2 in Ôsaka (Shôchikuza), 7 shows in Tôkyô (Kabukiza, National Theatre, Asakusa Kôkaidô, Shinbashi Enbujô) and 1 in Kyôto (Minamiza)!

Sakata Tôjûrô, Nakamura Kanjaku, Nakamura Senjaku, Kataoka Gatô, Kataoka Hidetarô, Kataoka Takatarô and Ichikawa Danshirô perform at the Shôchikuza!

Ichikawa Danjûrô, Nakamura Kichiemon, Nakamura Jakuemon, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Nakamura Kanzaburô, Nakamura Tomijûrô, Nakamura Shikan, Nakamura Baigyoku, Nakamura Shibajaku, Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Kaishun and Nakamura Fukusuke perform at the Kabukiza!

Onoe Kikugorô, Nakamura Tokizô, Onoe Kikunosuke, Onoe Shôroku, Sawamura Tanosuke, Ichikawa Danzô and Bandô Hikosaburô perform at the National Theatre!

Ichikawa Ebizô, Nakamura Shidô and the Omodakaya guild perform at the Shinbashi Enbujô!

The Zenshinza troupe perform at the Minamiza!

Lots of young talented actors at the Asakusa Kôkaidô!

Sakata Tôjûrô, Nakamura Kanjaku, Nakamura Senjaku, Kataoka Gatô, Kataoka Hidetarô, Kataoka Takatarô, Ichikawa Danshirô, Bandô Takesaburô, Bandô Shinsha, Kataoka Shinnosuke, Nakamura Kazutarô

The play "Kanadehon Chûshingura" (The Treasure of 47 Loyal Retainers) is the most popular in the Kabuki repertory and is known throughout the world. This tôshi kyôgen new year production includes the rarely-staged "Amakawaya Gihei Uchi" act.

Kabuto Aratame/Shinmotsu/Ninjô: daimyô lords from around the country gather for an important ceremony in the presence of Tadayoshi, the younger brother of the Shôgun. Under the watchful eye of the official Moronô (Sakata Tôjûrô), lords En'ya Hangan (Nakamura Senjaku) and Wakasanosuke (Nakamura Kanjaku) have been charged with making sure everything goes according to protocol. En'ya Hangan's wife Kaoyo (Kataoka Takatarô) is asked to identify a helmet to be used in the ceremony. Moronô is in love with Kaoyo and tries to woo her, but Wakasanosuke stops him. In return, Moronô uses his position of authority to berate the young lord and Wakasanosuke decides to kill Moronô. But the next morning at the Shôgun's mansion, Wakasanosuke's head retainer bribes Moronô to keep his master from causing an incident and although Wakasanosuke is about to attack Moronô, the aged official groveling stops him. As a result, though, Moronô is frustrated and angry and vents his feelings on En'ya Hangan, especially after Hangan innocently brings him a letter in which Kaoyo refuses Moronô's love. Moronô steadily insults Hangan, who tries to ignore the pressure, but finally draws his sword and attacks. Drawing a sword in the Shôgun's palace is a crime punishable by death, but Moronô himself escapes with only a slight wound as others within the mansion hurry in to stop Hangan.

Hangan Seppuku/Shiro Akewatashi: emissaries from the Shôgun arrive at En'ya Hangan's mansion to announce that he has received the strictest penalty for his actions. He is ordered to commit ritual suicide and his household is to be disbanded. Hangan's hate for Moronô grows when he hears that Moronô has received no punishment. Hangan waits and waits for his head retainer, but he does not arrive. Finally, Hangan plunges in the blade. At that moment, his head retainer Yuranosuke (Sakata Tôjûrô) arrives from their home province. With his last breaths, Hangan gives Yuranosuke the knife he used to commit suicide and tells him to take revenge. Now that the clan has been disbanded, Hangan's men become masterless samurai. Though some urge an immediate attack on Moronô, Yuranosuke bids them not to do anything rash. When alone in front of the closed mansion gates, though, he secretly reveals his determination that his lord will not have died in vain. Featuring Kataoka Gatô and Bandô Shinsha in the roles of Ishidô Umanojô and Yakushiji Jirozaemon.

Teppô Watashi/Futatsudama/Kanpei Harakiri: Kanpei (Sakata Tôjûrô) lives a poor life with Okaru (Kataoka Hidetarô) at her parents' rural home. Kanpei desperately wants to take part in the vendetta against Moronô, but must come up with the money necessary to finance his part in it. Secretly, Okaru and her family decide that the only way to raise the money is to sell her to the pleasure quarters. On a lonely highway, a highway thief named Sadakurô (Nakamura Kanjaku) kills her father while he is on the way home from sealing the deal and the money is stolen. In a bizarre twist of events, Kanpei kills the robber while hunting on a dark night and finds the money. The fabric of the wallet, though, seems to prove that he has murdered his father-in-law. Kanpei commits ritual suicide to take responsibility, not only for the death of this father-in-law, but also for being absent when his lord needed him most.

Gion Ichiriki Jaya: Yuranosuke (Sakata Tôjûrô) spends his days and nights in the pleasure quarters of Kyôto in an effort to make Moronô believe he is not planning a vendetta. His acting is so good that even men in his own group believe he has given his life up to pleasure. Moronô is not so easily convinced, though, and has sent spies, including a former retainer of En'ya Hangan, to find Yuranosuke's true intentions. Yuranosuke finds himself tested to the limits by the spy, and is even forced to eat meat on the anniversary of Hangan's death, a strong taboo. Okaru (Kataoka Hidetarô), now a courtesan, is also at the Ichiriki Teahouse. She catches a glimpse of a letter to Yuranosuke detailing plans for the vendetta, but he sees her and offers to buy out her contract, knowing he must kill her to keep the vendetta a secret. Okaru's brother Teraoka Heiemon (Nakamura Kanjaku), a servant in the Hangan household, has also come to the teahouse and when he hears that Yuranosuke is to buy out her contract, he realizes his true intentions. Heiemon tries to convince Okaru to let him kill her as such an act may allow him to take part in the vendetta as well. Hearing that Kanpei is now dead, Okaru agrees, but observing their loyal actions, Yuranosuke spares Okaru and allows Heiemon to join the vendetta.

Michiyuki Tabiji no Yomeiri: this is a short dance scene that shows Honzô’s wife Tonase (Sakata Tôjûrô) and her daughter Konami (Nakamura Senjaku) traveling along the Tôkaidô highway to Kyôto on a desperate journey to unite her with Rikiya. The beauty of the journey and innocent happiness of the young bride contrast with the anxious feelings of the mother, aware that this trip will end in tragedy. There is also a humorous encounter with a boisterous samurai footman (Nakamura Kanjaku).

Amakawaya Gihei Uchi: Yuranosuke (Sakata Tôjûrô) has involved Amakawaya Gihei (Kataoka Gatô), a merchant, in the vendetta so as to assemble weapons for the raid. Gihei has sent his wife (Kamimura Kichiya) to her father-in-law’s home so as to prevent her from knowing of his involvement. His father-in-law pesters him to divorce her so that he can marry her off to a wealthy man. At this moment some of Yuranosuke’s men arrive to test Gihei’s loyalty. Even when they threaten to kill his infant son unless he confesses the location of the weapons, Gihei remains steadfast. Yuranosuke then reveals himself and the fact that Gihei has passed the test. Yuranosuke abruptly cuts off the hair of Gihei’s wife and declares to the father-in-law that she cannot be married off because she has become a nun.

Uchiiri/Hiroma/Shibabeya: disguised as firemen, En'ya Hangan's retainers attack Moronô's mansion on a snowy night. After a fierce fight, they find Moronô hiding in a charcoal shed and take revenge for their lord's wrongful death.

Source: Earphone Guide website, except "Amakawaya Gihei Uchi" (Paul Kennelly)

Ichikawa Danjûrô, Nakamura Kichiemon, Nakamura Jakuemon, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Nakamura Kanzaburô, Nakamura Tomijûrô, Nakamura Shikan, Nakamura Baigyoku, Nakamura Shibajaku, Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Kaishun, Nakamura Fukusuke, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Ichikawa Sadanji, Nakamura Tôzô, Bandô Yajûrô, Ichikawa Somegorô, Nakamura Kashô, Nakamura Karoku

13th of the 16 Kabukiza Sayonara Kôen, the Kabukiza Farewell Performances, which will be held up to April 2010.

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 Somegorô) and Gorô (Nakamura Hashinosuke) prepare to face their father's murderer and take revenge, along with beautiful Shizuka Gozen (Nakamura Fukusuke), they cut the herbs, as a symbolic act of vengeance.

Ishikiri Kajiwara: the Heike general Kajiwara (Matsumoto Kôshirô) is asked to test the sharpness of a sword by slicing two live human beings in half. He deliberately makes the sword fail the test to keep the sword, a priceless heirloom belonging to the enemy Genji clan, from falling into the hands of his Taira clan. A miracle has convinced Kajiwara to change sides. Kajiwara finally demonstrates the true power of the sword by cutting a large stone basin in two.

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 Ichikawa Danjûrô in the role of Benkei, with Nakamura Kanzaburô and Nakamura Baigyoku as Yoshitsune and the barrier keeper Togashi.

Matsuura no Taiko: Lord Matsuura (Nakamura Kichiemon) lives next door to the enemy of the loyal retainers and is disgusted because they do not seem to be interested in avenging the death of the lord. He is especially upset because he studied with the same fighting teacher as Kuranosuke, the senior retainer who should be leading the vendetta. Moreover, he learns from the haiku teacher Takarai Kikaku (Nakamura Karoku) that his student Ôtaka Gengo (Nakamura Baigyoku) who should be part of the vendetta left a poem suggesting that he was forgetting his former lord and going to take service with another samurai lord. Gengo's sister Onui (Nakamura Shibajaku) serves Lord Matsuura and in disgust he is about to dismiss her, when there is a disturbance from next door. The attack has begun, and in joy, Lord Matsuura counts out the strokes of the drum, struck in a pattern that is only known by students of his fighting teacher.

Haru no Kotobuki:
(A Celebration of the New Year)
Traditionally in Japan, the New Year’s season is the most sacred and festive time of the whole year. This short dance will feature Nakamura Jakuemon, the most senior Kabuki actor, who is active on stage to commemorate the holiday and to launch the final few months of performances at the Kabukiza before it closes for rebuilding.

Kurumabiki: this short scene shows the three brothers that dominate the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami", each with a distinctive personality. Sakuramaru (Nakamura Shikan) and Umeômaru (Nakamura Kichiemon) have been rendered masterless by Kan Shôjô's exile. The third brother Matsuômaru (Matsumoto Kôshirô) serves the villain Shihei (Nakamura Tomijûrô), who is responsible for the downfall of Kan Shôjô. Sakuramaru and Umeômaru try to destroy Shihei's carriage but are stopped by Matsuômaru and the magical glare of Shihei. Finally the brothers agree to suspend their disputes until they all meet at their father's seventieth birthday party.

Musume Dôjôji: a beautiful young woman dances under cherry blossoms at a dedication ceremony for a temple bell. She dances the many aspects of a woman in love, but is actually the spirit of a serpent, driven to destroy the bell out of jealousy. In addition to being the most famous of all Kabuki dances, "Musume Dôjôji" is considered to be the pinnacle of the art of the onnagata. This month’s production stars Nakamura Kanzaburô as the maiden and also features a rare performance of the second part of the dance where the maiden appears as a serpent and is pushed back by a powerful hero played in the bombastic aragoto style. Ichikawa Danjûrô appears as the hero Ôdate Samagorô Teruhide and aragoto is the specialty of his acting family.

Kirare Yosa: Yosaburô (Ichikawa Somegorô), the refined young son of a wealthy merchant falls in love with Otomi (Nakamura Fukusuke) 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.

Source: Earphone Guide website

Onoe Kikugorô, Nakamura Tokizô, Onoe Kikunosuke, Onoe Shôroku, Ichikawa Danzô, Bandô Hikosaburô, Sawamura Tanosuke, Kawarasaki Gonjûrô, Kataoka Kamezô, Ichimura Manjirô, Onoe Matsuya, Nakamura Baishi, Bandô Kamesaburô, Bandô Kametoshi, Onoe Ukon, Ichikawa Otora, Nakamura Mantarô

Revival at the National Theatre of Namiki Gohei's long-forgotten drama "Keisei Kogane no Shachihoko", which is differently titled in this new version. It is staged to commemorate the 400-year anniversary of the establishment of the city of Nagoya. The creation of the town of Nagoya began in 1610, with the beginning of the construction of Nagoya Castle, and the transfer of the entire town of Kiyosu. "Keisei Kogane no Shachihoko" was premiered in the 12th lunar month of 1782 in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai and successfully produced up to the middle of 3rd lunar month of 1783.

Ichikawa Ebizô, Nakamura Shidô, Ichikawa Ukon, Ichikawa Emiya, Ichikawa Monnosuke, Kataoka Ichizô

Third edition of a New Year Program at the Shinbashi Enbujô starring the heir of the Naritaya guild, Ichikawa Ebizô, and the young and talented actors of the Omodakaya guild. This month Ichikawa Ebizô performs for the very first time the prestigious 10 roles of "Date no Jûyaku"!

Soga no Taimen: this is one of the oldest and most classical of all Kabuki plays. In the Edo period, every January, plays appeared about the vendetta carried out by the Soga brothers Jûrô and Gorô after eighteen years of hardship. In "Soga no Taimen" the brothers confront Kudô Suketsune, the man responsible for their father's death. More ceremony than play, it features each of the important Kabuki character types, including the bombastic aragoto style of Gorô and the soft wagoto style of Jûrô. This month features a cast headed by Ichikawa Ukon as Kudô and some of the most popular young stars in Kabuki with Nakamura Shidô as Gorô and Ichikawa Emiya as Jûrô.

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 Ukon as the old woman.

Kagami Jishi: one of the most important dances for onnagata female role specialists and is an audience favorite. The maidservant Yayoi performs an auspicious lion dance for the Shôgun in his opulent palace, but she gradually finds herself under the control of the lion spirit. In the second half of the dance, the lion spirit itself appears and performs its crazed dance among peonies and fluttering butterflies. Starring Ichikawa Ebizô as both Yayoi and the spirit of the lion.

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 so that one actor could play all the roles, male and female, young and old, villain and hero, switching from one to another with fast changes. The script for this particular version was lost, but some twenty years ago, Ichikawa Ennosuke had a new version prepared and this has since become a classic of Ennosuke's style of Kabuki. For the very first time in Kabuki history, the ten roles are not played by Ichikawa Ennosuke; they are performed by the young star Ichikawa Ebizô.

Source: Earphone Guide website

Kataoka Ainosuke, Ichikawa Kamejirô, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Nakamura Kantarô, Nakamura Kikaku, Ichikawa Omezô

The yearly show for young promising actors at the Asakusa Kôkaidô in Asakusa, a lively and colorful neighboorhood that keeps the scent of old Edo.

Kusazuri:
(the Tug-of-War Over the Armor)
A short dance in the oldest style of Kabuki, leisurely and full of humor, combining the charm of an onnagata female role specialist with the larger-than-life heroism of the bombastic aragoto style of acting. The strong Asaina stops the powerful, but rash, warrior Soga no Gorô from rushing to a fight by pulling on the set of armor he is carrying. Starring Nakamura Kantarô and Ichikawa Kamejirô as Asaina and Gorô.

Ohama Goten: there are few plays more popular in Kabuki than "Chûshingura" or the Treasury of the Forty-Seven Loyal Retainers. In the modern period, this play was reworked by Mayama Seika as "Genroku Chûshingura", a play focusing on different incidents and different characters in this revenge classic adding historical details reflecting the Genroku period. One of the most popular parts of this play shows the man that will be the next Shôgun, seemingly detached from the vendetta, but in fact, intensely interested in the progress of the quest of the band of loyal retainers. Starring Kataoka Ainosuke as Lord Tsunatoyo and Ichikawa Kamejirô as Tominomori Suke’emon.

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 (Nakamura Shichinosuke). She appears mysteriously in the ruins of her father's palace and tries to seduce Mitsukuni (Nakamura Kantarô), 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.

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 (Nakamura Kantarô), 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 (also played by Nakamura Kantarô) is inside the house, in a story of political intrigue. Featuring also Nakamura Shichinosuke and Kataoka Ainosuke in the roles of Hachiman Tarô and Abe no Munetô.

Akutarô: this dance is based on a comic Kyôgen play and was written for Ichikawa En'ô I, the grandfather of the current Ichikawa Ennosuke and was one of his specialities. This dance shows a wild drunkard named Akutarô (Ichikawa Kamejirô). He appears with a bushy beard and long halberd and waves it around wildly. But his uncle (Kataoka Ainosuke) has a plan to cure him of drinking. Featuring also Ichikawa Omezô.

Sources: Earphone Guide website
Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website for "Akutarô"

Kawarasaki Kunitarô, Fujikawa Yanosuke, Arashi Hironari, Anegawa Shinnosuke, Ikushima Kigorô

Futatsu Chôchô Yuki no Kowakare: "Futatsu Chôchô Yuki no Kowakare" was a Rakugo story created by San'yûtei Enchô, the father of "Botan Dôrô", "Bunshichi Mottoi" or "Shibahama no Kawazaifu". It is adapted to the stage for the first time this month. The play is divided into 3 acts; the first act is a Rakugo performance done by Hayashiya Shôjaku. The second and third act are Kabuki. It is about Chôkichi, the son of Yaoya Chôbê, who was placed with the Yamazakiya shop. Along with another servant named Chôgorô, he has the bad habit to steal things. The bantô Gonkurô, who is aware of these petty thefts, prefer to hold his tongue and not report it to the master. Unfortunately for all, Yogorô, the young heir of the Yamazakiya is desperately in needs of money for the redemption of the courtesan Azuma. The huge sum (100 ryô) is stolen within the Yamazakiya shop and Gonkurô accuses Chôkichi, who had no other choice than killing the bantô and run away to Northern Japan. The third act is about the return of Chôkichi in Edo and his meeting with his parents Chôbê and Omitsu, which explains the second part of the title Yuki no Kowakare, "separation with a child in the snow". The first part of this title, Futatsu Chôchô, is an allusion to the famous play "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki", which was about the two sumôtori Chôgorô and Chôkichi. Futatsu Chôchô means in fact "the Two Chô", Chôgorô and Chôkichi. The courtesan Azuma and her lover Yamazakiya Yogorô are also two roles which belong to the "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki" world. Featuring Fujikawa Yanosuke (Chôbê, Gonkurô), Arashi Hironari (Chôkichi) and Kawarasaki Kunitarô (Yamazakiya Yogorô, Azuma, Omitsu).

Tsuri Onna: a dance based on a classical Kyôgen farce. A master longs for a wife and is told by the gods in a dream to go fishing for one. He is united with a beautiful princess (Kawarasaki Kunitarô). His servant Tarôkaja wants a wife as well, but when he goes fishing, is stuck with a very surprising companion, played by Fujikawa Yanosuke in a rare, humorous, female role.

Source: Earphone Guide website