masseur Masanoichi, but as Masanoichi starts making an uproar Tomigorô kills him. Tomigorô's son Tominosuke (Matsumoto Kôshirô) who was born on that day is blind. He starts practicing to be a masseur from his childhood and grows up to be one named Tominoichi (Matsumoto Kôshirô), but he does various evil deeds. He rapes Namie (Nakamura Kaishun), the wife of a direct retainer of Shôgun, kills and robs a showman Kanji (Sawamura Yoshijirô) of 200 ryô gold pieces and shares the money with Namakubi no Jirô (Ichikawa Somegorô) who witnessed the murder and becomes his companion. Later Tominoichi comes to do evil deeds with Tobaya brothers, Tanji (Bandô Yajûrô) and Tamatarô (Onoe Matsuya), and makes them kill Shiranui Kengyô (Ôtani Keizô). Kengyô is the highest position of the blind masseurs (zatôà. And Tominoichi becomes Shiranui Kengyô II (Matsumoto Kôshirô). Namie, who was divorced for stealing the money because of Tominoichi's evil deed, tries to take revenge, but is killed and thrown to Kanda river. He tries to make Yushima no Ohan (Kataoka Takatarô) known for her beauty his wife using the power of wealth but fails. Knowing that Fusagorô (Nakamura Kinnosuke) had close relations with Ohan, he orders him to make a large cabinet and after killing them both, puts their corpses inside. Kengyô continues to commit series of crime but this comes to an end when Tamatarô, suffering from a guilty conscience, accuses him of his evil deeds Ishizaka Kinai (Ichikawa Sadanji), comes with police officers and Kengyô is finally arrested. Even then, he walks shamelessly and curses at a crowd.

Migawari Zazen: a dance play adopted from a classical kyôgen farce. A man (Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon) wants nothing more than to visit his lover Hanako, but he has one important problem, his homely and overbearing wife (Ichikawa Sadanji). He creates a scheme saying that he will be practicing Zen meditation all night and has his servant (Nakamura Matagorô) take his place while he visits Hanako. He returns, giddy from a night of pleasure and tells his story to his servant in dance, unaware that his wife has discovered his deception and has taken his servant's place.

Sugisaka/Keya-mura: Rokusuke (Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon), a farmer who lives at the foot of Mt. Hiko in Buzen Province, is a master swordsman. In Kokura Domain, a proclamation was issued that they will employ a man who defeats Rokusuke as a retainer. After his mother's death, Rokusuke keeps vigil at Sugisaka Grave for 49 nights. One night, when Rokusuke is praying to Amida Buddha, Mijin Danjô (Nakamura Karoku), a masterless samurai passes by with his old mother (Nakamura Tôzô). Mijin Danjô asks Rokusuke to let him win the sword match wanting to be a good son. Touched by his filial piety towards his mother, Rokusuke promises to do so. After they part, a young samurai serving Rokusuke's master, Yoshioka Ichimisai, is attacked by a bandit. Rokusuke drives the bandit away, but he breathes his last after leaving the boy he was with in Rokusuke's care. A few days later the sword match is held at Rokusuke's house and Rokusuke gives Danjô the match as he had promised. Just after, Rokusuke's fiancee Osono (Kataoka Takatarô) whom Rokusuke has never met comes to Rokusuke's house disguised as a Zen priest. To Rokusuke's surprise, Yasomatsu (ACT), the boy left in Rokusuke's care, turns out to be the son of Osono's sister. Furthermore, Rokusuke finds out that Danjô is in reality Kyôgoku no Takumi who attacked Ichimisai, Osono's father and Rokusuke's master, under the cover of darkness. Rokusuke becomes furious to know that he was deceived, and goes out with Osono to avenge himself on Kyôgoku no Takumi.

Gensôshin Kûkai:
(Kûkai's feast with demons in China)
It is a new production Kabuki adapted from a romance by a famous novelist Yumemakura Baku published in 2010. The plot centers round Kûkai (Ichikawa Somegorô) and Tachibana no Hayanari (Onoe Matsuya) who study in China and various characters such as Emperor Tokusô (Matsumoto Kôshirô), Yôkihi (Nakamura Jakuemon), Tan'ô (Nakamura Karoku), Kôkaku (Bandô Yajûrô), Hakuryû (Nakamura Matagorô) and Hakurakuten (Nakamura Kashô). It is the era of the Emperor Tokusô of the Tang Dynasty China. Kûkai, a monk, and Tachibana no Hayanari, a student in Confucianism, came to China as members of Japanese envoy to Tang Dynasty China. They hear a rumor about a monstrous cat at a brothel and drinks with Shunkin (Nakamura Kotarô), a woman who was possessed by the cat. A few days later the monks of Seiryûji Temple who visited Shunkin's house to exorcise the cat tell them that Shunkin has been changed to an old woman after the cat has gone away. Kûkai and Hayanari gradually become involved in the case of cursing the Emperor.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Living National Treasure Sakata Tôjûrô, Nakamura Ganjirô, Nakamura Senjaku, Kataoka Ainosuke, Ichikawa Chûsha, Nakamura Kikaku, Nakamura Kazutarô

32nd edition of the Spring Kabuki performance Shikoku Konpira Kabuki Ôshibai at the Kanamaruza on Shikoku Island! Nakamura Ganjirô IV celebrates his shûmei at the Kanamaruza!

Keya-mura: Rokusuke (Kataoka Ainosuke), a sword master who lives a simple country life, is taking care of a small foundling child. He hangs the boy's kimono outside his house in the hope that the boy's relatives will see it and know where he is. One day he finds himself attacked by a woman named Osono (Nakamura Kazutarô) who turns out to be the aunt of the child. As they talk, they find that they are in fact linked by promises of marriage although they have never met directly. Osono is searching for Kyôgoku no Takumi (Nakamura Kikaku), the killer of her father, Rokusuke's master, and Rokusuke promises to help in her vendetta.

Kôjô: the close relationship between the actors and the audience is shown by these stage announcements, lavish ceremonies to commemorate various important events. In this case, all the stars of the cast, led by Living National Treasure Sakata Tôjûrô, assemble to celebrate the shûmei of Nakamura Ganjirô IV.

Kôsuke Mochi: based on a classic of Kansai-style rakugo comic storytelling, this was a famous part of the Ôsaka comedian Fujiyama Kanbi's repertory. The play focuses on Daikokuya Kôsuke (Nakamura Ganjirô), the proprietor of a rice cake shop who is forced to sell his wife Okimi (Nakamura Kikaku) into prostitution for the money and then the complications when he encounters a famous sumô wrestler (Ichikawa Chûsha). Featuring also Nakamura Senjaku and Nakamura Kazutarô.

Anma to Dorobô:
(The Blind Masseur and the Thief)
This modern play by Murakami Genzô shows a thief (Kataoka Ainosuke) who tries to rob a blind masseur (Ichikawa Chûsha) of his savings, thinking that he would be an easy target. But the masseur is more than a match for him and before the thief knows what has happened, the two are drinking together like old friends and the masseur begins to try to persuade him to give up his life of crime.

Sagi Musume: one of the most famous dances in Kabuki, this figure is familiar through pictures and Japanese dolls. A beautiful young woman all in white appears in the snowy landscape. She dances lightly of love, but then reveals that she is the spirit of a bird, a magnificent heron that struggles wounded through a snowstorm. Starring Nakamura Senjaku.

Fûin Giri:
(Breaking the Seals)
In the pleasure quarters, the most important possessions were money and reputation. In danger of losing his lover, the courtesan Umegawa, the money courier Kameya Chûbê breaks the seals on a package of money entrusted to him after being taunted by a rival, even though the use of such money is punishable by death. Starring Nakamura Ganjirô as Chûbê, Nakamura Kazutarô as Umegawa, Kataoka Ainosuke as Chûbê's treacherous friend Tanbaya Hachiemon and Nakamura Senjaku as Oen, the proprietress of the teahouse.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Onoe Kikunosuke, Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Bandô Hikosaburô, Kataoka Kamezô, Kawarasaki Gonjûrô, Kamimura Kichiya, Bandô Kamesaburô, Bandô Kametoshi, Nakamura Baishi, Bandô Shingo, Nakamura Mantarô, Arashi Kitsusaburô, Nakamura Kamenojô, Ichimura Kitsutarô, Nakamura Tsurumatsu, Nakamura Kunio

April Young Actors Kabuki performances at the Meijiza! The rarely-staged matsubamemono "Suehirogari" is revived. There were only 2 records in Tôkyô: in December 1909 at the Tôkyô Gekijô with Ichikawa Ennosuke I and Onoe Baikô VI in the roles of Tarôkaja and his master. In August 1992 at the National Theatre with Ichikawa Danzô and Nakamura Tomotarô in the roles of Tarôkaja and his master. Lots of hatsuyaku for the 3 young stars:

Nakamura Shichinosuke plays for the first time the prestigious role of Kuzu-no-Ha in the eponymous drama "Kuzu-no-Ha".

Onoe Kikunosuke and Nakamura Shichinosuke play for the first time the roles of Kawachiya Yohê and Okichi in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Abura no Jigoku".

Nakamura Kankurô and Onoe Kikunosuke also play for the first time the roles of Eijirô and Osuzu in "Ukare Shinjû", a drama which is closely associated to late Nakamura Kanzaburô XVIII.

Nakamura Shichinosuke and Onoe Kikunosuke also play for the first time the roles of the courtesan Matsuyama and Wankyû in "Ninin Wankyû". Onoe Kikunosuke had the opportunity to perform twice in the past the role of Matsuyama in this beautiful dance.

Kuzu-no-Ha: Abe no Yasuna, a court astrologer in disgrace, has married a beautiful woman named Kuzu-no-Ha, not knowing that she is actually a fox that has taken human form to repay his kindness in saving his life. The couple has a child and lives happily together until the real woman whose form the fox borrowed appears. Knowing that she can no longer stay, Kuzu-no-Ha writes a tearful farewell poem on the paper screen and returns to the wilderness. Starring Nakamura Shichinosuke as Kuzu-no-Ha and Nakamura Baishi as Yasuna.

Suehirogari: a master (Kataoka Kamezô) gives a big sum of money to his servant Tarôkaja (Nakamura Kankurô) and asks him to buy him a suehirogari at the market. Tarôkaja is not familiar with the word suehirogari and doesn’t know that it means a fan. He arrives at the market and is fooled by a mischievous merchant into buying an old umbrella instead. When his master sees Tarôkaja coming back with an umbrella, he becomes upset and starts scolding him for being such a fool. But Tarôkaja starts singing and dancing to get himself out of trouble and the master ends up forgiving him and happily singing and dancing with him.

Abura no Jigoku: this play has become phenomenally popular in modern times for its hard-boiled sensibility and sensuous killing scene with the protagonists slipping and struggling through puddles of spilled oil, but was virtually ignored at the time it was written. It shows Yohê, the wastrel son of a well-to-do merchant, who constantly tries to borrow money from Okichi, the wife of a neighboring oil merchant. Pressed for funds, he tries to blackmail her, but ends up killing her in the long, dream-like scene that gives this plays its title, "the woman killer and the hell of oil". Starring Onoe Kikunosuke and Nakamura Shichinosuke in the roles of Yohê and Okichi.

Ukare Shinjû: based on a novel by contemporary writer Inoue Hisashi, this is a parody of all serious love suicide plays and finally ends with the main characters flying through the air on their way to the underworld. Full of thrills and comedy and with popular star Nakamura Kankurô making a rare flight through the theater.

Ninin Wankyû: the fabulously wealthy Wan'ya Kyûbê (nicknamed Wankyû) is disowned by his family for falling in love with the courtesan Matsuyama. Then, when she dies, he goes mad with grief and wanders through the countryside. This dance shows him as he imagines meeting Matsuyama again and there is a lively dance recalling their happiness together before the vision fades and he is left alone. Starring Onoe Kikunosuke as Wankyû and Nakamura Shichinosuke as Matsuyama.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Ichikawa Ebizô, Kataoka Ichizô, Ichikawa Unosuke, Ichikawa Kudanji, Ôtani Hiromatsu, Katayama Kurôemon, Kanze Yoshimasa, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Shigeyama Ippei, Ichikawa Botan

A special program mixing Kabuki, Nô and Opera. The young heir of the Naritaya guild performs in a special version of "Genji Monogatari", featuring the Nô actors Katayama Kurôemon X and Kanze Yoshimasa, and the Opera Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo. The script for this version of "Genji Monogatari" focuses on the story from Oborozukiyo to Suma/Akashi.

Genji Monogatari: Japan's oldest love story is reborn from a wondrous collaboration of Kabuki, Nô and Opera. The Tale of Genji was written in the 11th century by Murasaki Shikibu, a lady of the Heian court. The whole story consists of 54 chapters and unfolds in a number of human relationships and romances that Hikaru-no-kimi,,the hero of the tale(acted by Ichikawa Ebizô), had in his life while describing to the court about life in the Heian period of Japan. This story is to recreate a new "The Tale of Genji" incorporating the essence of Kabuki, Nô, another form of traditional Japanese theatre culture, and Opera, an art long-cultivated in Western culture. That is sometimes elegant and quiet, yet sometimes dramatic and aggressive. The beautiful four seasons of Japan are recreated on the stage which will remind audiences of profoundness Japanese sensitivity.

Source: Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Ichikawa Ennosuke, Ichikawa Ukon, Ichikawa Monnosuke, Ichikawa Omezô, Bandô Takesaburô, Ichikawa Emisaburô, Ichikawa Emiya, Ichikawa Shun'en, Ichikawa En'ya, Ichikawa Juen, Ichikawa Kôtarô, Bandô Minosuke, Nakamura Hayato, Onoe Ukon

Oda Eiichirô's internationally popular manga "ONE PIECE" gets his first Kabuki adaptation by Ichikawa Ennosuke. Premiered in October 2015/November 2015 at the Shinbashi Enbujô, it is staged this month in Fukuoka at the Hakataza. Technically and artistically speaking, it is not Kabuki but Sûpâ Kabuki Sekando (the second generation of Sûpâ Kabuki), a genre created by Ichikawa Ennosuke III and continued by his nephew Ichikawa Ennosuke IV. Most of the actors are Kabuki actors, with 3 non-Kabuki guest actors : Hira Takehiro, Kashima Noritoshi and Asano Kazuyuki.

ONE PIECE: "ONE PIECE", a big hit comic of Japan, and Super Kabuki II by Ichikawa Ennosuke IV make a miraculous collaboration! The largest-scale project ever begins! "ONE PIECE" has started since the July 1997 issue of Weekly Shônen Jump. As a book, the first volume was published in December 1997 and gained a national reputation soon. The series reach 77 volumes and the number of copies printed of the series is more than the world record 320,000,000, so it was awarded Guinness World Record as the most printed comic series by a writer in June 2015. Ichikawa Ennosuke IV is one of star Kabuki actors who will bear the next generation. He challenges aggressively to classic kabuki and new kabuki with rich expression and unique personality. He succeeded to the spirit of Super Kabuki which had been originated by his uncle Ichikawa Ennosuke III (Ichikawa En’ô II) and performed "Sora o Kizamu Mono" [A Man who sculptures the Sky] as the first play of Super Kabuki II in March and April 2014, which resulted in a great success. It is a marine adventure roman by the hero Luffy (Ichikawa Ennosuke) who explores the ocean with his diverse crew of pirates, named the Straw Hat Pirates, in search of the world ultimate treasure known as ONE PIECE in order to become the next Pirate King. The Straw Hat Pirates broke up in the battle against the navy at Sabaody Islands, the entrance to the new world, the next step to the big navigation in search of the world ultimate treasure. Luffy became alone, hears of his brother Ace’s execution and hurries to rescue him. Luffy is able to break through the navy’s barricade, but Ace has already been transferred to the navy head quarter. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates fight Summit Battle against the navy at its head quarter!

Sources: Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Nakamura Shidô, Hatsune Miku

The world of Kabuki and the world of otaku collide! Resulting from this spectacular collision, a new genre, the Chôkabuki (literally Ultra-Kabuki), is born! Nakamura Shidô, performing the role of Satô Shirobyôe Tadanobu (in reality the fox Genkurô), shares the stage with the virtual 3D creature Hatsune Miku. They perform "together" in a Chôkabuki dance-drama which is choreographed by Fujima Kanjûrô VIII and is entitled "Hana Kurabe Senbon Zakura". It is staged at the Makuhari Messe as part of the Niconico Chôkaigi 2016 event, an important yearly event for the otaku tribes [the flyer | a video of Hatsune Miku | website].