7 shows in Tôkyô (Kabukiza, Meijiza, IHI Stage Around Theater, Makuhari Messe), 2 in Nagoya (Misonoza), 1 in Ôsaka (NHK Ôsaka Hall) and 2 on Shikoku island (Kanamaruza)!

Ichikawa Sadanji, Kataoka Ichizô, Kataoka Kamezô, Ichikawa Ennosuke, Onoe Shôroku, Nakamura Hayato, Bandô Minosuke, Ichikawa Monnosuke, Nakamura Kazutarô, Nakamura Kotarô, Onoe Ukon, Kawarasaki Gonjûrô and Ichikawa Chûsha perform at the Kabukiza!

Living National Treasure Nakamura Baigyoku, Nakamura Shikan, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Kataoka Ainosuke, Kataoka Takatarô and Nakamura Matagorô perform at the Meijiza!

Nakamura Kankurô and Nakamura Shichinosuke perform at the Misonoza !

Onoe Kikunosuke, Nakamura Karoku, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Nakamura Shidô, Onoe Matsuya, Bandô Yajûrô, Bandô Hikosaburô, Nakamura Baishi and Nakamura Yonekichi perform at the IHI Stage Around Theater !

Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô, Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon, Ichikawa Sadanji, Kataoka Ichizô, Kataoka Kamezô, Ichikawa Ennosuke, Onoe Shôroku, Nakamura Hayato, Bandô Minosuke, Ichikawa Monnosuke, Nakamura Kazutarô, Nakamura Kotarô, Onoe Ukon, Kawarasaki Gonjûrô, Ichikawa Chûsha, Ichikawa Somegorô, Nakamura Fukunosuke, Nakamura Takanosuke, Ichikawa Emisaburô, Ichikawa Emiya, Ichikawa En'ya, Ichikawa Juen, Ichikawa Seiko, Kataoka Matsunosuke, Ichimura Kitsutarô, Nakamura Kamenojô, Nakamura Kichinojô, Onoe Sakon

The April Grand Kabuki at the Kabukiza to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the opening of the 5th Kabukiza. "Kirare Yosa" is staged with the goruden konbi made up of Living National Treasures Kataoka Nizaemon and Bandô Tamasaburô. They were supposed to do it in June 2022 but, due to health-related reason, Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon could not perform.

Shin Onmyôji:
(The Court Astrologer, a new version)
In the 10th century, Taira no Masakado rebels against the Imperial Court and gains control of the eastern provinces with Prince Okiyo (Onoe Ukon). Ordered by the Emperor, Tawara no Tôta (Nakamura Fukunosuke) subjugates Masakado with an arrow which the wizard and astrologer Ashiya Dôman (Ichikawa Ennosuke) gave him, but Masakado's severed head gets lost. Abe no Seimei (Nakamura Hayato), the young court astrologer who is popular in the capital, and his friend Minamoto no Hiromasa (Ichikawa Somegorô) fear Masakado's vengeful ghost. One day, they encounter a lady who names herself Kisaragi (Nakamura Kazutarô). Hiromasa falls in love with her at first sight, but she is in reality Masakado's sister Princess Takiyasha. Aided by Orochimaru (Nakamura Takanosuke), Seimei confronts those who plot to revive Masakado in the capital where mysteries occur one after another.

Kirare Yosa: Yosaburô (Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon), the refined young son of a wealthy merchant falls in love with Otomi (Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô) the moment he first sees her on the beach. But Otomi is the mistress of a powerful gangster, and when their relationship is discovered, the two are attacked. Yosaburô is cut from head to toe and the two are dumped into the sea. Otomi lives and is taken in by a rich merchant while Yosaburô is now covered with scars. Yosaburô turns into a petty thief and extortionist but one day, finds that the woman he is about to blackmail is none other than Otomi, alive and well. Featuring also Kataoka Ichizô, Ichikawa Sadanji and Kataoka Kamezô in the roles of Kômori Yasu, Izumiya Tazaemon and Akama Genzaemon.

Renjishi: 2 entertainers dance a tale of the legendary shishi or lion-like spirits that live at the foot of a holy Buddhist mountain. There is a comic interlude with 2 Buddhist pilgrims. Then, the shishi themselves appear and perform their dance with wild shaking of their long manes. The dance shows a parent shishi forcing his cub to undergo harsh training in order to grow up strong. This theme is often associated with the training a parent actor gives his son. This performance features Onoe Shôroku in the role of the parent shishi and his son Onoe Sakon in the role of the cub.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Living National Treasure Nakamura Baigyoku, Nakamura Shikan, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Kataoka Ainosuke, Kataoka Takatarô, Nakamura Matagorô, Ichikawa Komazô, Nakamura Matsue, Matsumoto Kingo, Kamimura Kichiya, Ôtani Hirotarô, Nakamura Kashô, Nakamura Tanenosuke, Nakamura Kangyoku, Kataoka Sennosuke, Ichikawa Otora, Arashi Kitsusaburô

April Grand Kabuki performances at the Meijiza to celebrate the 150th anniversary of this theater!

Torii Mae:
(In Front of the Fushimi Inari Shrine)
This is a short scene showing the troubles of Yoshitsune after his brother Yoritomo, the Shôgun, turns against him. Yoshitsune (Kamimura Kichiya) is forced to flee from the troops sent by his brother Yoritomo. The trip will be hard and he decides he must leave behind his lover Shizuka Gozen (Kataoka Sennosuke), despite her passionate pleas to remain with him. As a reminder of himself, he presents her with a precious hand drum that he had received from the emperor. Yoshitsune's retainer Tadanobu (Kataoka Ainosuke) rescues Shizuka from Yoritomo's troops and Yoshitsune decides to have Tadanobu protect her on the road, not knowing that this Tadanobu is actually a magical fox in disguise.

Ôsakazuki: a very rare history play by Kawatake Mokuami, this shows an encounter between the men of the period of the warring states. A samurai lord (Matsumoto Kôshirô) is entertaining a guest Ii Naotaka (Living National Treasure Nakamura Baigyoku) who is famous as a great drinker. The only one who can match his drinking is the humble footman Hara Saisuke (Nakamura Shikan). But Naotaka sees a scar on Saisuke's forehead and realizes that this footman is actually the great warrior Baba Nobuhisa in disguise and challenges him to a match of fighting skills. Naotaka is so impressed with Nobuhisa's victory that he takes him into his service.

Omatsuri: Living National Treasure Nakamura Baigyoku as a gallant fireman boss at a festival telling a rueful tale of failure in love and showing the vigorous work songs of firefighters.

Ehon Gappô-ga-Tsuji: this is a rare full-length production of a revenge classic by Tsuruya Nanboku IV (1755~1829). First performed in 1810, "Ehon Gappô-ga-Tsuji" was a dramatization of a popular revenge case of the time. The charm of this play lies in the activity of the two villains. Daigakunosuke, a samurai who is trying to take over his clan, steals the clan's treasures and kills everyone who gets in his way. Tateba no Taheiji, a ruffian from the lowest level of society plots together with Daigakunosuke and also kills many people. This play depicts the villains' exuberant rampage until, finally, they are defeated in a revenge vendetta by the heroes. One of the special highlights of this production is that a single actor, Matsumoto Kôshirô, will play for the first time two different roles: that of Daigakunosuke who is a villain with power, and Tateba no Taheiji who is an evil commoner. Starring also Nakamura Shikan, Kataoka Takatarô, Ichikawa Komazô and Nakamura Matagorô.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Ichikawa Omezô, Nakamura Toranosuke, Nakamura Tsurumatsu, Kitamura Rokurô

A Spring Kabuki program in Nagoya at the Misonoza with the Nakamuraya brothers Nakamura Kankurô and Nakamura Shichinosuke.

Osome no Nanayaku:
(The 7 roles of Osome)
The story of the love suicide of Osome, the daughter of a wealthy merchant and Hisamatsu, a handsome young man that was an apprentice in her family's shop, is one of the most popular stories in Kabuki and was dramatized countless times. In 1813, Tsuruya Nanboku IV (1755~1829) wrote up this story as a showpiece for Iwai Hanshirô V, an onnagata specialist in female roles. One actor plays seven of the major roles in the play: Osome, Hisamatsu, the poor Osaku, Omitsu (Hisamatsu's official fiance), Hisamatsu's sister Takegawa, the geisha Koito, Osome's mother Teishô and a snake charmer named Oroku. Onnagata superstar Nakamura Shichinosuke makes a virtuoso appearance in this play, acting in all seven roles, including the fastest on-stage fast change in all Kabuki. Featuring also Kitamura Rokurô as Oroku's fiance Kimon no Kihê and Nakamura Kankurô as Yamagaya Seibê and the sendô Chôkichi.

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 (Kitamura Rokurô) 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.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Onoe Kikunosuke, Nakamura Karoku, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Nakamura Shidô, Onoe Matsuya, Bandô Yajûrô, Bandô Hikosaburô, Nakamura Baishi, Nakamura Yonekichi, Nakamura Mantarô, Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Shinobu, Kamimura Kichitarô, Onoe Ushinosuke

"Final Fantasy X" is now a Kabuki play, staged for the first time this month in Tôkyô at the IHI Stage Around Theater! The project is led by Onoe Kikunosuke who will be both the stage director and the leading actor.

Nakamura Shidô, Hatsune Miku, Sawamura Kuniya, Nakamura Shiichi, Nakamura Chôshi

The world of Kabuki and the world of otaku collide for the 13th time in Kabuki history! Resulting from this spectacular collision, a new genre, the Chôkabuki (literally Ultra-Kabuki), was born in 2016 [more details]. Nakamura Shidô shares the stage with the virtual 3D creature Hatsune Miku. They perform "together" in the 2020 Chôkabuki drama "Towa no Hana Homare no Isaoshi". The choreography was made under the guidance of Fujima Kanjûrô VIII. It is staged at the Makuhari Messe as part of the Niconico Chôkaigi 2023 event, an important yearly event for the otaku tribes [dedicated website].

Ichikawa Danjûrô, Ichikawa Shinnosuke, Ichikawa Botan

A 3-performance 2-day dance program for the Naritaya family in Ôsaka at the NHK Ôsaka Hall.

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The 36th edition of the Spring Kabuki performance Shikoku Konpira Kabuki Ôshibai at the Kanamaruza on Shikoku Island has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 crisis.