2008 in figures:

500 actors pages

270 summaries

980 entries in the Kabuki play dictionary

175 actors lines

I would like to thank very much all the people who helped me building this site. Happy new year to all!

ACTORS: biography of the actor Tsuruya Namboku II.

CONTEMPORARY ACTORS: Ichimura Takematsu.

PLAYS: "Gonza to Sukejû" and "Shuzenji Monogatari".

PRINTS:

ACTORS LINES: Arashi Izaburô, Bandô Shinsui, Fujikawa Kayû, Ichikawa Danshirô, Ichimura Takematsu, Jitsukawa Yûjirô, Kataoka Chôdayû, Kawarazaki Kunitarô, Nakamura Komanosuke, Onoe Fujaku, Sakata Sajûrô and Sawamura Sônosuke.

THEATERS: Hakataza (Fukuoka).

PROGRAMS: January 2009 (details for the Kabukiza, Shôchikuza and National Theatre programs, Zenshinza Gekijô, Minamiza), February 2009 (Kabukiza, Shôchikuza) and March 2009 (Shimbashi Embujô, National Theatre).

OTHERS: 3 new links; 14 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; hitsuji, i, iemoto, inu, jûnishi, kamigata-mai, mi, ne, ôoka seidan, sanju kinen, saru, tatsu, tora, u, uma and ushi are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: biographies of the actors Kataoka Gatô II and Sakata Hangorô IV.

PLAYS: "Nigatsudô" and "Sengi".

PRINTS:

ACTORS LINES: Bandô Takesaburô, Fujikawa Tomokichi, Ichikawa Shinzô, Jitsukawa Gakujûrô, Kataoka Ainosuke and Nakamura Sen'ya.

KABUKI ART: Comic Strip.

PROGRAMS: October 2008 (details for the Misonoza programs - a little bit too late!), November 2008 (details for the Shôchiku Grand Kabuki Tour), December 2008 (details for the Kabukiza and National Theatre programs, Nakamura Kantarô/Nakamura Shichinosuke Special Tour) and January 2009 (Kabukiza, National Theatre, Shôchikuza, Asakusa Kôkaidô, Shimbashi Embujô).

OTHERS: 4 new links; 4 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; bunka kôrôsha, nigatsudô, nirami no mie, rôben and tôdaiji are added to the glossary; the star Nakamura Utaemon III is referenced as Nakamura Tamasuke in our database; a big mistake regarding the shûmei of Segawa Senjo and Segawa Rokô IV in the 11th lunar month of 1807 (not 1805 as it was previously written - many thanks to the webmaster of Kunisada.de, who was kind to report this error) is corrected.

ACTORS: biographies of the actors Kirinoya Gonjûrô I and Tsutsui Kichijûrô I.

PLAYS: "Okoma Saiza" and "Takenoko Hori".

PRINTS:

ACTORS LINES: Arashi Hinasuke.

PROGRAMS: October 2008 (details for the Kabukiza and National Theatre programs), November 2008 (details for the National Theatre and Shimbashi Embujô programs) and December 2008 (Kabukiza).

OTHERS: 1 new link; cleaning of the dead links (thanks to Alan!); 14 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; naka-no-jô-jô is added to the glossary.

ACTORS: biography of the actor Kasaya Matakurô I.

CONTEMPORARY ACTORS: Nakamura Kazutarô and Nakamura Tanetarô.

PLAYS: "Shin Usuyuki Monogatari".

PRINTS:

ACTORS LINES: Fujikawa Buzaemon and Fujikawa Hachizô.

KABUKI ART: Alexander Iacovlev's Prints.

DERIVATIVES: St Kitts Stamps.

PROGRAMS: November 2008 (Yachiyoza, Shimonoseki Shimin Kaikan) and December 2008 (Minamiza, National Theatre).

OTHERS: 1 new link; 4 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; honmyô and junkanbu shôshin are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: biography of the actor Tamiya Shirogorô.

CONTEMPORARY ACTORS: Bandô Minosuke and Nakamura Baishi.

PLAYS: "Badarai no Mitsuhide" and "Kikujidô".

PRINTS:

KABUKI ART: Matsumoto Kôshirô (Edo dolls series 6).

DERIVATIVES: Kabuki Needlepoint.

PROGRAMS: October 2008 (NHK Hall) and November 2008 (Kabukiza, Shimbashi Embujô, Heisei Nakamuraza).

OTHERS: 7 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; badarai, jidô, hatsubutai and omemie are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: biography of the actor Arashi Otohachi I.

PLAYS: "Yabase no Ura/Kojô".

PRINTS:

ACTORS LINES: Arashi Otohachi.

STROLLING AROUND: Kodomo Shibai.

PROGRAMS: November 2008 (National Theatre, Shôchiku Grand Kabuki Tour).

OTHERS: 1 new link; 1 new entry in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; chikubushima and yabase no ura are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: biography of the actor Anegawa Kikuhachi.

PLAYS: "Ôtsu no Yadoya/Sasabiki".

PRINTS:

ACTORS LINES: Arashi Koroku and Arashi San'emon.

PROGRAMS: September 2008 (details for the Shimbashi Embujô programs) and October 2008 (Shôchiku Grand Kabuki Tour).

OTHERS: 1 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; creation of a Actors Names Dictionary.

ACTORS: biographies of the actors Arashi Otohachi II, Fujikawa Hachizô III, Ogino Yaegiri II and Yamashita Yaozô I.

PLAYS: "Shûjaku Jishi".

PRINTS:

KABUKI ART: Ichikawa Sadanji (Edo dolls series 5).

DERIVATIVES: Sharaku Stamps.

PROGRAMS: September 2008 (details for the Kabukiza programs) and October 2008 (Kabukiza, Heisei Nakamuraza).

OTHERS: 4 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; kanoko mochi is added to the glossary.

ACTORS: biography of the actor Arashi Shichigorô III, Haruyama Genshichi II and Imamura Shichisaburô II.

PLAYS: "Higaki" and "Sannin Katawa".

PRINTS:

ACTORS LINES: Arashi Kichisaburô, Arashi Sangorô, Arashi Shagan, Arashi Shichigorô, Nakayama Bunshichi, Nakayama Kiraku and Nakayama Shinkurô.

THEATERS: Heisei Nakamuraza.

PROGRAMS: August 2008 (details for the Kabukiza and Shôchikuza programs), September 2008 (Kabukiza, Shimbashi Embujô, Mitsukoshi Gekijô, Chûkyô Daigaku Bunka Shimin Kaikan) and October 2008 (Misonoza, National Theatre, Zenshinza Gekijô, Asakusa Kôkaidô).

OTHERS: 3 new links; 5 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; kiri kyôgen, omodaka jûshu, ono no komachi, saruguma, santo yakusha omokage zukushi, suifutei gigafu and yakusha mono iwai are added to the glossary; the very beginning of the Kabuki Visual Encyclopedia.

ACTORS: biographies of the actors Asao Yoroku II, Ikushima Hanroku, Sôryô Jinroku II and Uemura Rokusaburô.

PLAYS: "Hanami".

PRINTS:

ACTORS LINES: Asao Yoroku and Sôryô Jinroku.

PROGRAMS: July 2008 (Nissay Theatre, details for the Kabukiza and Shôchikuza programs), August 2008 (Eirakukan, Theatre Ginza) and September 2008 (Tour in the Western Provinces, Akasaka Act Theater).

OTHERS: 3 new links; 3 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary.

ACTORS: biographies of the actors Arashi Koroku V and Asao Yoroku I.

PLAYS: "Dango Uri" and "Goto Samba".

PRINTS:

PROGRAMS: August 2008 (Kabukiza, National Theatre, National Bunraku Theatre).

OTHERS: 2 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; dango and tombo are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: biographies of the actors Asao Motogorô I and Arashi Shichigorô II.

PLAYS: "Koma".

PRINTS:

OTHERS: 1 new link; 4 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; karô nyôbô is added to the glossary.

ACTORS: biographies of the actors Ichiyama Sukegorô I, Hayakawa Dengorô, Mikuni Fujigorô, Mimasu Daigorô II and Sakata Hangorô II.

PLAYS: "Oguri".

PRINTS:

ACTORS LINES: Mimasu Daigorô, Mimasu Gennosuke, Mimasu Inemaru, Mimasu Tanin and Mimasu Tokujirô.

PROGRAMS: May 2008 (details for the Shimbashi Embujô programs), June 2008 (details for the Kabukiza and Hakataza programs) and July 2008 (Kabukiza, Shôchikuza, Shinshû Matsumoto Ôkabuki, Tours in the Eastern Provinces and Central Provinces, Hieizan Takigi Kabuki).

OTHERS: 16 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; shinano, shinshû and sûpâ kabuki are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: biographies of the actors Anegawa Shinshirô III and Yamashita Matashirô I.

PLAYS: "Emiji Yakata" and "Kusazuribiki".

PRINTS:

ACTORS LINES: Anegawa Minato, Arashi Shimpei, Nakamura Kyôjûrô and Nakayama Raisuke.

KABUKI ART: Rice Paper Art.

DERIVATIVES: Game facepaint.

CARICATURES: Arashi Shimpei / Yamamura Giemon.

PROGRAMS: April 2008 (Kumamoto Castle), May 2008 (details for the Kabukiza programs) and June 2008 (Kabukiza).

OTHERS: 2 new links; 6 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; the actor Arashi San'emon III is referenced as Arashi Shimpei I in our database.

ACTORS: biography of the actor Fujikawa Hanzaburô III.

PLAYS: "Komatsubara".

PRINTS:

PROGRAMS: April 2008 (details for the Kabukiza and Misonoza programs) and June 2008 (Hakataza, National Theatre, Theater Cocoon, Chûnichi Gekijô, Educational Kabuki Tour in Kansai).

ACTORS: biographies of the actors Otowa Jirosaburô I, Sakurayama Shirosaburô I and Tamiya Jûzaburô I.

PLAYS: "Shibaroku Sumika" and "Sugi Sakaya".

PRINTS:

ACTORS LINES: Tamiya Jûzaburô.

DERIVATIVES: Kabuki Restaurant.

PROGRAMS: May 2008 (Kabukiza).

OTHERS: 2 new links; 10 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; two new pages, one dedicated to the kuraizuke ranking system and the other to Kabuki on youtube.com.

ACTORS: biography of the actor Sawamura Genjirô.

PLAYS: "Ninin Dôjôji".

PRINTS:

KABUKI ART: Acrylic Kabuki.

DERIVATIVES: Guinea Stamp.

PROGRAMS: May 2008 (Shimbashi Embujô, Shôchikuza, Wahha Kamigata Engei Hall).

OTHERS: 6 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary.

ACTORS: biographies of the actors Mimasu Tokujirô I and Ôtani Tokuji I.

PLAYS: "Koi no Odamaki" and "Tenshu Monogatari".

PRINTS:

KABUKI ART: Maquette Workshop - Kabuki Actor.

DERIVATIVES: Kanamaruza Stamp.

PROGRAMS: March 2008 (details for the Kabukiza programs, Uchisaiwai Hall) and April 2008 (Kabukiza, Minamiza).

OTHERS: 10 new links; 5 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; furu jinja, himejijô, jakushû, odamaki and wakasa are added to the glossary; the history of the Kanamaruza from October 1999 to April 2008; a new section dedicated to Kabuki Art.

ACTORS: biography of the actor Kokan Tarôji I.

PLAYS: "Niwaka Jishi".

PRINTS:

THEATERS: Kanamaruza.

DERIVATIVES: Ichikawa Ennosuke (Edo dolls series 4).

PROGRAMS: February 2008 (details for the Kabukiza programs) and April 2008 (Misonoza, Kanamaruza, Shôchikuza, Hakataza).

OTHERS: 3 new links; 5 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; Sawamura Sôjûrô I and Sawamura Sôjûrô V are referenced as Suketakaya Takasuke I and Suketakaya Takasuke III in our database.

ACTORS: biography of the actor Tomizawa Montarô I.

PLAYS: "Gonichi no Iwafuji" and "Tobae".

PRINTS:

DERIVATIVES: Bandô Mitsugorô (Edo dolls series 3).

PROGRAMS: March 2008 (Kabukiza).

OTHERS: 4 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; kiju kinen and tobae are added to the glossary.