5 shows in Tôkyô (Shinbashi Enbujô, National Theatre, Theatre Ginza, Akasaka Act Theater) and 2 shows in Nagoya (Misonoza)!

Nakamura Fukusuke, Nakamura Kanjaku and Nakamura Kinnosuke perform at the National Theatre!

Ichikawa Ennosuke, Ichikawa En'ô, Sakata Tôjûrô, Nakamura Baigyoku, Kataoka Hidetarô, Ichikawa Danshirô and the Omodakaya guild perform at the Misonoza!

Ichikawa Ebizô, Nakamura Kikaku, Kataoka Ichizô, Ichimura Kakitsu and Ichikawa Unosuke perform at the Theatre Ginza!

Onoe Kikunosuke, Nakamura Shibajaku, Ichikawa Somegorô and Onoe Shôroku perform at the Shinbashi Enbujô!

Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Shichinosuke and Nakamura Shidô perform at the Akasaka Act Theater!

Nakamura Fukusuke, Nakamura Kanjaku, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Ichikawa Omezô, Sawamura Sônosuke, Onoe Matsuya, Nakamura Kotarô, Nakamura Hayato, Bandô Shingo

Revival at the National Theatre of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's masterpiece "Sumidagawa Hana no Goshozome", which is commonly called "Onna Seigen".

Ichikawa Ennosuke, Ichikawa En'ô, Sakata Tôjûrô, Nakamura Baigyoku, Kataoka Hidetarô, Ichikawa Danshirô, Bandô Takesaburô, Ichikawa Ukon, Ichikawa Monnosuke, Ichikawa Emiya, Ichikawa Emisaburô, Ichikawa Shun'en, Ichikawa Juen, Ichikawa En'ya, Bandô Shinsha, Ichikawa Tsukinosuke, Ichikawa Kôtarô

Ichikawa En'ô II, Ichikawa Ennosuke IV and Ichikawa Chûsha IX celebrate their shûmei in Nagoya at the Misonoza!

Ogurusu no Chôbê: a modern comedy by Okamoto Kidô (1872~1939) about a famous historical event. The village of Ogurusu is famous as the place where Akechi Mitsuhide met his death. Mitsuhide assassinated his master, the warlord Nobunaga, but after only three days of ruling Japan, was killed himself, passing control to Hideyoshi. The farmer Chôbê (Ichikawa Chûsha) is the bad boy of the village and the object of everyone's laughter and contempt, until a samurai comes and hails Chôbê as a hero for killing Mitsuhide.

Kurozuka: a woman has grown bitter at the world after being rejected by her husband and now loves in seclusion, killing travelers and becoming a kind of demon. However, when she gives shelter to a holy man and his party, she rejoices at this opportunity to find salvation. She goes to get firewood to keep her visitors warm, cautioning them not to look into the back room, where the bodies of her victims are. She dances in joy among the dry autumn grasses under the full moon at her chance for absolution. But the porter in the holy man's party looks in the back room and they all leave in a panic. The old woman is furious at being betrayed and this transforms her into a demon, which is finally vanquished by the power of the holy man. Starring Ichikawa Ennosuke as the old woman and Nakamura Baigyoku as the holy man.

Sanmon: though short, this play is one of the most visually spectacular in Kabuki. The famous villain Ishikawa Goemon (Ichikawa Ukon) enjoys a sea of cherry blossoms while sitting on top the large gate of Nanzenji Temple. His enjoyment of the scene is cut short, though, by the appearance below of his arch-nemesis, the general Mashiba Hisayoshi (Ichikawa En'ô).

Musume Nanakusa: in the Edo period, every New Year, plays appeared about the medieval vendetta carried out by the Soga brothers Jûrô and Gorô. This colorful, old-fashioned dance mixes this tradition with that of eating porridge containing seven auspicious herbs on the seventh day of the new year. As the brothers Jûrô (Ichikawa Emisaburô) and Gorô (Ichikawa Ukon) prepare to face their father's murderer and take revenge, along with beautiful Shizuka Gozen (Ichikawa Shun'en), they cut the herbs, as a symbolic act of vengeance.

Jiisan Baasan: based on a short story by Mori Ôgai, this modern play by Uno Nobuo shows a loving young couple. The samurai Iori travels to Kyôto with his lord, leaving Run, his beloved wife, behind. While there, he attacks another man in a fight over a sword and is forced into house arrest, separating him from his wife. Many years later, he returns to his home as an old man. There he meets an elderly woman and they do not recognize each other until she sees the one thing that has not changed with age, Iori's peculiar habit of putting his hand to his nose. Starring Ichikawa Chûsha and Ichikawa Emiya as Iori and Run.

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 assemble to celebrate the shûmei of Ichikawa En'ô II and Ichikawa Ennosuke IV and Ichikawa Chûsha IX in Nagoya at the Misonoza.

Kawatsura Hôgen Yakata: the epic "Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees" ("Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura") features many characters around the famous general Yoshitsune, but none more memorable than a magic fox that takes the guise of Tadanobu, one of Yoshitsune's most trusted retainers. The fox wants to get close to a precious drum that Yoshitsune has made from the skins of his fox parents. In this excerpt from the longer play, the fox reveals his true identity with a series of spectacular stage tricks and Yoshitsune is moved to grant him the drum. This play ends with a spectacular chûnori. Starring Ichikawa Ennosuke as the fox Tadanobu. Featuring also Living National Treasure Sakata Tôjûrô (Yoshitsune), Kataoka Hidetarô (Shizuka Gozen) and Ichikawa Danshirô (Kawatsura Hôgen).

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Ichikawa Ebizô, Nakamura Kikaku, Kataoka Ichizô, Ichimura Kakitsu, Ichikawa Unosuke, Nakamura Yonekichi, Nakamura Tanenosuke, Ichikawa Shinzô, Ichikawa Shinjûrô

Natsu Matsuri: this grisly murder story became a smashing hit when it was first performed in 1745 because of the chivalrous spirit of the many Ôsaka characters appearing in this story, the contrast between a brutal murder and the jovial mood of a summer festival, and the splashing of real water used on the stage. Danshichi, a gallant fishmonger, does everything he can to protect the weak young son of his patron with the help of his companion Tokubê and the older Sabu. Although even Tokubê's wife Otatsu heroically helps out, in the end, Danshichi is betrayed by his evil father-in-law Giheiji and, in the most famous scene of the play, must kill him in a mud-covered fight in a lonely alley with the shouts of the local festival nearby. This program stars Ichikawa Ebizô as Danshichi, with Nakamura Kikaku, Kataoka Ichizô and Ichikawa Ebizô as Issun Tokubê, Tsuribune Sabu and Otatsu.

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 main actors of the cast assemble to commemorate late Ichikawa Danjûrô, who passed away the 3rd of February 2013.

Takatsuki: in this relatively modern dance-comedy adapted from the style of classical Kyôgen farces, the servant Jirôkaja (Ichikawa Ebizô) is ordered by his lord (Kataoka Ichizô) to buy a takatsuki, which is a kind of ceremonial sake cup on a stand. Jirôkaja does not understand his lord's orders and is persuaded by a fast-talking geta clog salesman (Nakamura Kikaku) to buy a pair of clogs instead, thinking that this is the stand for which he was sent. After drinking a good amount of sake, he brings his purchase to the lord and responds to the lord's anger with a dance on the clogs, a virtuoso routine inspired by tap dancing, showing off the dancing skills of Ichikawa Ebizô.

Source: Earphone Guide website

Onoe Kikunosuke, Nakamura Shibajaku, Ichikawa Somegorô, Onoe Shôroku, Nakamura Kazutarô, Nakamura Baishi, Ichikawa Danzô, Bandô Hikosaburô, Ichimura Manjirô, Kawarasaki Gonjûrô, Ichikawa Komazô, Kamimura Kichiya, Matsumoto Kingo, Nakamura Kashô, Onoe Ukon, Bandô Kamesaburô, Bandô Kametoshi, Nakamura Mantarô, Ôtani Hirotarô, Ôtani Hiromatsu

Mikasayama Goten: a fantastic Kabuki period play showing intrigues in the imperial court in the earliest days of Japan. The dictator Soga no Iruka (Bandô Hikosaburô) has set up his own court and now seeks to destroy his opponent Kamatari. A mysterious fisherman named Fukashichi (Onoe Ukon) comes as a messenger from Kamatari, claiming to bring a message of surrender. Meanwhile, Iruka's younger sister, Princess Tachibana (Onoe Shôroku) has fallen in love with a handsome young man named Motome (Bandô Kamesaburô). But Motome is actually the son of Kamatari and says that he will only grant her love if she will cut off Iruka's head. Moreover, a country girl named Omiwa (Onoe Kikunosuke) has also followed Motome. Omiwa's blood and the work of all these people combined are what is necessary to finally defeat the magical powers of the evil Iruka.

Kurayami no Ushimatsu: a modern masterpiece by Hasegawa Shin (1884~1963) first performed in 1934. It shows Ushimatsu, an cook with a very strong sense of justice who is forced to kill the evil stepmother of his lover Oyone. Ushimatsu flees, but entrusts Oyone to Shirobê, his trusted workmate. Some years later, he sneaks back into Edo, but on his way, he encounters Oyone as a prostitute in an inn outside of town. She tries to explain that Shirobê treacherously seduced her and then sold her into prostitution as soon as Ushimatsu was gone. Ushimatsu refuses to listen to her, and heartbroken, Oyone commits suicide. In the final scene, Ushimatsu goes to kill Shirobê as he is in the public bath. This tense human drama is set against the details of common life in Edo: a roadside inn, the backroom of a bathhouse, ... Starring Onoe Shôroku as Ushimatsu. With Nakamura Baishi as Oyone and Ichikawa Danzô as Shirobê.

Ichijô Ôkura Monogatari: the world is ruled by Taira no Kiyomori, the leader of the Heike clan. Tokiwa Gozen, the widow of the head of the defeated Genji clan and mother of Yoritomo and Yoshitsune, the future leaders of the clan, has become the mistress of the dictator Kiyomori, then the wife of Lord Ôkura, a seemingly simple-minded fool who spends all his time watching pretty women dance. Outraged members of the Genji clan sneak into Lord Ôkura's mansion only to discover that Tokiwa Gozen's immorality and Lord Ôkura's idiocy are a guise, the only way to survive in a world ruled by the enemy. This performance stars Ichikawa Somegorô as Lord Ôkura, Nakamura Shibajaku as Tokiwa Gozen, Onoe Shôroku as Yoshioka Kijirô and Nakamura Kazutarô as Yoshioka's wife Okyô.

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 Ichikawa Somegorô as Wankyû and Onoe Kikunosuke as Matsuyama.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Nakamura Shidô

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 Kankurô) 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 Kankurô) is killed by a handsome samurai named Isogai Namie (Nakamura Shidô) who makes love to Shigenobu's wife Oseki (Nakamura Shichinosuke). He carries out the murder with the help of Shigenobu's honest, but simple minded, servant Shôsuke (Nakamura Kankurô) and the tattooed villain Uwabami no Sanji (Nakamura Kankurô). 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