4 shows in Tôkyô (Kabukiza, National Theatre, EX THEATER), 2 in Kyôto (Minamiza), 1 in Fukuoka (Hakataza), 1 in Ôsaka (Orix Theater), 1 in Sapporo (Waku Waku Holiday Hall) and 2 tours (Nakamura Shichinosuke Special Tour, Zenshinza)!

Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon, Matsumoto Hakuô, Nakamura Jakuemon, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Ichikawa Ennosuke, Nakamura Ganjirô, Kataoka Takatarô, Ichikawa Sadanji, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Bandô Yajûrô, Nakamura Karoku and Kataoka Hidetarô perform at the Kabukiza!

Nakamura Senjaku, Onoe Kikunosuke, Nakamura Matagorô and Nakamura Baishi perform at the National Theatre!

Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô, Bandô Hikosaburô and Bandô Kamezô perform at the Minamiza!

Kataoka Ainosuke, Onoe Matsuya and Nakamura Kazutarô perform at the Hakataza!

Ichikawa Ebizô performs at the EX THEATER, the Orix Theater and the Waku Waku Holiday Hall!

Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon, Matsumoto Hakuô, Nakamura Jakuemon, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Ichikawa Ennosuke, Nakamura Ganjirô, Kataoka Takatarô, Ichikawa Sadanji, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Bandô Yajûrô, Nakamura Karoku, Kataoka Hidetarô, Ôtani Tomoemon, Ichikawa Komazô, Ichikawa Monnosuke, Nakamura Kikaku, Ichikawa En'ya, Ichikawa Emisaburô, Ichikawa Emiya, Ichikawa Juen, Matsumoto Kingo, Bandô Shûchô, Ichikawa Kôtarô, Nakamura Yonekichi, Ôtani Hirotarô, Nakamura Takanosuke, Nakamura Tanenosuke, Kataoka Sennosuke, Nakamura Kantarô, Arashi Kitsusaburô, Kataoka Matsunosuke, Terajima Maholo

The usual March Kabuki performances at the Kabukiza:

Onna Narukami: this is a parody of "Narukami", one of the oldest plays in the kabuki repertory, but in this version the leading character is played by an onnagata female role specialist. To place a curse on her father's killer Oda Nobunaga, the priestess Narukami (Kataoka Takatarô) imprisons the rain gods in a pool beneath a waterfall, causing a severe drought. A handsome young man named Kumo no Taemanosuke (Nakamura Ganjirô) appears who happens to resemble her former fiancé. Having been seduced by his story, she is convinced that he is her former lover and she exchanges cups with him in token of marriage-vows. However, in reality, he is a spy sent by Nobunaga to break her power. When she realizes that she has been betrayed, she flies into a rage and fights against Sakuma Genba Morimasa (Nakamura Ganjirô) who comes to arrest her.

Kairaishi: this is a dance depicting an itinerant puppeteer (Matsumoto Kôshirô). He carries a variety of puppets in a box which he suspends from his neck. With this he can perform on the spot, using the puppets to enact many different roles which he demonstrates for us. Finally, he makes some sparrows escape from his box and he dashes off after them.

Takashima Yakata: the story is about Kanô Shirôjirô Motonobu (Matsumoto Kôshirô), a samurai who serves at the Palace of the Rokkaku Family in Takashima (province of Ômi). Princess Ichô-no-Mae (Nakamura Yonekichi), the daughter of Rokkaku Yorikata, is in love with Motonobu. Nagoya Sanza, a senior retainer of the Rokkaku clan, helped the girl to make Motonobu exchange a cup of sake with Princess Ichô-no-Mae, which means that the marriage between the two is concluded. Unfortunately for them, the evil and jealous Fuwa no Dôken (Ichikawa En'ya), the senior retainer of the Rokkaku family and the father of Fuwa Banzaemon (the arch enemy of Nagoya Sanza), also covets her. He covers Motonobu with a false charge and makes him arrested. Tied to a pillar, Motonobu draws with his own blood the image of a tiger on a sliding paper-door. The image is such a masterpiece that the tiger takes on life, begins to move, picks up Motonobu on its back and disperses the enemies.

Takeyabu: this scene is a spectacular tachimawari in a bamboo grove, outside the moat of the Rokkaku palace. Utanosuke (Nakamura Ganjirô), a young artist of the Kanô school and a disciple of Motonobu, tries unsuccessfully to fight the soldiers of Fuwa no Dôken to protect Princess Ichô-no-Mae, who had run away from the Palace with Motonobu.

Domo Mata: the artist Matahei (Matsumoto Hakuô) 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 (Ichikawa Ennosuke), 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. Featuring Bandô Yajûrô as Matahei's master Tosa Shôgen Mitsunobu and Ichikawa Komazô as Shûrinosuke.

Moritsuna Jin'ya: this play is one of the greatest classics of the jidaimono historical play style. Two brothers, Sasaki Moritsuna and Sasaki 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 Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon as Moritsuna, with Nakamura Jakuemon as Kagaribi (the wife of Takatsuna), Kataoka Takatarô as Hayase (the wife of Moritsuna), Nakamura Karoku as Hôjô Tokimasa, Ichikawa Sadanji as the crafty general Wada no Hyôe and Kataoka Hidetarô as Mimyô (the mother of the Sasaki brothers).

Kaminari Sendô: handsome boatmen crossing the Sumida River were the popular idols of the Edo period, but the only thing they feared was lightning. This humorous dance shows a boatman (or a boatwoman) and the thunder god carrying his drums and dressed in an animal skin loincloth. Starring Ichikawa Ennosuke as a boat-woman in the odd days and Matsumoto Kôshirô as a boatman in the even days.

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. Starring Matsumoto Kôshirô in the odd days and Ichikawa Ennosuke in the even days as Benten Kozô. Featuring Matsumoto Hakuô as Nippon Daemon, Ichikawa En'ya in the odd days and Matsumoto Kôshirô in the even days as Nangô Rikimaru, Nakamura Kikaku as Tadanobu Rihei and Ichikawa Emiya as Akaboshi Jûzaburô. Featuring also Ichikawa Ennosuke in the odd days and Ichikawa En'ya in the even days as the tobigashira Seiji.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Nakamura Senjaku, Onoe Kikunosuke, Nakamura Matagorô, Nakamura Baishi, Nakamura Kashô, Nakamura Mantarô, Nakamura Toranosuke

The usual March Kabuki performances at the National Theatre.

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 Nakamura Senjaku as Lord Tsunatoyo and Nakamura Kashô as Tominomori Suke’emon. With Nakamura Toranosuke as Okiyo and Nakamura Matagorô as Tsunatoyo’s teacher Arai Kageyû.

Seki no To:
(The Snowbound Barrier)
A snow-covered barrier decorated by a mysteriously blooming cherry tree provides the background for the larger-than-life story of a traitorous aristocrat disguised as a barrier guard and the beautiful woman, actually a supernatural spirit in disguise, that will defeat him. Nakamura Baishi (the keisei Sumizome, in reality the spirit of Komachi's cherry tree), Onoe Kikunosuke (Sekibê, in reality Ôtomo no Kuronushi), Nakamura Baishi (Ono no Komachi) and Nakamura Mantarô (Yoshimine Munesada) star in what is considered to be one of the greatest Kabuki dance-dramas.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô, Bandô Hikosaburô, Bandô Kamezô, Nakamura Kichinojô

A special Kabuki program in Kyôto at the Minamiza starring the amazing Living National Treasure onnagata Bandô Tamasaburô.

Akoya: the courtesan Akoya is the wife of the fugitive general Kagekiyo and has been captured and will be tortured until she reveals his whereabouts. But she claims not to know. The wise Shigetada (Bandô Hikosaburô) puts Akoya to a test, all the time hindered by his companion, the humorous villain Iwanaga (Bandô Kamezô). Shigetada forces Akoya to play several instruments since the slightest disturbance in the sound would indicate that she is lying. A showpiece for an onnagata who must actually play the koto, the bowed kokyû and the shamisen flawlessly as part of the drama. Starring Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô as Akoya.

Tachi Nusubito: the farces of the classical Kyôgen theater have universal appeal, showing the relationships of masters and servants and husbands and wives. In this particular dance play, a farmer named Manbê (Bandô Kamezô) carries a precious sword, which is made of gold. The thief Kurobê (Bandô Hikosaburô) quietly removes the sword from Manbê in a crowd. When Manbê finds his sword missing and notices Kurobê wearing it, a loud dispute ensues. Manbê and Kurobê must both explain who owns the sword, first in words, then in dance to a magistrate (Nakamura Kichinojô), who must try to figure out who tells the truth.

Keisei Yuki no Yoshiwara: This is a brand-new dance, the highlight of which is when the beautiful courtesan in her gorgeous costume expresses her love for her beloved, romance in the pleasure quarters, and her poor life story in dance, weaving into that scenes of the four seasons. Starring Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Kataoka Ainosuke, Onoe Matsuya, Nakamura Kazutarô, Kamimura Kichiya, Ichikawa Omezô, Sawamura Sônosuke, Ôtani Keizô, Ichimura Kitsutarô

Young actors performing at the Hakataza to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Hakataza.

Koi Tsukami: Tawara no Tôta Hidesato fights against a giant centipede at Mt. Mikami in Ômi Province. The guardian deity of Lake Biwa appears and gives him a sacred sword. Tôta slays the centipede with the sword. In Lake Biwa the Golden Carp, Carps King's son, is about to turn into a dragon but it becomes cirrupt by the poisonous blood of the slain centipede flown into the lake. The Golden Carp loses its hope to turn into a dragon. The Carps King resents that and vows to curse the Tawara clan eternally. Years have passed and the sacred sword is now the family heirloom of the Tsuri clan, whose ancestors were from the Tawara clan. The yakko Setahei, at the service of the Tsuri clan, finds out that some evil retainers are plotting to take over the clan. He struggles to prevent it. Princess Kozakura of the Tsuri clan longs for Takimado Shiganosuke, a page whom she met in the Kiyomizu Temple. As they meet secretly at the Tsuri mansion, an envoy of the chief advisor to the emperor arrives. The sacred sword is presented to him. The magic of this sword results in the projection of the shadows of Princess Kozakura and a giant carp are projected on a paper sliding door. It means that Shiganosuke is in fact the incarnation of the spirit of a carp of Lake Biwa and it plots to destroy the Tsuri clan, as a revenge over the Tawara clan. The spirit of the carp is shot by an arrow. The archer is none other than the real Shiganosuke, who chases it up to Lake Biwa where he fights in real water (honmizu) with it under heavy rain, until at last he puts an end to its life. This scene is called koi tsukami and it is the spectacular highlight of this Kabuki drama, which is staged as a tôshi kyôgen. During the Edo period, it was developped by the Onoe clan, from Onoe Kikugorô I to Onoe Kikugorô III through Onoe Shôroku I. In modern times, it became the trademark of the Ichikawa Udanji line. Starring Kataoka Ainosuke in 10 roles (including the spirit of a giant carp)! Featuring also Nakamura Kazutarô in the role of Princess Kozakura.

Source: Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Nakamura Shichinosuke, Nakamura Tsurumatsu, Nakamura Kosaburô, Nakamura Ichô, Sawamura Kunihisa

The Spring Tour of Nakamura Shichinosuke with performances in 12 cities.

Ichikawa Ebizô

Third edition of the Roppongi Kabuki performances at the EX THEATER. Based on Akutagawa Ryûnosuke's short story "Rashômon", the stage direction is done by the famous movie director Miike Takashi, an expert in violent and bizarre movies who worked twice with Ichikawa Ebizô for the movies "Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai" (2011) and "Over your Dead Body" (2014). The guest star of "Rashômon" is Miyake Ken.

Ichikawa Ebizô

Third edition of the Roppongi Kabuki performances, started in Tôkyô at the EX THEATER in February 2019 and now staged in the city of Ôsaka at the Orix Theater. Based on Akutagawa Ryûnosuke's short story "Rashômon", the stage direction is done by the famous movie director Miike Takashi, an expert in violent and bizarre movies who worked twice with Ichikawa Ebizô for the movies "Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai" (2011) and "Over your Dead Body" (2014). The guest star of "Rashômon" is Miyake Ken.

Ichikawa Ebizô

Third edition of the Roppongi Kabuki performances, started in Tôkyô at the EX THEATER in February 2019 and now staged in the city of Sapporo in Hokkaidô at the Wakuwaku Holiday Hall (Sapporo Civic Hall). Based on Akutagawa Ryûnosuke's short story "Rashômon", the stage direction is done by the famous movie director Miike Takashi, an expert in violent and bizarre movies who worked twice with Ichikawa Ebizô for the movies "Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai" (2011) and "Over your Dead Body" (2014). The guest star of "Rashômon" is Miyake Ken.

Kawarasaki Kunitarô, Arashi Yoshisaburô, Fujikawa Yanosuke, Matsunami Kihachirô, Tadamura Shin'ya

A March and April tour all over Japan for the Zenshinza troupe. "Ura Nagaya Sôdôki", which was written by the veteran movie director Yamada Yôji and was premiered in May 2017 at the National Theatre, is based on two famous rakugo stories, "Rakuda" and "Ido no Chawan".