5 shows in Tôkyô (Kabukiza, National Theatre, Tessenkai), 1 in Nagoya (Misonoza), 1 in Ôsaka (Shôchikuza), 1 in Ichikawa (Gyôtoku Cultural Hall I&I) and 2 tours (Kinshû Special Tour, Hana no Mai Tour)!

Living National Treasure Onoe Kikugorô, Matsumoto Hakuô, Nakamura Shikan, Nakamura Kaishun, Kataoka Takatarô, Ichikawa Ennosuke, Onoe Shôroku, Ichikawa Danzô, Nakamura Karoku, Ôtani Tomoemon, Bandô Hikosaburô, Kataoka Kamezô, Onoe Matsuya, Onoe Ukon, Bandô Minosuke and Nakamura Hayato perform at the Kabukiza !

Nakamura Baigyoku, Nakamura Tokizô, Nakamura Senjaku, Nakamura Matagorô, Nakamura Baishi and Kataoka Ichizô perform at the National Theatre !

Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô performs at the Misonoza !

Kataoka Ainosuke, Nakamura Ganjirô, Kamimura Kichiya and Nakamura Kazutarô perform at the Shôchikuza !

Nakamura Kankurô and Nakamura Shichinosuke are on tour (Kinshû Special Tour)!

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

Living National Treasure Onoe Kikugorô, Matsumoto Hakuô, Nakamura Shikan, Nakamura Kaishun, Kataoka Takatarô, Ichikawa Ennosuke, Onoe Shôroku, Ichikawa Danzô, Nakamura Karoku, Ôtani Tomoemon, Bandô Hikosaburô, Kataoka Kamezô, Onoe Matsuya, Onoe Ukon, Bandô Minosuke, Nakamura Hayato, Ichikawa Komazô, Kawarasaki Gonjûrô, Bandô Kamezô, Ichikawa Emiya, Nakamura Matsue, Bandô Shingo, Nakamura Yonekichi, Ichikawa Juen, Ôtani Hirotarô, Nakamura Takanosuke, Sawamura Sônosuke, Matsumoto Kingo, Ôtani Keizô, Ichimura Takematsu, Nakamura Tamatarô, Ichikawa Otora, Arashi Kitsusaburô, Ichimura Kitsutarô, Nakamura Kichinojô, Nakamura Baika, Onoe Sakon, Terajima Maholo

The October Grand Kabuki at the Kabukiza.

Koheiji Gaiden: Koheiji (Ichikawa Ennosuke) has been banished from his domain and lives with his wife Otowa (Ichikawa Ennosuke) in his birth place Kobata. However, when Koheiji goes on a pilgrimage throughout the country, Otowa commits adultery with the packhorse driver Takurô (Bandô Minosuke) and they live now as if they were husband and wife. One day, after hearing that Koheiji, who stands in his way, is due to come back from the pilgrimage, Takurô gets poison to murder him... Please notice the onstage quick-changes of role (hayagawari) between Koheiji and Otowa, as well as the stage tricks used for Koheiji's ghost, which make the play spectacular and enable the story to proceed speedily.

Niwaka Jishi: this lively dance evokes the atmosphere of an Edo period festival. The highlight of the piece is the lion dance performed by two of the handsome young men of the neighborhood. Featuring Bandô Shingo (geisha), Ichikawa Emiya (geisha) and Onoe Matsuya (the firefighter).

Shihei no Nana Warai:
(Shihei's Seven Laughs)
The Heian period court minister Sugawara no Michizane is famous for being exiled to Kyushu by a political rival. He died angry and vengeful and was said to be transformed into a thunder god. His angry spirit was placated by making him a god and now Michizane is worshipped as Tenjin, the god of learning. This is the subject of one of the most famous plays of Bunraku and Kabuki ("Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami") and Michizane's political rival, Fujiwara no Shihei, is always depicted as a larger-than-life villain, an evil courtier with magical powers. This play, a rarely performed classic of the Kansai style of Kabuki, and reverses the story totally. Michizane (Nakamura Karoku) is the victim of slander and Shihei (Matsumoto Hakuô) does his best to try to mend the situation, but unfortunately Michizane is exiled. But after Michizane leaves, Shihei shows his true self and in a famous scene, laughs triumphantly. Shihei engineered Michizane's exile himself.

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 (Nakamura Takanosuke) carries a precious sword, which is made of gold. The thief Kurobê (Onoe Shôroku) 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, who must try to figure out who tells the truth.

Yushima no Kakegaku: Oshichi was a grocer's daughter who fell in love with a temple page named Kichisaburô when her family took refuge in a temple after a fire. She so wanted to see him that she set a fire, even though the penalty for arson was death. The story of Oshichi is famous in many theatrical versions, but this particular one features the antics of the middle-aged man Beniya Chôbê (commonly called Benchô) who is in love with her. Starring Living National Treasure Onoe Kikugorô as Benchô, Nakamura Kaishun as Oshichi’s mother Otake, Onoe Ukon as Yaoya Oshichi and Nakamura Hayato as Kichisaburô.

Kisen: "Kisen" is part of a series of dances showing the six poetic geniuses of ancient Japan. The five male poets are all shown as being in love with the sixth, Ono no Komachi, one of the most famous beauties of Japan. The other dances are set in ancient Japan, but this dance suddenly jumps to the Edo period where the poet-priest Kisen wanders intoxicated by the beauties of the cherry blossoms and of Okaji, a tea stand waitress. Starring Nakamura Shikan as Kisen and Kataoka Takatarô as Okaji.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Nakamura Baigyoku, Nakamura Tokizô, Nakamura Senjaku, Nakamura Matagorô, Nakamura Baishi, Kataoka Ichizô, Nakamura Kashô, Bandô Shûchô, Nakamura Mantarô, Nakamura Kangyoku

The October Grand Kabuki at the National Theatre.

Ise Ondo: this is a sewamono play, a drama portraying in a realistic way the lives of ordinary people in the Edo period. It was based on a true incident involving a sword that occurred in a brothel in Furuichi, near the Grand Shrine of Ise. In Awa Province (present day Tokushima Prefecture) the lord's uncle Hachisuka Daigaku is plotting to take over the Hachisuka clan. As the head retainer Imada Kurôemon who enjoys the lord's confidence is in his way, he tries to bring Kurôemon down by stealing the heirloom sword Aoe Shimosaka and laying the blame for its loss on Kuroemon's son Manjirô (Nakamura Senjaku). Manjirô goes to Ise to investigate the theft and to clear himself of losing the heirloom which at last he finds. Enticed by the henchmen of Daigaku's retainer Tokushima Iwaji, Manjirô pays frequent visits to the courtesan Okishi of the Furuichi pleasure quarter. Having no more money to visit her, he pawns the Shimosaka sword, the certificate for which is taken away through deception by Iwaji's faction. Fukuoka Mitsugi (Nakamura Baigyoku), a lowly acolyte in Ise who serves the Imada clan, intercepts a secret letter from Daigaku to Tokuji. He recovers the sword and comes to the Aburaya brothel to regain the certificate from Iwaji. In order to get the certificate for him, Mitsugi's lover Okon (Nakamura Baishi) pretends that she no longer loves Mitsugi and that she has fallen for Iwaji instead. Not knowing Okon's true feelings, Mitsugi believes that she has truly betrayed him and, further angered by the humiliating accusations of Manno (Nakamura Tokizô), the head maid of the Aburaya brothel, he inadvertently draws the sword and slays many of the people in the brothel, driven on by the mysterious power of the sword Shimosaka. Featuring also Nakamura Matagorô in the role of the cook Kisuke.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô, Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Fukunosuke, Nakamura Utanosuke

No classic October kaomise programs in Nagoya this year but a special Kabuki program starring Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô and the 3 sons of Nakamura Shikan.

Kôjô: the close relationship between the actors and the audience is shown by these stage announcements, lavish ceremonies to commemorate various important events. This month at the Yachiyoza, it is a stage speech delivered by Living National Treasure 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 (Nakamura Hashinosuke or Nakamura Fukunosuke) puts Akoya to a test, all the time hindered by his companion, the humorous villain Iwanaga (Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Fukunosuke or Nakamura Utanosuke). 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.

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 Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Fukunosuke and Nakamura Utanosuke in the roles of the shishi.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Kataoka Ainosuke, Nakamura Ganjirô, Kamimura Kichiya, Nakamura Kazutarô, Nakamura Tanenosuke, Imai Tsubasa

A special program at the Shôchikuza starring Kataoka Ainosuke.

GOEMON: A dance-drama first performed in 2011 presenting the mysterious life of Ishikawa Goemon (Kataoka Ainosuke) with a new perspective. It is the time after the unification of Japan by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Nakamura Kanjaku) in the 16th century. There are several cathedrals seen in each place of Japan as a few decades have passed since Christianity has first been missioned in Japan. Ishida no Tsubone (Kamimura Kichiya), a daughter of Akechi Mitsuhide’s chief retainer Shioden Tajima-no-Kami, hates Hideyoshi and seeks opportunity to avenge her father on him. As she learns Christianity from Father Calderon (Imai Tsubasa), she has come to forget her hatred against Hideyoshi. Love has grown between her and Calderon, and Tomoichi is born between them. Calderon resigns as a priest because he has broken the law as a priest, and chooses to live together with his wife and son. 7 years later Hideyoshi prohibits Christianity to be propagated in Japan. Calderon is banished from Japan and goes back to Spain. Hideyoshi wants to make her his own and summons her to his palace Jurakudai, since he has fancied her for years. She tries in vain to kill him and dies. Having lost his parents, Tomoichi grows up to be a robber and calls himself Ishikawa Goemon who causes a great sensation in Japan. He watches eagerly for a chance to avenge his parents on Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Goemon outwits Hideyoshi and succeeds in freeing Izumo no Okuni (Nakamura Kazutarô) from him. She is Nagoya Sanza’s wife and a popular dancer in Kyôto. It turns out that Sanza (Kamimura Kichiya) is a son of Akechi Mitsuhide’s retainer Yasuda Sakubê. Goemon, Okuni and Sanza cooperate to defeat their common enemy Hideyoshi. Okuni takes great pains how she becomes the center of attention among people. Goemon teaches her flamenco the dance of his father’s country as a hint for the new dance. But Goemon is being besieged from all sides. Enjoy a novel Kabuki dance which has taken in flamenco.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Nakamura Tsurumatsu

The word kinshû means "Autumn Brocade". This Autumn tour stars Nakamura Kankurô and Nakamura Shichinosuke. The third item in the program, entitled Tôku Kônâ (literally 'Talk Corner') is a speech/presentation on stage about some aspects of Kabuki.

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

Nakamura Kotarô

The 1st edition of Kotarô no Kai, a gala starring Nakamura Kotarô, in Tôkyô at the Tessenkai.

Ichikawa Emisaburô

The 1st edition of Ichikawa-shi Kabuki Ibento, 'Ichikawa City Kabuki Event', an event starring Ichikawa Emisaburô, in Ichikawa at the Gyôtoku Cultural Hall I&I.