12 January: the actor Sawamura Sôjûrô IX (1933~2001) died.

January: Bandô Yasosuke V took the name of Bandô Mitsugorô X at the Kabukiza [more details].

February: second month of shûmei at the Kabukiza for Bandô Mitsugorô X [more details].

31 March: the actor Nakamura Utaemon VI (1917~2001) died.

June: 4th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki, which was staged at the Shibuya Bunkamura Theatre Cocoon. The play "Sannin Kichisa" was coproduced by Nakamura Kankurô V and the playwright Kushida Kazuyoshi [more details].

8 July: the actor Ichimura Uzaemon XVII (1916~2001) died.

January: the National Theatre produced the revival of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Koharunagi Okitsu Shiranami", which has not been played in its full length since 11th lunar month of 1864 [casting].

April: Nakamura Matsue V took the name of Nakamura Kaishun II at the Kabukiza [more details].

May: Onoe Tatsunosuke II took the name of Onoe Shôroku IV at the Kabukiza [more details].

June: second month of shûmei at the Kabukiza for Onoe Shôroku IV [more details].

June: Sawamura Tanosuke VI received the prestigious title of Living National Treasure (Ningen Kokuhô in Japanese).

The Kabuki world celebrated its 400th Anniversary !

May: Bandô Shônosuke, Kataoka Jûzô VI and Ichikawa Otora VI respectively took the names of Kawarazaki Gonjûrô IV, Kataoka Ichizô VI and Ichikawa Omezô VI at the Kabukiza.

June: Onoe Kikugorô VII received the prestigious title of Living National Treasure (Ningen Kokuhô in Japanese).

June: 5th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki, which was staged at the Shibuya Bunkamura Theatre Cocoon. The play "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" was coproduced by Nakamura Kankurô V and the playwright Kushida Kazuyoshi [more details].

October: revival at the National Theatre with the Omodakaya guild of Nagawa Kamesuke I's drama "Hade Kurabe Ise Monogatari" [casting].

28 March: the actor Onoe Kurôemon II (1922~2004) died.

23 April: the actor Bandô Kichiya II (1937~2004) died.

May: Ichikawa Shinnosuke VII took the name of Ichikawa Ebizô XI at the Kabukiza [more details].

June: second month of shûmei at the Kabukiza for Ichikawa Ebizô XI [more details].

July: Fifth edition of the Heisei Nakamuraza, staged abroad for the first time; Nakamura Kankurô and his troupe performed in Boston (8~10 July, Cutler Majestic Theatre), New York City (17~25 July, Lincoln Center) and Washington DC (28 July, Warner Theater). In Boston and Washington, the troupe performed in the dances "Bô Shibari" and "Renjishi". In New York, an Edo 545-seat traditional theater was built within the Lincoln Center and the troupe staged the great Kamigata drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami".

July: Japan decided to nominate Kabuki for recognition by UNESCO for entry in the list of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

October: special Kabuki tour in Paris (France), which celebrated the shûmei of Ichikawa Ebizô XI [more details].

February: Bandô Takeshirô took the name of Bandô Shinsha IV in Ôsaka at the Shôchikuza.

March: the actor Nakamura Kankurô V took the name of Nakamura Kanzaburô XVIII in Tôkyô at the Kabukiza [more details].

April: second month of shûmei at the Kabukiza for Nakamura Kanzaburô XVIII [more details]. Chikamatsuza tour in Korea [more details].

May: third month of shûmei at the Kabukiza for Nakamura Kanzaburô XVIII [more details].

June: Chikamatsuza tour in the USA [more details].

June: 6th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki, which was staged at the Shibuya Bunkamura Theatre Cocoon. The play "Sakura Hime" was produced by the playwright Kushida Kazuyoshi [more details].

November: UNESCO designated Kabuki as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

December: the actor Nakamura Ganjirô III took the name of Sakata Tôjûrô IV in Kyôto at the Minamiza.

26 December: the actor Onoe Matsusuke VI (1946~2005) died.

7 January: the playwright Tobe Ginsaku (1920~2006) died.

17 February: Ichiyama Nasorô (1921~2006), the master of the Ichiyama school of Traditional dance, died.

March ~ April: 7th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki, which was staged at the Shibuya Bunkamura Theatre Cocoon. The play "Tôkaidô Yotsuya Kaidan" was coproduced by Nakamura Kanzaburô XVIII and the playwright Kushida Kazuyoshi [more details].

May ~ June: Kabuki tour in Western Europe, in London at the Sadler's Wells (31 May~11 June) and in Amsterdam at the Stadsschouwburg (15~18 June) [more details].

20 October: the actor Nakamura Genzaemon II (1934~2006) died.

13 December: Nagayama Takeomi, the head of the powerful Shôchiku Company, died in Tôkyô.

7 January: the playwright Tobe Ginsaku (1920~2006) died.

30 January: the Kabuki photographer Yoshida Chiaki died.

March: Kabuki tour in Paris (France) [more details].

April: Nakamura Shinjirô took the name of Nakamura Kinnosuke II at the Kabukiza.

22 April: the actor Nakamura Shirogorô VII (1931~2007) died.

June: 8th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki, which was staged at the Shibuya Bunkamura Theatre Cocoon. The play "Sannin Kichisa" was coproduced by Nakamura Kanzaburô XVIII and the playwright Kushida Kazuyoshi [more details].

January: revival at the National Theatre of Sakurada Jisuke I's kaomise drama "Komachi-mura Shibai no Shôgatsu" [more details].

January: revival at the Shinbashi Enbujô of "Narukami Fudô Kitayama Zakura", which celebrated the 1070th anniversary of the Narita-san Temple, where the Deity Fudô Myôô was worshipped [casting].

May~June: Heisei Nakamuraza tour in Europe, in Berlin at the The House of World Cultures (Germany) from the 14th to the 21st of May 2008 and in Sibiu (Rumania) from the 29th of May to the 1st of June 2008 for the International Theatre Festival [more details].

June 2008: 9th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki, which was staged at the Shibuya Bunkamura Theatre Cocoon. The play "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" was coproduced by Nakamura Kanzaburô XVIII and the playwright Kushida Kazuyoshi [more details].

July: first edition of the HHeisei Nakamuraza in Matsumoto (Nagano Prefecture); Nakamura Kanzaburô produced at the Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" with the same casting as the tour in Europe.

September: "Kabuki for Everyone" tour in Russia [more details].

October: fifth edition of the Heisei Nakamuraza in Tôkyô, in the district of Asakusa, close to the banks of the Sumida River; Nakamura Kanzaburô produced for the first time the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura", in four different programs with the very rare production of the second act of this drama in one program (the "Rikiya Jôshi" and "Matsukiri" scenes). This edition starred for the very first time Kataoka Nizaemon.

11 October: Nakamura Shidô I (1929~2008) died.

November: for the very first time in Kabuki history, a novel of Edogawa Rampo was adapted for Kabuki. This play, which was staged at the National Theatre, was based on "The Were-Panther" ("Ningenhyô" in japanese), a novel with the detective Akechi Kogorô, which was published in 1934 [more details].

November: sixth edition of the Heisei Nakamuraza in Tôkyô, in the district of Asakusa, close to the banks of the Sumida River; Nakamura Kanzaburô produced the drama "Sumidagawa Gonichi no Omokage" (commonly called "Hôkaibô").

22 December: the actor Arashi Kanjûrô VI (1926~2008) died.

January: revival at the National Theatre of "Zôhiki", a bombastic play in the aragoto style belonging to the Kabuki Jûhachiban [casting].

21 February: the actor Nakamura Matagorô II (1914~2009) died.

March: Kabuki adaptation of Shakespeare’s "Twelfth Night" in London [more details].

23 April: the actor Ichikawa Masuju (1934~2009) died.

July: 10th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki [more details].

September: short Kabuki tour in Monaco for the Naritaya guild [more details].

October: first appearance on stage (omemie), at the Kabukiza, of little Fujima Taiga, son of Onoe Shôroku.

January: revival at the National Theatre of Namiki Gohei's long-forgotten drama "Keisei Kogane no Shachihoko", which was differently titled in this revised version; it was staged to commemorate the 400-year anniversary of the establishment of the city of Nagoya [more details].

February: revival at the Kabukiza of the Nagauta-based dance "Tsumeô", which was staged to commemorate the 22nd anniversary (23rd memorial service) of late Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII [casting].

11 February: the actor Ichikawa Hakotora III (1930~2010) died.

17 February: the actor Ichimura Yoshigorô II (1918~2010) died.

May 2010: the Zenshinza actor Arashi Hironari took the name of Arashi Yoshisaburô VII at the National Theatre [more details].

June: Kabuki tour in Western Europe, in London at the Sadler's Wells (4~15 June) and in Roma at the Teatro di Roma-Argentina (21~22 June) [more details].

June 2010: 11th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki [more details].

July 2010: Heisei Nakamuraza in Matsumoto [more details].

October 2010: Kabuki tour in Central America to commemorate the 400th Anniversary of Japan's Relations with Mexico [more details].

October 2010: Heisei Nakamuraza in Ôsaka (first month) [more details].

November 2010: Heisei Nakamuraza in Ôsaka (second month) [more details].

3 January: Living National Treasure Nakamura Tomijûrô V (1929~2011) died.

13 February: the actor Ichikawa Sashô III (1926~2011) died.

27 June: the actor Matsumoto Kôemon (1928~2011) died.

July: Nakamura Kichiemon received the prestigious title of Living National Treasure (Ningen Kokuhô in Japanese).

10 October: Living National Treasure Nakamura Shikan VII (1928~2011) died.

September 2011: Nakamura Kashô III and his son Nakamura Tanetarô IV respectively took the names of Nakamura Matagorô III and Nakamura Kashô IV at the Shinbashi Enbujô [more details].

November 2011: the Heisei Nakamuraza was back in Asakusa, where it stayed up ... to May 2012! Two different programs each month for 7 months.

19 December: Ichikawa Danjirô took the name of Ichikawa Tsukinosuke II.

25 December: the actors Iwai Hanshirô X (1927~2011) and Kataoka Roen VI (1926~2011) died.

27 December: the actor Ichikawa Rikô (1927~2011) died.

February 2012: Nakamura Kantarô II took the name of Nakamura Kankurô VI at the Shinbashi Enbujô [more details].

23 February: Living National Treasure Nakamura Jakuemon IV (1920~2012) died.

13 March: the actor Sawamura Tetsunosuke V (1930~2012) died.

June: great shûmei/hatsubutai performances at the Shinbashi Enbujô for 3 generations of the Omodakaya guild; Ichikawa Kamejirô II and his uncle Ichikawa Ennosuke III respectively took the names of Ichikawa Ennosuke IV and Ichikawa En'ô II; Ichikawa En'ô II's son and grandson Ichikawa Chûsha IX and Ichikawa Danko V made their debut on stage [more details].

July: second month of shûmei/hatsubutai performances at the Shinbashi Enbujô for 3 generations of the Omodakaya guild [more details].

July: Bandô Tamasaburô received the prestigious title of Living National Treasure (Ningen Kokuhô in Japanese).

5 December: the actor Nakamura Kanzaburô XVIII (1955~2012) died.

January: the Omodakaya actors Ichikawa En'ô II, Ichikawa Ennosuke IV and Ichikawa Chûsha IX celebrated their shûmei in Ôsaka at the Shôchikuza [more details].

2 February: the Living National Treasure, Nagauta shamisen player, Kineya Gosaburô III (1918~2013) died.

3 February: the actor Ichikawa Danjûrô XII (1946~2013) died.

June: Ichikawa En'ô II, Ichikawa Ennosuke IV and Ichikawa Chûsha IX celebrated their shûmei in Fukuoka at the Hakataza [more details].

August: 1st edition of the ABKAI - Ebikai, the gala of the young star Ichikawa Ebizô XI [more details].

January: premiere at the National Theatre of "Sanzen Ryô Haru no Komahiki", a revival of Tatsuoka Mansaku's 1794 drama "Keisei Haru no Tori" [more details]. Premiere at the Shinbashi Enbujô with Ichikawa Ebizô as zagashira of the drama "Kotohoide Mimasu Kagekiyo", a newly-created drama mixing 4 dramas belonging to the Kabuki Jûhachiban and focusing on the warrior Akushichibyôe Kagekiyo [more details].

26 January: the actor Nakamura Kichinojô II (1932~2014) died.

February: revival at the Kabukiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's drama "Kokoro no Nazo Toketa Iroito" [more details]; 5th edition of the Sistine Kabuki, a Kabuki program within the Sistine Hall of the Ôtsuka Museum of Art [more details].

June: the son of Onoe Shôroku IV received the name of Onoe Sakon III and made his debut on stage (hatsubutai) at the Kabukiza [more details]. Ichikawa Ennosuke IV and Ichikawa Chûsha IX celebrated their shûmei in the central provinces [more details]. 14th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki [more details].

July: third Heisei Nakamuraza in New York City [more details].

11 July: the actor Kataoka Matsunojô II (1941~2014) died.

September: Ichikawa Ennosuke IV and Ichikawa Chûsha IX celebrated their shûmei in the western provinces [more details].

October: the October Grand Kabuki at the Kabukiza commemorated the 26th anniversary (27th memorial service) and the 2nd anniversary (3rd memorial service) of late Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII and late Nakamura Kanzaburô XVIII [more details].

November: the Annual Festive Face-Showing Grand Kabuki at the Kabukiza commemorated the 32nd anniversary (33rd memorial service) of the passing away of Matsumoto Hakuô. His two sons, Matsumoto Kôshirô and Living National Treasure Nakamura Kichiemon, were the zagashira [more details]; 7th Kabuki program with Kataoka Ainosuke as zagashira at the Eirakukan, a renovated traditional theater built in the city of Toyooka (prefecture of Hyôgo) [more details].

December: "Igagoe Dôchû Sugoroku" was staged as a tôshi kyôgen (5 acts, 6 scenes), including the rarely-staged "Fujikawa Shinseki" and "Okazaki Yamada Kôbê Sumika" acts (they were staged for the last time more than 44 years ago, in September 1970 at the National Theatre), at the National Theatre with Living National Treasure Nakamura Kichiemon as zagashira [more details].

January: Nakamura Kanjaku V took the name of Nakamura Ganjirô IV in Ôsaka at the Shôchikuza [more details]; Ichikawa Michiyuki took the name of Ichikawa Kudanji IV in Tôkyô at the Shinbashi Enbujô [more details].

21 February: the actor Bandô Mitsugorô X (1956~2015) died.

April: Nakamura Ganjirô IV celebrated his shûmei in Tôkyô at the Kabukiza [more details].

6 April: the actor Nakamura Kosanza II (1920~2015) died.

May: revival at the Kabukiza of the drama "Jayanagi" [more details].

June: Nakamura Ganjirô IV celebrated his shûmei in Fukuoka at the Hakataza [more details].

July: Kataoka Nizaemon received the prestigious title of Living National Treasure (Ningen Kokuhô in Japanese).

October: production at the National Theatre of "Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba" in a tôshi kyôgen production (3 acts; 8 scenes) with the revival of the rarely-staged "Daidaikô" act [more details|casting].

November: revival at the National Theatre of the drama "Shinrei Yaguchi no Watashi" (tôshi kyôgen in 4 acts) [more details|casting].
8th Kabuki program with Kataoka Ainosuke as zagashira at the Eirakukan, a renovated traditional theater built in the city of Toyooka (prefecture of Hyôgo) [more details].

December: Nakamura Ganjirô IV celebrated his shûmei in Kyôto at the Minamiza [more details].

26 December: the actor Ichimura Tsuruzô (1924~2015) died.

18 January: the actor Nakamura Umenosuke IV (1930~2016) died.

March: Nakamura Shibajaku VII took the name of Nakamura Jakuemon V in Tôkyô at the Kabukiza [more details].

26 March: the actor Nakamura Utae (1932~2016) died.

April: Nakamura Ganjirô IV celebrated his shûmei at the Kanamaruza (Shikoku) [more details].

May: Kabuki tour in Western Europe for Bandô Yajûrô and his son Bandô Shingo [more details].

12 May: the director Ninagawa Yukio (1935~2016) died.

20 May: the actor Kataoka Ichimatsu (1927~2016) died.

June: Nakamura Jakuemon V celebrated his shûmei in Fukuoka at the Hakataza [more details]. 15th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki [more details].

July: Nakamura Jakuemon V celebrated his shûmei in Ôsaka at the Shôchikuza [more details].

September: Nakamura Jakuemon V celebrated his shûmei in the western provinces [more details].
Nakamura Tôzô received the prestigious title of Living National Treasure (Ningen Kokuhô in Japanese).

October: important shûmei for the Narikomaya guild; Nakamura Hashinosuke III and his three sons Nakamura Kunio, Nakamura Muneo and Nakamura Yoshio took at the Kabukiza the names of Nakamura Shikan VIII, Nakamura Hashinosuke IV, Nakamura Fukunosuke III and Nakamura Utanosuke IV [more details].
All the scenes for the first three acts of the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura" were staged at the National Theatre to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the National Theatre [more details]. First month of a 3-month tôshi kyôgen production of the most important Kabuki drama.

November: Nakamura Shikan VIII, Nakamura Hashinosuke IV, Nakamura Fukunosuke III and Nakamura Utanosuke IV celebrated their second month of shûmei at the Kabukiza [more details].
All the scenes from "Ochiudo" to "Gion Ichiriki Jaya" of the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura" were staged at the National Theatre to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the National Theatre [more details]. Second month of a 3-month tôshi kyôgen production of the most important Kabuki drama.
9th Kabuki program with Kataoka Ainosuke as zagashira at the Eirakukan, a renovated traditional theater built in the city of Toyooka (prefecture of Hyôgo) [more details].

December: Nakamura Jakuemon V celebrated his shûmei in Kyôto at the Pontochô Kaburenjô [more details].
All the scenes from the 8th to the 11th of the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura" were staged at the National Theatre to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the National Theatre [more details].

January: Ichikawa Ukon I took the name of Ichikawa Udanji III at the Shinbashi Enbujô. His son made his debut on stage (hatsubutai) and received the name of Ichikawa Ukon II [more details].
Nakamura Shikan VIII, Nakamura Hashinosuke IV, Nakamura Fukunosuke III and Nakamura Utanosuke IV celebrated their shûmei in Ôsaka at the Shôchikuza. This was also the 20th anniversary of the Shôchikuza which was celebrated [more details].
The Zenshinza troupe celebrated in Kyôto at the Pontochô Kaburenjô both the 85th anniversary of its foundation and the 40th anniversary of its early spring special performances in Kyôto [more details].

February: debut on stage (hatsubutai) at the Kabukiza for Nakamura Kantarô III and Nakamura Chôzaburô II [more details].

March: "Igagoe Dôchû Sugoroku" was staged as a tôshi kyôgen at the National Theatre. The core of this revival was "Okazaki". The third act, commonly called "Engakuji", which was staged for the last time in February 1931 at the Meijiza, was revived as well [more details | casting].
Kabuki performances in the People's Republic of China in Beijing from the 18th to the 20th of March 2017 at the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center in the heart of the Tianqiao District [more details].

7 march: the actor Nakamura Matazô II (1933~2017) died.

April: Nakamura Jakuemon V celebrated his shûmei at the Kanamaruza (Shikoku) [more details].

May: 3-generation shûmei for the Bandô branch of the Otowaya guild at the Kabukiza; Bandô Hikosaburô VIII, his two sons Bandô Kamesaburô V and Bandô Kametoshi respectively took the names of Bandô Rakuzen, Bandô Hikosaburô IX and Bandô Kamezô III. There was also the hatsubutai of Rakuzen's grandson Bandô Kamesaburô VI. Terajima Mahoro, the grandson of Living National Treasure Onoe Kikugorô and son of the actress Terajima Shinobu makes his first stage appearance (omemie). Moreover, the 22nd and 16th anniversaries (23rd and 17th memorial services) of the passing away of Onoe Baikô VII and Ichimura Uzaemon XVII were commemorated [more details].

June: Nakamura Shikan VIII, Nakamura Hashinosuke IV, Nakamura Fukunosuke III and Nakamura Utanosuke IV celebrated their shûmei in Fukuoka at the Hakataza [more details].

July: Ichikawa Unosuke III took the name of Ichikawa Sai'nyû II at the Kabukiza [more details].
Nakamura Jakuemon V celebrated his shûmei in the central provinces [more details].
Nakamura Shikan VIII and two of his three sons, Nakamura Hashinosuke IV and Nakamura Fukunosuke III, celebrated their shûmei in the eastern provinces [more details].

9 August: the actor Nakamura Kyôshi (1965~2017) died.

September: revival at the Kabukiza of Matsu Kanshi II's seigen-sakurahimemono drama "Saikai Zakura Misome no Kiyomizu" [more details].
Nakamura Shikan VIII and two of his three sons, Nakamura Hashinosuke IV and Nakamura Fukunosuke III, celebrated their shûmei in the western provinces [more details].

December: Nakamura Shikan VIII, Nakamura Hashinosuke IV, Nakamura Fukunosuke III and Nakamura Utanosuke IV celebrated their shûmei in Kyôto at the ROHM Theatre [more details].

January: great name-taking ceremony at the Kabukiza for 3 generations of actors belonging to the Kôraiya guild (Kôraiya Sandai Shûmei); Matsumoto Kôshirô IX, his son Ichikawa Somegorô VII and his grandson Matsumoto Kintarô IV took the names of Matsumoto Hakuô II, Matsumoto Kôshirô X and Ichikawa Somegorô VIII at the Kabukiza [more details].

February: second month of shûmei at the Kabukiza for Matsumoto Hakuô II, Matsumoto Kôshirô X and Ichikawa Somegorô VIII [more details].

April: Opening (kokera otoshi) of the new Misonoza! Matsumoto Hakuô II and Matsumoto Kôshirô X celebrated their shûmei in Nagoya [more details].
Nakamura Shikan VIII and two of his three sons, Nakamura Hashinosuke IV and Nakamura Fukunosuke III, celebrated their shûmei at the Kanamaruza [more details].
Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon did his isse ichidai performance at the Kabukiza for the roles of the villains Tateba no Taheiji and Saeda Daigakunosuke in Tsuruya Nanboku IV's masterpiece "Ehon Gappô-ga-Tsuji" [more details].
34th edition of the Shikoku Konpira Kabuki Ôshibai at the Kanamaruza, which celebrated the shûmei of Nakamura Shikan VIII and two of his three sons, Nakamura Hashinosuke IV and Nakamura Fukunosuke III [more details].

May: 16th edition of the Cocoon Kabuki [more details].