7 shows in Tôkyô (Kabukiza, National Theatre, Meijiza, Nihonbashi Kôkaidô), 2 in Himeji (Heisei Nakamuraza) and 1 in Kyôto (Minamiza)!

Living National Treasure Onoe Kikugorô, Living National Treasure Nakamura Baigyoku, Nakamura Kaishun, Nakamura Tokizô, Ichikawa Danjûrô, Onoe Kikunosuke, Nakamura Jakuemon, Onoe Shôroku, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Bandô Minosuke, Onoe Matsuya, Ichikawa Udanji, Nakamura Kotarô, Nakamura Baishi, Bandô Hikosaburô, Ichikawa Sadanji, Ichikawa Danzô, Bandô Rakuzen, Nakamura Karoku and Nakamura Matagorô perform at the Kabukiza!

Ichikawa Ennosuke and his troupe perform at the Meijiza!

Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Nakamura Senjaku and Kataoka Kamezô perform at the Heisei Nakamuraza!

The Zenshinza troupe performs at the National Theatre!

Young actors perform at the Minamiza!

Living National Treasure Onoe Kikugorô, Living National Treasure Nakamura Baigyoku, Living National Treasure Nakamura Tôzô, Onoe Maholo, Nakamura Kaishun, Nakamura Tokizô, Ichikawa Danjûrô, Onoe Kikunosuke, Nakamura Jakuemon, Onoe Shôroku, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Bandô Minosuke, Onoe Matsuya, Onoe Ukon, Ichikawa Udanji, Nakamura Kotarô, Nakamura Baishi, Bandô Hikosaburô, Ichikawa Sadanji, Ichikawa Danzô, Bandô Rakuzen, Nakamura Karoku, Nakamura Matagorô, Bandô Kamezô, Kataoka Ichizô, Ichikawa Sai'nyû, Ichimura Kakitsu, Ôtani Tomoemon, Kawarasaki Gonjûrô, Ichimura Manjirô, Ôtani Keizô, Ichikawa Omezô, Ichikawa Kudanji, Nakamura Matsue, Bandô Shingo, Nakamura Kashô, Nakamura Kangyoku, Nakamura Mantarô, Nakamura Tanenosuke, Nakamura Takanosuke, Ôtani Hirotarô, Ôtani Hiromatsu, Onoe Sakon, Nakamura Tamatarô, Nakamura Kichinojô, Nakamura Kamenojô, Ichimura Kitsutarô

The great yearly Dankiku festival is back at the Kabukiza! This important festival for the Naritaya and Otowaya guilds commemorates 2 great stars of the Meiji era: Dan = Ichikawa Danjûrô IX and Kiku = Onoe Kikugorô V. "Wakaki Hi no Nobunaga" is staged to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the passing away of Ichikawa Danjûrô XII. "Oto-ni Kiku Makoto no Wakamusha" is staged for the hatsubutai of Onoe Maholo.

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 Living National Treasure Nakamura Baigyoku as Kudô and some of the most popular young stars in Kabuki with Onoe Matsuya as Gorô and Onoe Ukon as Jûrô. Featuring Bandô Minosuke, Bandô Shingo, Nakamura Kaishun and Ôtani Tomoemon as Kobayashi no Asahina, the courtesan Kewaizaka no Shôshô (Gorô's lover), the courtesan Ôiso no Tora (Jûrô's lover) and Oniô Shinzaemon (Jûrô's retainer).

Wakaki Hi no Nobunaga:
(The Young Nobunaga)
This classic of post-war Kabuki drama was written especially for Ichikawa Danjûrô XI by the popular novelist Osaragi Jirô. The play shows Oda Nobunaga (Ichikawa Danjûrô) as a youth, before becoming the callous, hardened warrior that conquered Japan. Pressures from within and without force Nobunaga to act aloof of political affairs. His true intentions are hidden from even his closest friends, but his deception leads to the death of his advisor, Hirate (Living National Treasure Nakamura Baigyoku). Featuring also Ichikawa Udanji, Nakamura Kotarô, Ichikawa Sai'nyû, Kataoka Ichizô and Ichimura Kakitsu.

Oto-ni Kiku Makoto no Wakamusha: This play, staged to celebrate of the hatsubutai of Onoe Maholo, is based on the legend of the hero Iwami Jûtarô who slayed a baboon and a giant serpent. Onoe Maholo plays the role of Iwami Jûtarô. He performs a lovely dance dressed as a girl in the first half, and performs a stylized fight scene with a baboon in the latter half. Top-ranking actors like his grandfather Living National Treasure Onoe Kikugorô, Nakamura Tokizô, Onoe Kikunosuke, Ichikawa Danjûrô, Onoe Shôroku, Ichikawa Danzô and Bandô Rakuzen, perform with him to celebrate his stage debut.

Miyajima no Danmari: the beautiful courtesan Ukifune (Nakamura Jakuemon) appears at Itsukushima Shrine, but she is actually the famous and daring thief Kesatarô coming to steal the treasures of the shrine. Other famous characters from the Heike clan, closely associated with the shrine, appear, and there is a dreamy fight in the dark. This play is especially famous for the odd way in which Ukifune mixes both masculine and feminine movements. Featuring also Nakamura Karoku, Nakamura Matagorô and Onoe Ukon.

Dattan: this is an evocative dance, that takes its name from a Buddhist rite held every March at Tôdaiji Temple in Nara. The story is about a monk yearning for a woman he left behind. Featuring Onoe Shôroku, Nakamura Baishi and Bandô Kamezô.

Kamiyui Shinza: Shinza is a barber that goes from door to door, but at the same time, he is a villain that kidnaps Okuma, the beautiful daughter of a wealthy household, and even resists the efforts of Yatagorô Genshichi, the most prestigious strongman in town, to get her release. Starring Onoe Kikunosuke as Shinza, Nakamura Kotarô as Okuma, Nakamura Mantarô as Chûshichi and Bandô Hikosaburô as Yatagorô Genshichi. Featuring also Nakamura Jakuemon, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Kawarasaki Gonjûrô and Ichimura Manjirô.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Ichikawa Ennosuke, Nakamura Ganjirô, Ichikawa Monnosuke, Ichikawa Chûsha, Nakamura Hayato, Nakamura Yonekichi, Ichikawa Emiya, Ichikawa Emisaburô, Ichikawa En'ya, Ichikawa Juen, Ichikawa Seiko, Nakamura Fukunosuke, Nakamura Utanosuke, Ichikawa Danko, Ichikawa Otora, Ishibashi Shôji, Shimomura Ao, Kashima Noritoshi

The Omodakaya guild strikes Tôkyô in full force and full regalia this month at the Meijiza, which celebrates its 150th anniversary! Ueda Shinji's drama "Fushichô yo Hatô o Koete", premiered in February 1979 in Ôsaka at the Umeda Koma Gekijô, will be revived for the first time in 44 years! Tsuruya Nanboku IV's spectacular 1813 kaomise drama "Gohiiki Tsunagi Uma", which was revived by Ichikawa Ennosuke III in April 1984 at the Meijiza, will also be staged.

Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Nakamura Senjaku, Kataoka Kamezô, Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Tsurumatsu, Nakamura Toranosuke

The Heisei Nakamuraza is in Himeji. The temporary koshibai look-alike theater is built in the precincts of the Himeji Castle. Interesting to note that the stories of "Banshû Sarayashiki" and "Tenshu Monogatari" are set within this castle.

Banshû Sarayashiki: this is a Kabuki dramatization of a famous ghost story. Okiku, a lady-in-waiting in a samurai mansion breaks one of a set of ten precious plates and is executed for her mistake. Her ghost then appears nightly, counting out the plates, this time desperately hoping that she will find ten plates. Starring Nakamura Toranosuke, Nakamura Hashinosuke and Kataoka Kamezô in the roles of Okiku, the cruel Asayama Tetsuzan and Tetsuzan's retainer Iwabuchi Chûta.

Iwashi Uri:
(The Princess and the Sardine Seller)
A modern play by novelist Mishima Yukio, this recreates the leisurely, comic atmosphere of early 18th century Kabuki. A sardine seller famous for his vigorous chanting falls in love with a beautiful courtesan and disguises himself as a wealthy patron, only to discover that she is actually a princess that ran away from her family after falling in love with the call of a sardine seller. Starring Nakamura Kankurô as the sardine seller and Nakamura Shichinosuke as the princess.

Bô Shibari:
(Tied to a Pole)
A dance play based on a classical Kyôgen farce. A master (Nakamura Senjaku) is irritated that his two servants always drink his wine while he is out. He plots with his servant Tarôkaja (Nakamura Hashinosuke) to trick the other servant Jirôkaja (Nakamura Kankurô) 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.

Tenshu Monogatari: Izumi Kyôka's "Tenshu Monogatari" creates the romantic and fantastic atmosphere for which the playwright is famous. Princess Tomi (Nakamura Shichinosuke), a mysterious immortal spirit in Himeji Castle, lives in an elegant feminine world of her own at the top of the castle tower. But an encounter with the handsome young warrior Zushonosuke (Nakamura Toranosuke) brings her into the world of human beings and she is moved to sacrifice all to help him. Featuring also Nakamura Senjaku, Nakamura Kankurô and Kataoka Kamezô.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Kawarazaki Kunitarô, Fujikawa Yanosuke, Yamazaki Tatsusaburô, Nakajima Kôtarô, Hayase Einojô, Matsuura Kainosuke, Arashi Ichitarô, Kamitaki Keitarô, Tamaura Yûnosuke

The usual Zenshinza May program at the National Theatre!

Kamimura Kichitarô, Kataoka Rikiya, Kataoka Senjirô

Young actors performing in Kyôto at the Minamiza.

Kabuki no Kôshaku: A lecture about Kabuki made by the Kamigata kôdan storyteller Kyokudô Nanryû.

Negai no Ito Enishi no Odamaki: "Imoseyama Onna Teikin", is a masterpiece by Chikamatsu Hanji (1725~1783) first presented in 1771 in the puppet theater. It is an epic taken from early Japanese history, weaving together history, legend and myth. The country chafes under the domination of the dictator Iruka. The dance-drama from this epic classic show love and jealousy in a realm ruled by an evil dictator. Motome (Kataoka Senjirô), the son of an important aristocrat opposed to the rule of the dictator Soga no Iruka is secretly planning to kill him. Having disguised himself as a commoner, he has had nightly trysts with a mysterious woman, an elegant princess (Kataoka Rikiya). He has attached a string to her kimono to follow her and discover her identity. But Motome is followed as well by Omiwa (Kamimura Kichitarô), the beautiful daughter of a humble sake shop owner who has fallen in love with him during his time living undercover as a humble maker of court caps.

Sources: Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Nakamura Tamatarô

1st edition of the gala for young actor Nakamura Tamatarô, who will perform in the dances "Sanbasô" and "Fuji Musume". "Mizu no Hentai" and "Shakkyô" will be musical performances only.