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

Living National Treasure Nakamura Baigyoku, Living National Treasure Nakamura Tôzô, Matsumoto Hakuô, Nakamura Shikan, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Ichikawa Ennosuke, Kataoka Ainosuke, Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Nakamura Kaishun, Nakamura Jakuemon, Nakamura Ganjirô, Nakamura Senjaku, Kataoka Takatarô, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Nakamura Karoku, Nakamura Matagorô, Bandô Yajûrô and Ichikawa Komazô perform at the Kabukiza!

Living National Treasure Onoe Kikugorô, Nakamura Tokizô, Onoe Kikunosuke and Onoe Shôroku perform at the National Theatre

Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô performs at the Shôchikuza!

Lots of young talented actors at the Asakusa Kôkaidô!

Ichikawa Danjûrô performs at the Shinbashi Enbujô!

The Zenshinza troupe is on tour!

Living National Treasure Nakamura Baigyoku, Living National Treasure Nakamura Tôzô, Matsumoto Hakuô, Nakamura Shikan, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Ichikawa Ennosuke, Kataoka Ainosuke, Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Nakamura Kaishun, Nakamura Jakuemon, Nakamura Ganjirô, Nakamura Senjaku, Kataoka Takatarô, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Nakamura Karoku, Nakamura Matagorô, Bandô Yajûrô, Ichikawa Komazô

The three programs for the New Year Grand Kabuki at the Kabukiza. In 2023, the 5th Kabukiza celebrates the 10th anniversary of its opening.

Udoshi no Haru Kabuki Zôshi: villagers in Izumo have heard that Izumo no Okuni's dance troupe, which is much talked about in Kyôto, is coming home to Izumo where cherry blossoms are now in full bloom, so they are anxious for it to arrive. After turning up, the troupe performs a gorgeous kabuki dance. Okuni begins with an invocation to the Buddha and recalls her late lover Nagoya Sanza. When she does so, he appears looking just as he did when still alive, and … Featuring Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Kataoka Ainosuke and Ichikawa Ennosuke.

Benten Musume: this play is a sewamono (realistic play about commoners) written by the late 19th century playwright Mokuami who is famous for his plays about thieves. The thief Benten Kozô dresses up as a woman to commit extortion, but his plans are ruined when his disguise is seen through. In the highlight of the play, he undresses, showing his colorful tattoos and introduces himself in a famous poetic speech. Afterwards, he is joined by the members of his gang on a riverbank, and, using the playwright's famous poetic rhythms, in turn, they each boast of their careers as thieves. Kataoka Ainosuke stars as Benten Kozô, with Nakamura Shikan as Nippon Daemon, Nakamura Kankurô as Nangô Rikimaru, Ichikawa Ennosuke as Tadanobu Rihei and Nakamura Shichinosuke as Akaboshi Jûzaburô.

Kotobuki Ehô Soga: Kudô Saemon Suketsune (Matsumoto Hakuô) has been appointed the honorable Marshal of the Hunt, an event that will take place at the foot of Mt. Fuji. He is holding a feast to celebrate that new post when the Soga brothers, Soga Jûrô Sukenari (Ichikawa Ennosuke) and Soga Gorô Tokimune (Matsumoto Kôshirô), appear disguised as Manzai performers to confront Kudô. They desire to avenge their father's death by taking Kudô's life because it was Kudô who killed their father 18 years before with a surprise attack. Featuring also Nakamura Jakuemon, Nakamura Kaishun, Nakamura Karoku and Nakamura Ganjirô in the roles of Kewaizaka no Shôshô (Gorô's lover), Ôiso no Tora (Jûrô's lover), Oniô Shinzaemon and Kobayashi no Asahina.

Kane no Yo no Naka:
(Men Live in a World Where Money is All)
First performed in 1879, this play written by Kawatake Mokuami reflects the life of Japan after the Edo period with westernized Japanese and greedy businessmen. It is also an adaptation of a foreign play "Money" by Bulwer-Lytton. Featuring Bandô Yajûrô, Nakamura Senjaku, KiN2, Kataoka Takatarô, Nakamura Shikan and Nakamura Ganjirô.

Izayoi Seishin: love suicides are common in Kabuki, but usually as the conclusion of a play, a tragic end to a love that cannot be. The playwright Kawatake Mokuami gave this play an ironic turn by putting the love suicide at the very beginning of the play. The priest Seishin (Matsumoto Kôshirô) and the courtesan Izayoi (Nakamura Shichinosuke) are ostracized for having an affair. Seishin decides to forget her and concentrate on his religious training. Before he can leave, though, Izayoi convinces him to die with her. They throw themselves into a river, but both survive. Unaware that Izayoi is still alive and given the chance to start again, Seishin gives up his religious vows and turns to a life of crime. With Living National Treasure Nakamura Baigyoku as the poet Hakuren, in reality the thief Ôdera Shôbê.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Living National Treasure Onoe Kikugorô, Nakamura Tokizô, Onoe Kikunosuke, Onoe Shôroku

The New year Kabuki performances at the National Theatre with the revival of Takeshiba Kisui's drama "Tôyama Zakura Tenpô Nikki".

Tôyama Zakura: There are few characters in TV samurai dramas more popular than Tôyama Kinshirô, commonly called Tôyama no Kin-san. The city magistrate in charge of judging criminal cases, he also goes around the world of commoners incognito. Then, in court, when the criminals try to say they are innocent, Kin-san says that he knows of their guilt from direct knowledge and exposes his distinctive tattoo. The stories about Tôyama no Kin-san are mostly fictional, but he was a historical figure and from the end of the 19th century, he became a popular figure for plays and stories. One of these plays will be revived at the National Theatre in January, featuring all the talents of the Onoe Kikugorô Theatre Troupe. This full-length play features Onoe Kikugorô in the role of the magistrate Tôyama Kinshirô and Onoe Shôroku in the role of the villainous Ikuta Kakudayû, a former samurai who becomes a notorious thief wielding a pistol and then disguises himself as a blind masseur. As the pistol wielding thief, he becomes so notorious that he decides to let someone else take the blame, a defrocked Buddhist priest named Tengaku. But in the end, this seals his fate. Starring also Nakamura Tokizô and Onoe Kikunosuke in the roles of Kakudayû's wife Omoto and Obanaya Kosaburô (later Yûten Kozô Kokichi).

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô

A special Buyô program at the Shôchikuza starring Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô, who performs along with the Kodô taiko drummers in a 2017-premiered (in May 2017) dance-drama entitled "Yûgen", which features an array of classical Japanese images from plays by Nô founder Zeami Motokiyo, incorporating themes from iconic works such as "Hagoromo" (The Feather Robe), "Dôjôji" (Dôjôji Temple) and "Shakkyô" (The Stone Bridge).

Bandô Minosuke, Nakamura Hayato, Onoe Matsuya, Bandô Shingo, Nakamura Kashô, Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Tanenosuke, Nakamura Kangyoku, Kamimura Kichiya, Nakamura Kamenojô, Nakamura Kichinojô

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.

Hikimado: originally written for the puppet theater, this play shows a tragedy of commoners caught between their duty and their feelings toward their loved ones. A sumô wrestler named Nuregami Chôgorô (Nakamura Hashinosuke) has killed a man and takes refuge at the home of his mother. Unfortunately, her son (Nakamura Hayato) has been ordered to arrest him. All of these complicated conflicts are symbolized by the lightness and darkness created by the humble skylight (hikimado in Japanese) as a rope is pulled to move a wooden shutter. Featuring also Bandô Shingo and Kamimura Kichiya in the role of Ohaya and Okô.

Meoto Dôjôji: "Musume Dôjôji" is based on a legend about a woman transformed into a serpent out of jealousy and who destroys a temple bell keeping her from the object of her love. The original dance shows the spirit of the woman who appears at Dôjôji temple as a dancer who wants to celebrate the dedication of a new bell and does a series of dances showing the many faces of femininity. In this version there are two dancers and one is revealed to be a man in disguise and, in the highlight of the dance, transforms the romantic highpoint of the original piece into a comic scene by using masks. Starring Bandô Shingo as the female dancer and Bandô Minosuke as the male dancer.

Domo Mata: the artist Matahei has been refused a professional name because of his stuttering. He makes a poor life by drawing folk paintings and decides to make one last effort to gain respectability. His wife Otoku, who is given as much to chatter as Matahei is silent, pleads his case. Turned down again by his master, Matahei decides to take his life. He draws a farewell portrait of himself, a painting so skillful that the lines seep through solid rock and this miracle convinces his master to confer a professional name. Starring Nakamura Kashô as Matahei and Nakamura Tanenosuke as his wife Otoku. Featuring Nakamura Kichinojô as Matahei's master Tosa Shôgen Mitsunobu, Onoe Matsuya as Utanosuke, Nakamura Kangyoku as Shûrinosuke and Nakamura Kamenojô as Shôgen's wife Kita-no-Kata.

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 Matsuya in the role of the parent shishi and his son Nakamura Kangyoku in the role of the cub.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Ichikawa Danjûrô, Nakamura Kotarô, Ichikawa Udanji, Miyadate Ryôta

The traditional New Year Kabuki at the Shinbashi Enbujô with a troupe led by Ichikawa Danjûrô. "SANEMORI" was premiered in November 2019 for the fifth edition of the ABKAI (Ebikai in Japanese) gala. This drama is based on the classic "Genpei Nunobiki no Taki" and the story of the warrior Saitô no Sanemori. The guest star is an aidoru named Miyadate Ryôta (belonging to a boy band named Snow Man).

Fujikawa Yanosuke, Yamazaki Tatsusaburô, Nakajima Kôtarô, Tamaura Yûnosuke, Hayase Einojô, Matsunami Kihachirô, Arashi Ichitarô, Watarai Motoyuki, Takei Shigeru, Ishijima Ryûsei

A long tour for the Zenshinza troupe:

Bô Shibari:
(Tied to a Pole)
A dance play based on a classical Kyôgen farce. A master (Watarai Motoyuki) is irritated that his two servants always drink his wine while he is out. He plots with his servant Tarôkaja (Tamaura Yûnosuke) to trick the other servant Jirôkaja (Nakajima Kôtarô) into demonstrating his skill at stick fighting, tying him to the stick. The master then ties up Tarôkaja as well. But he is outsmarted when the two still manage to drink his wine while tied up. Their happy singing and dancing while tied up is a dazzling display of virtuoso dancing and star two of the finest young dancers in Kabuki.

Bunshichi Mottoi: Chôbê spends his days and nights gambling, but is finally made aware of his family's problems when his daughter takes a job in the pleasure quarters. Having received the money for her contract, he shows his good side to save a young man on the edge of suicide after losing a large sum of money, but nobody believes Chôbê, thinking that he has gambled the money away. The performance stars Fujikawa Yanosuke, Hayase Einojô and Ishijima Ryûsei in the roles of Chôbê, Chôbê's wife Okane and Bunshichi.

Sources: Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website