5 shows in Tôkyô (Kabukiza, National Theatre, TBS Akasaka Act Theater), 1 in Toyooka (Eirakukan) and 1 tour (Hana no Mai Tour)!

Living National Treasure Onoe Kikugorô, Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon, Living National Treasure Nakamura Tôzô, Matsumoto Hakuô, Nakamura Tokizô, Nakamura Jakuemon, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Nakamura Kaishun, Kataoka Ainosuke, Ichikawa Ennosuke, Onoe Shôroku, Ichikawa Sadanji, Ichikawa Danzô, Nakamura Karoku and Nakamura Matagorô perform at the Kabukiza !

Nakamura Shikan, Nakamura Ganjirô, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Kataoka Takatarô and Nakamura Kotarô perform at the National Theatre!

Nakamura Kankurô and Nakamura Shichinosuke perform at the TBS Akasaka Act Theater!

Ichikawa Udanji, Ichikawa Emisaburô and Ôtani Hiromatsu are on tour!

Living National Treasure Onoe Kikugorô, Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon, Living National Treasure Nakamura Tôzô, Matsumoto Hakuô, Nakamura Tokizô, Nakamura Jakuemon, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Nakamura Kaishun, Kataoka Ainosuke, Ichikawa Ennosuke, Onoe Shôroku, Ichikawa Sadanji, Ichikawa Danzô, Nakamura Karoku, Nakamura Matagorô, Bandô Hikosaburô, Onoe Ukon, Ichikawa Monnosuke, Bandô Minosuke, Nakamura Kazutarô, Nakamura Baishi, Nakamura Hayato, Bandô Kamezô, Kawarasaki Gonjûrô, Ichikawa Komazô, Kamimura Kichiya, Bandô Shingo, Nakamura Yonekichi, Ôtani Hirotarô, Nakamura Kashô, Kataoka Sennosuke, Nakamura Tanenosuke, Nakamura Mantarô

The traditional November kaomise programs at the Kabukiza.

Kô no Tori: this is a new dance drama first performed at the Eirakukan Theatre in Hyôgo Prefecture in 2014, which portrays the stork, the divine bird of Tajima Province. It was revived at the Eirakukan again in 2018 and is being performed for the first time at the Kabukiza Theatre this month. It is set in the Muromachi period. Akamatsu Mitsusuke (Living National Treasure Nakamura Tôzô), the military governor turned daimyô who is based in Harima Province, has become more and more powerful. So much so that, at a single nod from him, the Shôgun Ashikaga Yoshinori was assassinated. A banquet is about to be held in front of the Izushi Shrine and prayers that Mitsusuke will control the world take place. A stork, which is believed to be a messenger of the gods, is held in a big bird cage. Mitsusuke's retainers have dedicated it to him because legend says that eating its meat will bring longevity. As they surround the bird cage to kill and cook it, it becomes pitch-dark and two kyôgenshi appear (Kataoka Ainosuke and Nakamura Kazutarô). They perform a dance in Mitsusuke's presence, but when they approach the bird cage...

Ii Tairô: Ii Naosuke was the head of state in Japan in 1860 when there were pressures from inside and outside the country. Imperial loyalists demanded that the Shôgun step down and hand over rule to the emperor to resist the foreign barbarians. The United States and other countries insisted that Japan open its doors. On March 3, at the snow-covered gate to the Shôgun's castle, Ii Naosuke was assassinated by imperial loyalists. This modern play by Hôjô Hideji features the last day before the assassination as Naosuke senses that his end is near. The deaths of an old friend and his newborn daughter make Naosuke and his mistress Oshizu-no-Kata think back to simpler times before he was burdened by such responsibilities. Starring Nakamura Kaishun as Oshizu-no-Kata, Matsumoto Hakuô as Ii Naosuke and Nakamura Karoku as Naosuke's Zen teacher.

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 Onoe Kikugorô as Kudô and some of the most popular young stars in Kabuki with Bandô Minosuke as Gorô and Nakamura Tokizô as Jûrô. Featuring Onoe Shôroku, Nakamura Baishi, Nakamura Jakuemon and Ichikawa Sadanji 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).

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 Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon in the role of the parent shishi and his grandsson Kataoka Sennosuke in the role of the cub.

Hana Kurabe Gishi no Kaomise: The feudal lords En'ya Hangan (Nakamura Hayato) and Momonoi Wakasanosuke (Matsumoto Kôshirô) are entertaining the Shôgun's brother, Ashikaga Tadayoshi (Bandô Shingo), at the Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine in Kamakura. En'ya Hangan's wife, Lady Kaoyo (Onoe Ukon), has also been summoned to attend so that she can identify a group of helmets. Later, when Kô no Moronô (Ichikawa Ennosuke), the steward to Ashikaga clan, forces his attentions on Lady Kaoyo, Wakasanosuke helps her escape from Moronô. This angers Moronô, who insults Wakasanosuke so harshly that the latter is unable to bear it and unsheathes his sword... In fact, this is what Wakasanosuke sees in a dream. In reality, Moronô insulted En'ya Hangan who slashed at him with his sword and was then ordered to commit ritual suicide. A year has passed since then. Old retainers of En'ya Hangan, Ôboshi Yuranosuke and others, have lived separately, but the time has come for them to attack Moronô's mansion to avenge their lord’s death... This play features highlights from the famous work, "Kanadehon Chûshingura", but with new direction which enables the story to proceed at a faster pace.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Nakamura Shikan, Nakamura Ganjirô, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Kataoka Takatarô, Nakamura Kotarô, Nakamura Kikaku, Nakamura Matsue, Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Jûjirô, Nakamura Kichinojô, Ichimura Takematsu, Ichikawa Otora, Nakamura Tamatarô

The usual November Kabuki at the National Theatre.

Mikagehama Hamabe: The stonecutter Byakugô no Midaroku (Nakamura Ganjirô) shows his neighborhood villagers a flute he was given by a young client for the gravestone that he built on the shore. Fuji-no-Kata (Nakamura Kotarô) then appears and claims the flute is the aoba no fue ('flute of green leaves'), the treasure of her son Taira no Atsumori. The Genji-side pursuers then arrive, led by Banba no Chûta (Nakamura Kikaku), running after Fuji-no-Kata. In the furious brawl, the villagers knock Chûta dead. In bewilderment, they begin drawing lots to decide who is to blame for the incident. While this remains unsettled, Midaroku comes forward and says that he will turn himself in.

Kumagai Jin'ya: At the encampment, Kumagai (Nakamura Shikan) recounts to his wife, Sagami (Kataoka Takatarô), and Fuji-no-Kata the last moments of Atsumori, who Kumagai killed on the battlefield. Yoshitsune (Nakamura Kinnosuke) soon appears to inspect the head, which is supposed to be that of Atsumori. Prior to the inspection, Kumagai shows the official notice board to Yoshitsune, indicating that he faithfully followed the secret order from Yoshitsune to save Atsumori. Yoshitsune declares that it is the head of Atsumori, but in fact it is the head of Kumagai's son, who was killed in place of Atsumori. Noticing that it is indeed her son, Sagami collapses in tears, lifting the head up in her arms. Meanwhile, Midaroku appears and is identified as Yaheibyôe Munekiyo, a former Heike retainer who once rescued the young Yoshitsune. Munekiyo expresses his deep appreciation to Yoshitsune, who repaid an obligation by handing over a certain person hiding in an armor chest to him. Kumagai, who changes his name to Renshô to become a priest, leaves the encampment holding back his tears.

Sources: National Theatre Official Website

Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Nakamura Senjaku, Kataoka Kamezô, Nakamura Tsurumatsu, Nakamura Toranosuke, Nakamura Kantarô, Nakamura Chôzaburô

5th edition of the Akasaka Grand Kabuki, which was started in September 2008 by Nakamura Kanzaburô XVIII, the head of the Nakamuraya guild.

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Cancellation of the 13th Kabuki program at the Eirakukan, a renovated traditional theater built in the city of Toyooka (prefecture of Hyôgo).

Ichikawa Udanji, Ichikawa Emisaburô, Ôtani Hiromatsu, Ichikawa Kôtarô, Ichikawa Ukon

A short 17-date tour for Ichikawa Udanji, Ichikawa Emisaburô and Ôtani Hiromatsu.

Narukami: one of the most popular and universally appealing plays in the Kabuki Jûhachiban collection of plays featuring the bombastic aragoto style of acting. The holy man Narukami (Ichikawa Udanji) is angry at the Imperial Court and has taken refuge in the mountains where he has imprisoned inside a waterfall the dragon that brings rain, bringing a severe drought to the country. Princess Taema (Ichikawa Emisaburô) is sent by the Imperial Court to try to seduce Narukami, destroying his magical powers and release the rain. When he finds that he has been betrayed, anger transforms Narukami into a Thunder God.

Sources: Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website