4 shows in Tôkyô (Kabukiza, Meijiza, Shinbashi Enbujô), 1 in Toyooka (Eirakukan), 1 in Tachikawa (Tachikawa Stage Garden) & 2 tours (Shôchiku Grand Kabuki, Zenshinza)!

Onoe Shôroku, Bandô Kamezô, Nakamura Kashô & Nakamura Mantarô perform at the Kabukiza !

Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Shichinosuke, , Bandô Rakuzen, Bandô Hikosaburô, Ichikawa Omezô, Bandô Minosuke & Bandô Kamezô perform at the Meijiza!

Nakamura Kinnosuke, Nakamura Hayato, Kamimura Kichiya & Ichikawa Emisaburô are on tour (Shôchiku Grand Kabuki)!

Matsumoto Kôshirô, Onoe Matsuya, Nakamura Tokizô, Onoe Ukon, Ichikawa Somegorô, Bandô Yajûrô, Kataoka Kamezô & Ichikawa En'ya perform at the Shinbashi Enbujô!

Kataoka Ainosuke, Nakamura Kazutarô and Kataoka Takatarô perform at the Eirakukan!

Kataoka Ainosuke, Nakamura Kazutarô & Ichikawa Chûsha at the Tachikawa Stage Garden !

The Zenshinza troupe is on tour!

Onoe Shôroku, Bandô Kamezô, Nakamura Kashô, Nakamura Mantarô, Nakamura Tanenosuke, Nakamura Toranosuke, Onoe Sakon, Nakamura Fukunosuke

Not the usual November Festive Face-Showing Grand Kabuki.

Yôkoso Kabukiza he: a 'Welcome to Kabukiza' stage speech made by Nakamura Toranosuke.

Sannin Kichisa:
(Three Thieves Named Kichisa)
The playwright Kawatake Mokuami excelled at portrayals of thieves and this short scene, with its music and poetic lines, is one of his most famous. A beautiful young woman helps out a woman who is lost on the road. But she is actually Ojô Kichisa, a male thief who is disguised as a woman. He steals an immense sum of money that the woman is carrying and this leads to an encounter on this riverbank of three thieves, all with the name Kichisa. The two others Kichisa are Oshô Kichisa, a bonze turned thief, and Obô Kichisa, an ex-samurai turned thief Though they start out as rivals, they decide to become blood brothers and form a gang. Featuring Onoe Sakon as Ojô Kichisa, Bandô Kamezô as Oshô Kichisa and Nakamura Kashô as Obô Kichisa.

Shakkyô:
(The Stone Bridge)
There are many plays about shishi or lion spirits in the Asian tradition, but the shishi is not actually a lion, it is a mythical animal that guards the stone bridge (Shakkyô) leading to the Buddhist paradise of Monju, the god of wisdom. Featuring Onoe Shôroku, Nakamura Mantarô, Nakamura Tanenosuke, Nakamura Fukunosuke and Nakamura Toranosuke in the roles of the shishi.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Bandô Rakuzen, Bandô Hikosaburô, Ichikawa Omezô, Bandô Minosuke, Bandô Kamezô, Nakamura Tsurumatsu, Nakamura Yonekichi, Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Kamenojô, Bandô Kamesaburô, Nakamura Baika, Kitamura Rokurô

A special program in Tôkyô at the Meijiza.

Kurumabiki: this short scene shows the three brothers that dominate the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami", each with a distinctive personality. Sakuramaru (Nakamura Tsurumatsu) and Umeômaru (Nakamura Hashinosuke) have been rendered masterless by Kan Shôjô's exile. The third brother Matsuômaru (Bandô Hikosaburô) serves the villain Shihei (Bandô Rakuzen), who is responsible for the downfall of Kan Shôjô. Sakuramaru and Umeômaru try to destroy Shihei's carriage but are stopped by Matsuômaru and the magical glare of Shihei. Finally the brothers agree to suspend their disputes until they all meet at their father's seventieth birthday party.

Ippon Gatana Dohyô Iri: this is a modern play by Hasegawa Shin and shows Komagata Mohê (Nakamura Kankurô), a starving, would-be sumô wrestler. He encounters a courtesan Otsuta (Nakamura Shichinosuke), who gives him her purse and hair ornaments and makes him promise to become a champion sumô wrestler. In turn, she promises to go see him make his ceremonial entry into the ring. But ten years later, Mohê has become a gangster instead. Now a powerful fighter, he rescues Otsuta and her family. Ironically, this has become the only way that he can repay her kindness and the shameful form that his entry into the ring has taken. Featuring also Bandô Hikosaburô, Ichikawa Omezô and Kitamura Rokurô.

Fuji Musume: the spirit of wisteria blossoms dances of love in the form of a beautiful young maiden. One of Kabuki's most famous and colorful dances, it will feature the dancing skills of Nakamura Yonekichi.

Kamakura Sandaiki: a rare performance of a classical history play from the Bunraku puppet theatre, which shows a heroic warrior, unbending mother and delicate princess in romance and intrigue on a grand scale. War has placed the young samurai Miuranosuke (Bandô Minosuke) and his fiance Princess Toki on enemy sides. She takes care of his sick mother (Nakamura Kamenojô) despite being on opposite sides, and Miuranosuke slips away from the battle to see his mother one last time. But she refuses to see him when he should be on the battlefield and he must leave, brokenhearted. Princess Toki's father is the leader of the enemy forces and she is faced with a terrible challenge. She will only be allowed to be united with the man she loves if she kills her father. Starring Nakamura Yonekichi as Princess Toki, considered to be one of the most difficult princess roles in the Kabuki repertory. Featuring also Nakamura Kankurô in the role of Sasaki Takatsuna.

Osome no Nanayaku:
(The 7 roles of Osome)
The story of the love suicide of Osome, the daughter of a wealthy merchant and Hisamatsu, a handsome young man that was an apprentice in her family's shop, is one of the most popular stories in Kabuki and was dramatized countless times. In 1813, Tsuruya Nanboku IV (1755~1829) wrote up this story as a showpiece for Iwai Hanshirô V, an onnagata specialist in female roles. One actor plays seven of the major roles in the play: Osome, Hisamatsu, the poor Osaku, Omitsu (Hisamatsu's official fiance), Hisamatsu's sister Takegawa, the geisha Koito, Osome's mother Teishô and a snake charmer named Oroku. Onnagata superstar Nakamura Shichinosuke makes a virtuoso appearance in this play, acting in all seven roles, including the fastest on-stage fast change in all Kabuki. Also starring Kitamura Rokurô as Oroku's fiance Kimon no Kihê. Featuring also Bandô Hikosaburô, Bandô Minosuke and Ichikawa Omezô.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Matsumoto Kôshirô, Onoe Matsuya, Nakamura Tokizô, Onoe Ukon, Ichikawa Somegorô, Bandô Yajûrô, Kataoka Kamezô, Ichikawa En'ya, Ôtani Hirotarô, Sawamura Sônosuke

A brand new genre was born in the Kabuki world in 2015: After Kabuki, Shinkabuki, Sûpâ Kabuki, Sûpâ Kabuki II and Roppongi Kabuki (Sci-Fi Kabuki), we got Kabuki NEXT. The first Kabuki NEXT drama was "Aterui", which was written by Nakajima Kazuki for Ichikawa Somegorô VII. It was staged for the first time in August 2002 at the Shinbashi Enbujô, starring Ichikawa Somegorô with a non-Kabuki cast. In 2002, it was not a Kabuki or a Kabuki NEXT production. In 2015, it was revised to become the first Kabuki NEXT drama in Kabuki history, with a full Kabuki cast. It was staged in July 2015 at the Shinbashi Enbujô and in October 2015 at the Shôchikuza. The second Kabuki NEXT drama, "Oboro no Mori-ni Sumu Oni" is also written by Nakajima Kazuki and it is directed by Inoue Hidenori.

Oboro no Mori-ni Sumu Oni: we find ourselves in a mysterious forest, where old gods reside. From a towering heap of corpses emerges a man—his name is Rai (Matsumoto Kôshirô/Onoe Matsuya). His eyes gleam with the wild ambition of a beast, and his weapon is his "silver tongue," spinning endless lies in pursuit of his dream to rise to the top. Suddenly, the forest demons known as Oboro appear before Rai, offering him the throne in exchange for his life. With a prophecy and a sword that moves as smoothly as his tongue, Rai sets off toward the capital. What will be the outcome of his insatiable ambition? And what will Rai see at the end of his blood-stained dream? Matsumoto Kôshirô and Onoe Matsuya alternatingly plays the roles of Rai and Sadamitsu. Featuring Bandô Yajûrô (Ichi no Ôkimi), Nakamura Tokizô (Tsuna), Bandô Shingo (Shikibu), Onoe Ukon (Kinta), Kataoka Kamezô (Urabe), Ichikawa Somegorô (Shuten), Ôtani Hirotarô (Shôgen), Ichikawa En'ya (Madare) & Sawamura Sônosuke (Aradôji).

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Kataoka Ainosuke, Nakamura Kazutarô, Kataoka Takatarô, Ichikawa Kudanji, Nakamura Utanosuke, Kataoka Senju

14th Kabuki program at the Eirakukan, a renovated traditional theater built in the city of Toyooka (prefecture of Hyôgo).

Sodehagi Saimon: a larger-than-life history play originally written for the puppet theater, this is an epic of the intrigues in the Tôhoku region of Japan. It shows the larger political movements of the region as the individual tragedies of various people that are caught in this turmoil. In the most famous section, this play tells the tragic story of Sodehagi (Nakamura Kazutarô), a woman disowned by her family after falling in love with a man that they did not accept. Now she is alone and blind from weeping. She wanders with her child, supporting them as a musician and comes to her family's house. They do not let her in and sitting outside in the snow, she sings her tragic tale. Meanwhile, her husband Abe no Sadatô (Kataoka Ainosuke) is inside the house, in a story of political intrigue. Featuring also Kataoka Takatarô and Nakamura Utanosuke in the roles of Hachiman Tarô and Abe no Munetô.

Kôjô: the close relationship between the actors and the audience is shown by these stage announcements, lavish ceremonies to commemorate various important events.

Takatsuki: in this relatively modern dance-comedy adapted from the style of classical Kyôgen farces, the servant Jirôkaja (Kataoka Ainosuke) is ordered by his lord (Ichikawa Kudanji) to buy a takatsuki, which is a kind of ceremonial sake cup on a stand. Jirôkaja does not understand his lord's orders and is persuaded by a fast-talking geta clog salesman (Nakamura Kazutarô) to buy a pair of clogs instead, thinking that this is the stand for which he was sent. After drinking a good amount of sake, he brings his purchase to the lord and responds to the lord's anger with a dance on the clogs, a virtuoso routine inspired by tap dancing, showing off the dancing skills of Kataoka Ainosuke.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Nakamura Kinnosuke, Nakamura Hayato, Kamimura Kichiya, Ichikawa Emisaburô, Ichikawa Seiko, Kamimura Kichitarô, Kamimura Orinosuke

The Shôchiku Grand Kabuki Fall Tour in 20 cities.

Goaisatsu: a kôjô on stage made by Nakamura Hayato.

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 Kinnosuke) 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 Ichikawa Emisaburô in the role of Ohaya.

Migawari Zazen: a dance play adopted from a classical kyôgen farce. A man (Nakamura Hayato) wants nothing more than to visit his lover Hanako, but he has one important problem, his homely and overbearing wife (Nakamura Kinnosuke). He creates a scheme saying that he will be practicing Zen meditation all night and has his servant (Ichikawa Seiko) take his place while he visits Hanako. He returns, giddy from a night of pleasure and tells his story to his servant in dance, unaware that his wife has discovered his deception and has taken his servant's place.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Kataoka Ainosuke, Nakamura Kazutarô, Ichikawa Chûsha, Ichikawa Emiya, Ichikawa Kudanji, Nakamura Tsurumatsu, Ôtani Hirotarô, Nakamura Utanosuke

A special Kabuki program staged in Tachikawa at the Tachikawa Stage Garden to celebrate the coming 100th anniversary of the creation of the Tachihi Group.

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

A long tour for the Zenshinza troupe:

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