5 shows in Tôkyô (Shinbashi Enbujô, National Theatre), 4 in Ôsaka (National Bunraku Theatre, Ôsaka Nôgaku Kaikan) and 1 in Kanazawa (Saigawa Ryokuchi Kôen)!

Ichikawa Ebizô, Kataoka Ainosuke and Nakamura Fukusuke perform at the Shinbashi Enbujô!

All the others great Kabuki actors are on vacation ...

Ichikawa Ebizô, Kataoka Ainosuke, Nakamura Fukusuke, Ichikawa Ukon, Ichimura Kakitsu, Kataoka Ichizô, Ichikawa Emiya, Kataoka Kamezô, Ichimura Manjirô, Ichikawa Kôtarô, Ichikawa Juen, Nakamura Kotarô

Sakura Hime: Tsuruya Nanboku IV (1755~1829) is most famous for his chilling ghost play "Yotsuya Kaidan". But many believe that "Sakurahime Azuma Bunshô" is an even finer play in its examination of human psychology and portrait of the dark side of life in the Edo period. The play takes the very old story of a priest falling in love with a princess, adds ghosts and slices of the grittiest faces of the bottom of Edo period society for a sensational play. Princess Sakura begins as the pampered daughter of a powerful warrior clan and ends up as a cheap prostitute hounded by the ghost of a priest in love with her. Although the play was rarely performed in the Edo period, after being revived as a full-length play at the National Theatre, it has become a star vehicle for top onnagata female role specialists like Nakamura Jakuemon and Bandô Tamasaburô, and has been performed abroad to great acclaim. A priest named Seigen goes to commit love suicide with a young temple page named Shiragiku. They are to plunge into the sea together, but at the last moment, Seigen loses his nerve and the boy dies alone. Seventeen years later, Seigen is a high-ranking priest who has been called to cure Princess Sakura, the seventeen-year old daughter of the Yoshida clan. He cures her, and learns that she is the reincarnation of Shiragiku. Princess Sakura wishes to become a nun, in fact because she has fallen in love with a thief named Gonsuke, who raped her one night. On the verge of becoming a nun, Princess Sakura encounters Gonsuke and quickly desire brings them together. Princess Sakura is denounced and becomes an outcast for her sexual crime and, although innocent, Seigen takes the blame, feeling guilty for having abandoned her in her previous incarnation as Shiragiku. The story of Princess Sakura continues as Seigen pursues her, defrocked and madly in love with Princess Sakura. Eventually he is killed, but becomes a ghost that goes with her as she sinks lower and lower, eventually becoming a low-class prostitute that speaks with an odd blend of gutter talk and the elegant words of a princess. The play follows Princess Sakura, Seigen and Gonsuke as they circle deeper and deeper into the dark, reaches of society. But far from being a dark play, it is colorful and spectacular and full of unexpected moments of comedy. Featuring Kataoka Ainosuke (Seigen), Nakamura Fukusuke (Shiragiku/Princess Sakura) and Ichikawa Ebizô (Gonsuke). Featuring also Kataoka Ichizô, Kataoka Kamezô, Ichimura Manjirô, Ichikawa Ukon and Ichikawa Emiya.

Date no Jûyaku: One of the most famous plays in Kabuki is "Meiboku Sendai Hagi", the story of the fabulously wealthy Date clan in Sendai and plots to take over the clan. In the early 19th century, this play was rewritten by Tsuruya Nanboku IV (1755~1829) so that one actor could play all the roles, switching from one to another with fast changes. The script for this particular version was lost, but some 35 years ago, Ichikawa Ennosuke had a new version prepared and this has since become a classic of Ennosuke's style of Kabuki. Ichikawa Ebizô plays ten roles, male and female, young and old, villain and hero.

Source: Earphone Guide website

14th edition of the summer program of the association Ne no Kai (literally 'the Sound Association'). The first four items feature only the geza musicians and the Nagauta music ensemble. The last one is a Kabuki drama, which stars disciples of major actors.

Ichikawa Ennosuke, Ichikawa Monnosuke, Nakamura Kikaku, Onoe Ukon, Nakamura Yonekichi, Ichikawa Emino

The 10th and final edition of the gala of the association Kamejirô no Kai, which supports the young and talented actor Ichikawa Ennosuke, who stopped using the name of Ichikawa Kamejirô in June 2012. Next year, we assume there'll the 1st edition of the Ennosuke no Kai!

18th edition of the common program for 2 associations, the Chigyokai (the Young Fishes Association) and the Kabukikai (the Kabuki Association), which stars stars' disciples in the leading roles of all the items in the program.

22nd edition of the Kamigata Kabukikai (the Kamigata Kabuki Association), a summer program in Ôsaka which stars Kamigata Kabuki stars' disciples in the leading roles of all the items.

Bandô Shinsha, Bandô Takesaburô, Kamimura Kichiya, Ichikawa En'ya, Nakamura Kazutarô

1st edition of the gala of the association Bandô Shinsha no Kai, which supports the young and talented Narikomaya actor Bandô Shinsha.

The Matsuo-juku Kodomo Kabuki [website in Japanese] is a kodomo shibai troupe, founded in Ôsaka in 1988 by Matsuo Hazue, the wife of Matsuo Kunizô (1899~1984), whose name is closely associated to the Matsuo Artistic Awards (Matsuo Geinô Shô). The troupe is now led by Matsuo Hazue's daughter Matsuo Hideko. The troupe celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2012!

Nakamura Sennojô, Kamimura Kichiya, Nakamura Kazutarô

1st edition of the gala of the association Sennojô no Kai, which supports the young and talented Narikomaya actor Nakamura Sennojô.

Nakamura Tsurumatsu, Nakamura Kosaburô, Nakamura Nakashirô, Nakamura Nakanosuke, Nakamura Ichô, Sawamura Kunihisa

Outdoors Kabuki performances near the Saigawa river in the city of Kanazawa. A temporary structure is built in the Saigawa "Green" Park.