4 shows in Tôkyô (Kabukiza, Shinbashi Enbujô), 2 in Ôsaka (Shôchikuza, Wahha Kamigata Engei Hall) and 1 in Kyôto (Minamiza)!

Ichikawa Danjûrô, Onoe Kikugorô, Sakata Tôjûrô, Nakamura Tomijûrô, Bandô Mitsugorô, Nakamura Tokizô, Nakamura Baigyoku and Ichikawa Ebizô perform at the Kabukiza!

Nakamura Kichiemon, Nakamura Shibajaku, Ichikawa Danshirô and Ichikawa Kamejirô perform at the Shinbashi Enbujô!

Ichikawa Ennosuke's troupe performs at the Shôchikuza!

Ichikawa Danjûrô, Onoe Kikugorô, Sakata Tôjûrô, Nakamura Tomijûrô, Bandô Mitsugorô, Nakamura Tokizô, Nakamura Baigyoku, Ichikawa Ebizô, Ichikawa Sadanji, Nakamura Kaishun, Onoe Shôroku, Ichikawa Danzô, Nakamura Tôzô, Ôtani Tomoemon, Kawarasaki Gonjûrô, Bandô Hikosaburô

Tokaiya/Daimotsu no Ura: these are two scenes from one of the greatest classics of the puppet theatre, which has also become a classic of Kabuki featuring the popular young star Ichikawa Ebizô in his first appearance as Tomomori. After the wars between the Genji and Heike clans, the Genji are victorious and their leader Yoritomo is now Shôgun. But there is a falling out between Yoritomo and his brother Yoshitsune, the brilliant general responsible for the victory. Now Yoshitsune is fleeing through the country and this play fancifully has him encounter several famous warriors from the Heike clan, who are not dead, as history has it. Yoshitsune (Ôtani Tomoemon) books passage on a boat to Kyûshû, but the captain is actually Taira no Tomomori (Ichikawa Ebizô), a general of the Heike clan that Yoshitsune helped to defeat. Tomomori was supposedly killed by Yoshitsune in the final battle of the war, but in this play, Tomomori is shown as surviving, living in disguise with the child emperor Antoku and his nursemaid (Nakamura Kaishun). At one moment the captain is a gallant commoner, but in the next, he is Tomomori, a high ranking general close to the emperor. His wife as well is a cheerful commoner who shows her true identity as a high-ranking lady-in-waiting in the magnificent robes of the imperial court. Tomomori uses the opportunity to try to get his revenge on Yoshitsune but is defeated again. Finally Tomomori holds a giant anchor and plunges into the sea.

Kisen: "Kisen" is part of a series of dances showing the six poetic geniuses of ancient Japan. The five male poets are all shown as being in love with the sixth, Ono no Komachi, one of the most famous beauties of Japan. The other dances are set in ancient Japan, but this dance suddenly jumps to the Edo period where the poet-priest Kisen wanders intoxicated by the beauties of the cherry blossoms and of Okaji, a tea stand waitress. Starring Bandô Mitsugorô as Kisen and Nakamura Tokizô as Okaji.

Banzui Chôbê: in the early Edo period, gallant men like Banzuiin Chôbê led the commoners. But this incurred the wrath of members of the samurai class, who were theoretically in control. This play begins with a recreation of Kabuki in its earliest days, then a fight breaks out which is settled by Chôbê (Ichikawa Danjûrô). But this frustrates the ambitions of the samurai Mizuno (Onoe Kikugorô) who invites Chôbê to visit. All of Chôbê's men tell him not to go because it is a trap, but Chôbê decides to meet his end and bids farewell to his wife (Sakata Tôjûrô) and son. Finally, Chôbê is killed when he is defenseless in the bath.

Aoto Zôshi Hana no Nishikie:
(A Brocade Print of the Age of Magistrate Aoto)
Written by Kawatake Mokuami in 1862, this play focuses on the thief Benten Kozô and was inspired by a woodblock print of a sexy young man with tattoos covering his body with a woman's hairstyle and kimono. Benten Kozô is a swindler and thief who makes use of his beauty, both as a handsome young man and disguised as a beautiful woman. The sections about Benten Kozô are played frequently, but this marks a rare full-length performance that shows the stories of all five thieves in the gang who are tied together by bonds of fate and obligation. In the opening at a magnificent temple surrounded by cherry blossoms, Benten Kozô poses as a samurai youth and seduces a princess setting off events that will eventually destroy Benten and all around him. A beautiful young woman comes to a clothing store with her servant, but is discovered shoplifting and beaten. When she proves that she was not stealing, her servant demands compensation. However, a samurai who happens to be in the store reveals that the young woman is actually a man, and he proudly announces his name as Benten, the thief. The servant is his fellow gang member Nangô Rikimaru (Ichikawa Sadanji) and the samurai is actually the head of the gang Nippon Daemon. However, they learn that the man they have defrauded is actually Benten Kozô’s father and the five thieves realize they cannot escape and decide to wear magnificent matching kimonos as they meet their fate. The act ends with a kind of spectacle showing the five members of the gang in their finest kimonos under the cherry blossoms in full bloom. In elaborate speeches, they each announce their name in the poetic diction for which the playwright Mokuami is famous. Finally Benten Kozô fights off his pursuers in a spectacular fight on the roof of a temple. Starring Onoe Kikugorô as Benten Kozô, Ichikawa Danjûrô as Nippon Daemon, Ichikawa Sadanji as Nangô Rikimaru, Nakamura Tokizô as Akaboshi Jûzaburô and Bandô Mitsugorô as Tadanobu Rihei. Also featuring Living National Treasure Nakamura Tomijûrô as the magistrate Aoto Saemon Fujitsuna.

Saru no Kusemai: Toyotomi Heikichi (Onoe Shôroku) demonstrates his fighting skills in front of his master Oda Harunaga. This dance is a beautiful tachimawari with Toyotomi Heikichi gracefully fighting against yakko. "Saru no Kusemai" means literally the old dance of the monkey. Toyotomi Heikichi was said in his teens to look like a monkey.

Source: Earphone Guide website

Nakamura Kichiemon, Nakamura Shibajaku, Ichikawa Danshirô, Ichikawa Kamejirô, Nakamura Fukusuke, Ichikawa Somegorô, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Nakamura Kashô, Nakamura Karoku

Nakamura Kichiemon is for the third time the zagashira of a troupe of young actors performing at the Shinbashi Enbujô. He plays the roles of Komagata Môhei and Tamiya Iemon in the dramas "Ippon Gatana Dohyô Iri" and "Tôkaidô Yotsuya Kaidan".

Keya-mura: Rokusuke (Ichikawa Somegorô), 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 (Ichikawa Kamejirô) 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 the killer of her father, Rokusuke's master, and Rokusuke promises to help in her vendetta.

Fuji Musume: the spirit of wisteria blossoms dances of love in the form of a beautiful young maiden. One of Kabuki's most famous and colorful dances, it will feature the dancing skills of Nakamura Fukusuke.

Sanja Matsuri: a vigorous dance starring Ichikawa Kamejirô and Ichikawa Somegorô. It is based on dolls at the Sanja festival showing the founding of the temple at Asakusa when two fishermen found a golden image of the Kannon in their nets. In this case, the holy spirits that they encounter are two spheres with the characters for "good" and "evil" on them, and the spirits possess the two and animate them into a lively dance.

Kioi Jishi: this dance shows an Edo festival with its lively lion dance and other entertainments. The festival is full of handsome firemen and attractive geisha who do a series of graceful dances. One of the highlights of this dance is the story of the Soga brothers avenging the death of their father by attacking their enemy during a hunting party for the Shôgun at the foot of Mt. Fuji. Featuring Nakamura Kashô and Nakamura Kinnosuke.

Ippon Gatana Dohyô Iri: this is a modern play by Hasegawa Shin and shows Komagata Mohê (Nakamura Kichiemon), a starving, would-be sumô wrestler. He encounters a courtesan Otsuta (Nakamura Shibajaku), who gives him her purse and hair ornaments and makes him promise to become a champion sumô wrestler. In turn, she promises to go see him make his ceremonial entry into the ring. But ten years later, Mohê has become a gangster instead. Now a powerful fighter, he rescues Otsuta and her family. Ironically, this has become the only way that he can repay her kindness and the shameful form that his entry into the ring has taken.

Yotsuya Kaidan: Tamiya Iemon, a villainous masterless samurai (Nakamura Kichiemon) is in love with Oiwa (Nakamura Fukusuke) and even kills her father Yotsuya Samon to be united with her, cynically promising to help her to avenge her father's death. But at the same time, the granddaughter of a wealthy doctor falls in love with him and her grandfather tries to ensure the match by sending a horrible disfiguring poison to Oiwa. In the most famous scene of the play, face destroyed, hair falling out, Oiwa carefully dresses and puts on make-up to pay a proper visit to those who have wronged her. Iemon kills Oiwa and his servant Kobotoke Kohei (Nakamura Fukusuke), has their bodies nailed to a door and thrown into the river. Iemon is happily married into the wealthy family, but no sooner does the beautiful young bride arrive than Oiwa's ghost causes Iemon to kill her. The vengeful ghosts do not rest until all of their enemies are dead and, in another famous scene, Oiwa and Kohei appear floating on the river, calling out to Iemon. The concluding scene shows the ghost of Oiwa appearing mysteriously from inside a paper lantern and pulling her enemies into the wall and disappearing magically. Featuring Nakamura Shibajaku, Ichikawa Somegorô and Ichikawa Danshirô in the roles of Oiwa's sister Osode, Satô Yomoshichi and Naosuke Gonbê.

Source: Earphone Guide website

Ichikawa Ukon, Ichikawa Danjirô, Ichikawa Emiya, Ichikawa Monnosuke, Ichikawa Emisaburô, Ichikawa Shun'en, Ichikawa En'ya, Ichikawa Juen, Kaneda Ryûnosuke

Ichikawa Ennosuke's troupe of young and talented actors perform a modern style of theater, which they created a few years ago and called "Super Kabuki" (Sûpâ Kabuki in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's lingo): it's spectacular (lots of chûnori), the costums are gorgeous and ultra-sophisticated, the music is modern, the texts are easy to understand and the plots are as twisted as a good Kabuki classic. Usually a big commercial success! "Yamato Takeru" was the first Sûpâ Kabuki drama of the Omodakaya guild and the most successful one. For this revival, the leading role of Yamato Takeru is played by both Ichikawa Danjirô and Ichikawa Ukon.

Ichikawa Ennosuke is on sick leave and does not perform in this production.

Kamimura Kichiya

Fourth edition of the program of the association Miyoshi no Kai, which stars the young and talented actor Kamimura Kichiya.

Ichikawa Kamejirô, Kataoka Takatarô, Ichikawa Somegorô, Nakamura Baishi, Nakamura Kazutarô

Special program of the Sankyôkai, an experimental group led by three musicians: Kamei Hirotada, Tanaka Denzaemon XIII and Tanaka Denjirô VII. The programs of the Sankyôkai mixes actors and musicians from the Kabuki, Nô and Kyôgen world.