3 shows in Tôkyô (Kabukiza), 1 show in Kyôto (Minamiza) and 2 on Shikoku island (Kanamaruza)!

Kataoka Nizaemon, Bandô Tamasaburô, Onoe Kikugorô, Sakata Tôjûrô, Nakamura Kichiemon, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Bandô Mitsugorô, Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Kanjaku, Nakamura Shibajaku, Nakamura Tokizô, Onoe Kikunosuke, Nakamura Baigyoku, Nakamura Kaishun, Nakamura Fukusuke, Nakamura Senjaku, Kataoka Gatô, Ichikawa Sadanji and Ichikawa Danzô perform at the Kabukiza!

Ichikawa Ennosuke, Kataoka Ainosuke, Kataoka Hidetarô, Bandô Takesaburô and the Omodakaya guild perform at the Kanamaruza!

Kataoka Nizaemon, Bandô Tamasaburô, Onoe Kikugorô, Sakata Tôjûrô, Nakamura Kichiemon, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Bandô Mitsugorô, Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Kanjaku, Nakamura Shibajaku, Nakamura Tokizô, Onoe Kikunosuke, Nakamura Baigyoku, Nakamura Kaishun, Nakamura Fukusuke, Nakamura Senjaku, Kataoka Gatô, Ichikawa Sadanji, Ichikawa Danzô, Bandô Hikosaburô, Ôtani Tomoemon, Nakamura Tôzô, Nakamura Matagorô, Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Onoe Shôroku, Bandô Yajûrô, Nakamura Karoku, Nakamura Shidô, Ichikawa Somegorô, Kataoka Shinnosuke, Kataoka Ichizô, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Kataoka Kamezô, Nakamura Kikaku, Kawarasaki Gonjûrô, Ichikawa Omezô, Ichikawa Komazô, Matsumoto Kingo, Sawamura Yoshijirô, Nakamura Kashô, Ôtani Keizô, Bandô Kamesaburô, Bandô Kametoshi, Sawamura Sônosuke, Nakamura Matsue, Onoe Matsuya, Onoe Ukon, Nakamura Baishi, Nakamura Mantarô, Nakamura Kazutarô, Ôtani Hirotarô, Ôtani Hiromatsu, Bandô Shingo, Nakamura Kotarô, Nakamura Yonekichi, Nakamura Tanenosuke, Matsumoto Kintarô, Nakamura Tamatarô, Nakamura Muneo, Nakamura Kunio, Nakamura Yoshio, Nakamura Toranosuke, Fujima Taiga

Opening of the new Kabukiza and the beginning of a 1-year long cycle of kokera otoshi programs!

Kakuju Senzai: an elegant dance of the crane to celebrate the Grand Opening of the new Kabukiza Theatre. In Japanese tradition the crane is thought to be an auspicious creature and live for a thousand year. Featuring Living National Treasure Sakata Tôjûrô, Nakamura Kaishun and Ichikawa Somegorô.

Omatsuri: the gallant commoners of an Edo neighborhood loved nothing better than a festival (matsuri). This short dance shows a gallant fireman, the hero of the commoners and then shows the festival shishi lion spirit running wild in a dance-like fight with the energetic young men of the festival. Staged in memory of late Nakamura Kanzaburô XVIII. Featuring Bandô Mitsugorô, Nakamura Hashinosuke, Bandô Yajûrô, Nakamura Shidô, Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Fukusuke, Nakamura Senjaku and Nakamura Shichinosuke.

Kumagai Jin'ya: this play is a dramatization of the clash between the Genji general Kumagai Jirô Naozane and the Heike warrior Taira no Atsumori at the battle of Ichi-no-Tani, one of the most famous passages of the epic "Tales of the Heike". In the Kabuki version, on the cryptic orders of the Genji leader Yoshitsune, Kumagai hides the enemy warrior Atsumori and has his own son take the warrior's place. On the battlefield, Kumagai has to kill his own son in Atsumori's place. Things become worse when his wife Sagami and Atsumori's mother Fuji-no-Kata arrive at his camp. In the highlight of the play, he tells them the story of his mortal battle with Atsumori, keeping Atsumori's well-being and his own sacrifice a secret. He then shows the head of Atsumori for inspection by his leader to see if he has interpreted his orders correctly. This performance stars Nakamura Kichiemon as Kumagai, with Bandô Tamasaburô as Kumagai's wife Sagami, Onoe Kikunosuke as Fuji-no-Kata, Kataoka Nizaemon as Yoshitsune and Nakamura Karoku as Midaroku.

Benten Musume: written by Kawatake Mokuami in 1862, this play was inspired by a woodblock print of a sexy young man with tattoos covering his body with a woman's hairstyle and kimono. 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 Kozô (Onoe Kikugorô), 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 (Nakamura Kichiemon). The scene showing the five members of the gang in their finest kimonos under the cherry blossoms in full bloom is a kind of spectacle. In elaborate speeches, they each announce their name in the poetic diction for which the playwright Mokuami is famous. Benten, the thief drops the precious gold-lacquered incense container with plovers drawn on it into the Namerigawa River as he is surrounded by police officers betrayed by one of his fellows. He then commits suicide by stabbing himself with his sword in the stomach. Nippon Daemon is pursued by other police officers. The magistrate Aoto Saemon Fujitsuna (Nakamura Baigyoku) picks up the precious incense container from the Namerigawa River and parts with Nippon Daemon in the hope of meeting again in some day. Featuring also Bandô Mitsugorô as Tadanobu Rihei and Nakamura Tokizô as Akaboshi Jûzaburô. With a special appearance of Matsumoto Kôshirô in the role of Seiji.

Masakado: after the death of Masakado, the great pretender to the imperial throne, the only one to carry on his cause is his daughter, Takiyasha (Bandô Tamasaburô). She appears mysteriously in the ruins of her father's palace and tries to seduce Mitsukuni (Onoe Shôroku), a warrior sent to investigate mysterious happenings at the mansion. In dance Takiyasha tells of how she fell in love with Mitsukuni, then, also in dance, Mitsukuni tells the story of how the traitor Masakado was killed. Takiyasha breaks down in tears, revealing her true identity. After a dance-like fight, the mansion collapses and Takiyasha poses on the roof with the banner of her clan.

Moritsuna Jin'ya: this play is one of the greatest classics of the jidaimono historical play style. Two brothers, Moritsuna and Takatsuna are generals on opposing sides. Moritsuna's forces are greater in number and strength, but his brother's brilliant strategies allow him to escape by preying on Moritsuna's psychological weaknesses. Ruthlessly, Takatsuna has his son sacrifice his life to force Moritsuna to identify the head of an imposter as that of his dead brother. Starring Kataoka Nizaemon as Moritsuna, with Nakamura Tokizô as Kagaribi (the wife of Takatsuna), Nakamura Shibajaku as Hayase (the wife of Moritsuna), Kataoka Gatô as Hôjô Tokimasa, Nakamura Kichiemon as the crafty general Wada no Hyôe and Nakamura Tôzô as Mimyô (the mother of the Sasaki brothers).

Kanjinchô: probably the most popular Kabuki play today, it includes dance, comedy and the heart-warming pathos of a band of heroes during their last days. Disguised as a band of traveling priests the fugitive general Yoshitsune and his small band of retainers are stopped at a road barrier. They escape only through the quick thinking of the head retainer, a warrior priest named Musashibô Benkei, who improvises the text of an elaborate imperial decree. Having escaped danger Benkei and the others describe their days of glory and hardships on the road to escape in a moving dance. This program stars Matsumoto Kôshirô in the role of Benkei, with Nakamura Baigyoku and Living National Treasure Onoe Kikugorô as Yoshitsune and the barrier keeper Togashi.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Ichikawa Ennosuke, Kataoka Ainosuke, Kataoka Hidetarô, Bandô Takesaburô, Ichikawa Ukon, Ichikawa Emiya, Ichikawa Emisaburô, Ichikawa Shun'en, Ichikawa Tsukinosuke, Ichikawa En'ya, Ichikawa Kôtarô, Ichikawa Juen

29th edition of the Spring Kabuki performance Shikoku Konpira Kabuki Ôshibai at the Kanamaruza on Shikoku Island. Ichikawa Ennosuke IV celebrates his shûmei at the Kanamaruza!

Toribeyama Shinjû:
(The Love Suicides at Toribeyama)
This play by 20th century playwright Okamoto Kidô mixes old and new Kabuki styles. The samurai Hankurô (Kataoka Ainosuke) is in love with the courtesan Osome (Ichikawa Shun'en). Visiting her one night in the pleasure quarters of Kyôto, he gets into a drunken quarrel and ends up killing a man in a fight. Knowing that execution awaits him, the two lovers decide to die together instead. Hankurô and Osome travel the road to death in new kimono that ironically were made for them to celebrate the New Year together.

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 Kataoka Ainosuke (Yoshitsune), Kataoka Hidetarô (Shizuka Gozen), Ichikawa Juen (Kawatsura Hôgen) and Bandô Takesaburô (Kawatsura Hôgen's wife Asuka).

Kyô Ningyô: this dance tells the story of the woodcarver Hidari Jingorô, famous for the sleeping cat on the great gate of Nikkô. He brings a statue of a beautiful courtesan to life and then there is a spectacular fight scene with a variety of carpenter’s tools. Starring Ichikawa Ukon as Jingorô, Ichikawa Emisaburô as Jingorô's wife Otoku and Ichikawa Emiya as the doll of the courtesan.

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 Ennosuke IV at the Kanamaruza.

Sodehagi Saimon: a larger-than-life history play originally written for the puppet theater, this is an epic of the intrigues in the Tôhoku region of Japan. It shows the larger political movements of the region as the individual tragedies of various people that are caught in this turmoil. In the most famous section, this play tells the tragic story of Sodehagi (Ichikawa Ennosuke), a woman disowned by her family after falling in love with a man that they did not accept. Now she is alone and blind from weeping. She wanders with her child, supporting them as a musician and comes to her family's house. They do not let her in and sitting outside in the snow, she sings her tragic tale. Meanwhile, her husband Abe no Sadatô (Ichikawa Ennosuke) is inside the house, in a story of political intrigue. Featuring also Ichikawa Monnosuke and Kataoka Ainosuke in the roles of Hachiman Tarô and Abe no Munetô.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Kamimura Kichiya, Kamimura Kichitarô

21st edition of a pedagogical show in Kyôto combining explanation for beginners (done by the professional storyteller Katsura Kujaku) and two dance-dramas.

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 Kamimura Kichiya.

Tomo Yakko: a samurai footman rushes after his master in the pleasure quarters, but loses sight of him. He dances with pride in his master and enjoys his dance so much that he begins emphasizing it with vigorous foot stamping. Starring Kamimura Kichitarô in the role of the yakko.

Source: Earphone Guide website