Bandô Tamasaburô will be at the Minamiza in March 2008 to star in "Botantei" and "Yôkihi". The former dance-drama is a brand-new creation based on the famous Chinese Opera "The Peony Pavilion". The latter dance-drama was created for Bandô Tamasaburô in 1991. Bandô Tamasaburô will share the stage with performers of Kunqu, one of the oldest forms of Chinese opera, who belong to a famous troupe of the Suzhou region.

The Kabuki expert Hattori Yukio (1932~2007) dies the 28th of December 2007.

The Kabuki Expert Matsui Toshiaki (1929~2007) dies.

The supporting actor Bandô Tachibana dies the 19th of December 2007. He was a disciple of Ichikawa Danjûrô XI and Ichimura Uzaemon XVII. His real name was Okano Fumio and his yagô was Tachibanaya.

The supporting actors Ichikawa Takiyuki (a disciple of Ichikawa Monnosuke) and Nakamura Chôshi (a disciple of Nakamura Shidô) will celebrate their success at the nadai exam in December 2007 at the Kabukiza. It will also be the occasion for Ichikawa Takiyuki to take the name of Ichikawa Monshô.

Revival of the "Nanzenji Gate" scene (commonly called "Onna Goemon") of the drama "Keisei Hama no Masago" at the Kabukiza in January 2008. The roles of Ishikawaya Masagoji and Taikô Hisayoshi will be played by the stage giants Nakamura Jakuemon and Nakamura Kichiemon!

Nakamura Baigyoku received in November 2007 the Purple Ribbon Medal (Shiju Hôshô in Japanese), one of the six japanese medals of honor awarded by the Japanese Government to deserving citizens.

Revival in January 2008 at the National Theatre of "Komachi-mura Shibai no Shôgatsu", a kaomise drama which has not been staged since its premiere 219 years ago!

The stage props master Kanai Shun'ichirô dies the 22nd of October 2007. He was the head of the Kanai Ôdôgû Company.

The Nagauta shamisen player Matsushima Jusaburô V dies the 19th of October 2007. He took this stage name in 1964 and received in June 1998 the prestigious title of Living National Treasure (Ningen Kokuhô in Japanese). His real name was Shiraishi Hiroshi.

Nakamura Kinnosuke will celebrate his shûmei at the Minamiza in Kyôto in December 2007, playing the roles of Togashi Saemon and Soga Gorô in "Kanjinchô" and "Kotobuki Soga no Taimen".

Ichikawa Danjûrô receives the 55th Kikuchi Kan Award in recompense for the tour in Paris in March 2007 [more details].

Nakamura Gangorô, a supporting actor serving Sakata Tôjûrô, dies the 8th of October 2007 at the age of 60. His real name was Ioi Isao.

The Nagauta musician Mochizuki Bokusei IV died the 20th of September 2007. He held the name of Mochizuki Tazaemon XI from 1988 to 1993 and became Living National Treasure in 1998. He performed at the Kabukiza up to the 17th of September.

The famous movie director Yamada Yôji will shoot two items of Nakamura Kanzaburô's special program in October 2007 at the Shinbashi Enbujô: "Renjishi" and "Bunshichi Mottoi". The film will be released in Japan in Fall 2008, as part as the Shinema Kabuki ("Cinema Kabuki") series.

The supporting actors Bandô Tamayuki and Bandô Kôichi (two disciples of Bandô Tamasaburô) will celebrate their success at the nadai exam in October 2007 at the Kabukiza.

8th anniversary of www.kabuki21.com!

The actor Nakamura Kanzaburô is part of the cast of Hirayama Hideyuki's movie "Yajikita Dôchû Teresuko". He plays one of the three major roles, along with the stars Emoto Akira and Koizumi Kyôko. This movie is based on Jippensha Ikku's picaresque comic novel "Tôkaidôchû Hizakurige". The roles of Yajirobê and Kitahachi are played by Nakamura Kanzaburô and Emoto Akira. The movie will be released all over Japan the 3rd of November 2007. Its international title is "Three for the Road" [more details].

We've just found on the web a great site full of Kabuki videos (performed by amateur troupes). You have to install an Add-in (Office Animation Runtime) in order to be able to watch the videos. Lots of classics and a few rare items!

Opening of a new website created by the National Theatre and dedicated to the promotion of the art of Kabuki. There is a Japanese version and an English version.

The drama "Sesshû Gappô-ga-Tsuji" (whose most famous act is "Gappô Anshitsu") will be revived in November 2007 at the National Theatre as a tôshi kyôgen production, which will star Sakata Tôjûrô in the prestigious role of Tamate Gozen.

The Chikamatsuza troupe will tour in China in Septembre 2007. The program will be made up of the play "Domo Mata" and the dance "Hanabusa Shûjaku no Shishi". Sakata Tôjûrô will play the roles of Otoku and the spirit of the lion in these items. His son Nakamura Kanjaku will play the role of Matahei in "Domo Mata". Here is the schedule:

The actor Onoe Kikunosuke is part of the cast of Nakata Hideo's movie "Kaidan", playing the role of Shinkichi. This is an adaptation of a famous ghost story, "Shinkei Kasane-ga-Fuchi", which was created by San'yûtei Enchô. The movie will be released all over Japan the 4th of August 2007.

Revival at the Kabukiza of "Ninagawa Jûniya", a Kabuki adaptation of Shakespeare’s "Twelfth Night" [more details].

We forgot one date for the Heisei Nakamuraza tour in the U.S.A.: the troupe will perform the 26th of July in Washington at the Warner Theatre the dance-dramas "Kanjinchô" and "Migawari Zazen" [more details].

The Zenshinza leader Nakamura Umenosuke is part of the cast of the omnibus movie "Yume Jûya" (10 directors, one for each of the 10 nights). This is an adaptation of Natsume Sôseki's famous eponymous novel. The movie will be released all over Japan in Spring 2007.

The actor Onoe Karoku, a supporting actor of the Otowaya guild, died the 3rd of May 2007.

The actor Nakamura Shirogorô died the 22nd of April 2007.

The 24th and the 25th of April 2007 a special Kabuki program was held at the International House of Japan in Roppongi (Tôkyô) to celebrate the 120 anniversary of the first tenran kabuki in 1887 (from the 26th to the 29th of April 1887). The Emperor of Japan Akihito and his wife the Empress of Japan Michiko attended the 25th performance of "Kanjinchô", which starred Ichikawa Danjûrô, Onoe Kikugorô and Ichikawa Ebizô in the roles of Benkei, Togashi and Yoshitsune.

Nakamura Kanzaburô and his two sons, Nakamura Kantarô and Nakamura Shichinosuke, will be on tour in New York in July 2007! They will build their "family" theater, the Heisei Nakamuraza, in New York for the second time (the first time was in July 2004), at the Lincoln Center in the Avery Fisher Hall. They will stage "Renjishi" the 16th of July and "Sumidagawa Gonichi no Omokage" (commonly called "Hôkaibô") from the 17th to the 22nd of July.

The Kabukiza will celebrate in May 2007 the 120th anniversary of the first Kabuki performance given for the Emperor (the 21st of April 1887) with the dance-drama "Kanjinchô" and the 6th anniversary (7th memorial service) of the death of Ichimura Uzaemon XVII with the drama "Onna Shibaraku".

The actor Ichikawa Sadanji is part of the cast of Ninagawa Mika's movie "Sakuran", playing the role of a retired man. This is an adaptation of Anno Moyoco's eponymous Manga. The movie was released the 24th of February 2007.

The Kabuki photographer Yoshida Chiaki died the 30th of January 2007.

Nakamura Kichiemon receives the Special Award of the 6th Asahi Performing Arts Awards (2006).

Ichikawa Kamejirô receives the Terayama Shûji Award of the 6th Asahi Performing Arts Awards (2006).

The choreographer Hanayagi Juraku died the 7th of January 2007.

Nakamura Kichiemon receives the 48th Mainichi Performing Arts Awards (2006).