2 shows in Tôkyô (Kabukiza), 2 in Nagoya (Heisei Nakamuraza), 1 in Kanazawa (Kanazawajô) and 2 tours (Western Provinces, Zenshinza)!

Nakamura Kichiemon, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Nakamura Shikan, Nakamura Tomijûrô, Nakamura Shibajaku, Nakamura Baigyoku, Nakamura Kaishun, Kataoka Takatarô and Nakamura Fukusuke perform at the Kabukiza!

Sakata Tôjûrô, Nakamura Kanjaku, Kataoka Ainosuke and Kataoka Hidetarô are on tour in the Western Provinces !

The Nakamuraya guild (Nakamura Kanzaburô and his two sons), Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Senjaku and Bandô Yajûrô perform at the Heisei Nakamuraza!

Nakamura Kichiemon, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Nakamura Shikan, Nakamura Tomijûrô, Nakamura Shibajaku, Nakamura Baigyoku, Nakamura Kaishun, Kataoka Takatarô, Nakamura Fukusuke, Ichikawa Danshirô, Nakamura Tôzô, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Ichikawa Somegorô, Onoe Shôroku, Nakamura Karoku, Nakamura Kashô, Nakamura Matsue

9th of the 16 Kabukiza Sayonara Kôen, the Kabukiza Farewell Performances, which will be held up to April 2010.

Saigo no Ichinichi:
(Sakamoto Ryôma’s Final Day)
This is a dramatization of the last section of the tremendously popular historical novel by Shiba Ryôtarô (1923~1996) about Sakamoto Ryôma (1836~1867), a visionary revolutionary at the end of the Tokugawa Period who brought various rival factions together to battle the Shogunate and would have led Japan boldly, if he had not been assassinated in a bloody battle. Starring Ichikawa Somegorô as Sakamoto Ryôma.

Badarai: based on the true historical story of Akechi Mitsuhide who betrayed his lord Oda Nobunaga and ruled Japan for a few short days before being defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, this play focuses on Mitsuhide and his tortured relationship with the arrogant and unreasonable lord Nobunaga. It is one of the few period plays by Tsuruya Nanboku IV still performed today and brings the same sharp psychological insight and eye for the attractiveness of evil characters that make his ghost plays and plays about commoners so powerful. Featuring Nakamura Kichiemon, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Nakamura Kaishun and Nakamura Tomijûrô in the roles of Takechi Mitsuhide (because of strict censorship, the real names were not used), Shihôten Tajima-no-Kami, Mitsuhide's wife Satsuki and Oda Harunaga.

Omatsuri: a special gala version of the favorite dance "Omatsuri" showing people at a festival. This month, the top stars in Kabuki will appear as gallant firemen bosses, geisha and dancers at a festival to say farewell to Kabukiza. Featuring Living National Treasure Nakamura Shikan, Nakamura Shibajaku, Kataoka Takatarô and Nakamura Kinnosuke.

Kôchiyama: the tea priest Kôchiyama (Matsumoto Kôshirô) is a skilled thief and extortionist, but cannot turn down a request to help those in need. He disguises himself as a high-ranking priest to try to gain the freedom of a girl held by a powerful samurai lord (Nakamura Baigyoku) because she will not become his mistress. Using the famous poetic cadences of the late 19th century playwright Mokuami, Kôchiyama not only succeeds in his mission to rescue the girl, but he manages to extort a fair amount for himself.

Ukiyozuka Hiyoku no Inazuma: originally based on a comic book which wittily showed the daily life of famous historical characters fallen on hard times, the full length play dramatized the stories of the handsome young samurai Nagoya Sanza and Shirai Gonpachi, creating the classical versions of these old characters that have become standard today. Two sections of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's play are staged this month:

Sayaate: Two rivals for the love of one of the top courtesans in the pleasure quarters encounter one another and confront each other in a series of sarcastic, poetic and stately speeches. A play full of the color and ceremony of the most stylized age of Kabuki. Featuring Ichikawa Somegorô, Onoe Shôroku and Nakamura Shibajaku in the roles of Nagoya Sanza, Fuwa Banzaemon and the tea house mistress Okyô.

Suzu-ga-Mori: The young samurai Shirai Gonpachi (Nakamura Baigyoku) is ambushed near the execution grounds of Edo on a dark night, but he manages to escape after a gruesome but humorous fight scene. He is watched by Banzuiin Chôbê (Nakamura Kichiemon), an Edo boss, who is impressed with his fighting skills and agrees to give him shelter in the city. This meeting between the handsome young Gonpachi and the heroic Chôbê is one of the most famous meetings in Kabuki.

Kanjinchô: probably the most popular Kabuki play today, it includes dance, comedy and the heart-warming pathos of a band of heroes during their last days. Disguised as a band of traveling priests the fugitive general Yoshitsune and his small band of retainers are stopped at a road barrier. They escape only through the quick thinking of the head retainer, a warrior priest named Musashibô Benkei, who improvises the text of an elaborate imperial decree. Having escaped danger Benkei and the others describe their days of glory and hardships on the road to escape in a moving dance. This program stars Matsumoto Kôshirô in the role of Benkei, with Ichikawa Somegorô and Nakamura Kichiemon as Yoshitsune and the barrier keeper Togashi. This production celebrates the 60th anniversary of the passing away of Matsumoto Kôshirô VII.

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 Nakamura Kichiemon as Benchô, Nakamura Fukusuke as Oshichi and Nakamura Kinnosuke as Kichisaburô.

Source: Earphone Guide website

Nakamura Kanzaburô, Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Senjaku, Bandô Yajûrô, Kataoka Kamezô, Sasano Takashi, Nakamura Kantarô, Nakamura Shichinosuke

The Heisei Nakamuraza is in Nagoya for the second time. The first time, it was a short stay as part of the long September 2006 tour in the western provinces. This time, it is a month-long project, with two different programs, including one classic of the Nakamuraya guild ("Hôkaibô").

Hôkaibô: a full-length performance of a comic play featuring the antics of an evil begging priest named Hôkaibô. In this case, it is a special version of this Kabuki classic staged by modern theater director Kushida Kazuyoshi. Hôkaibô is in love with the beautiful, young Okumi who is herself in love with Yôsuke, a servant at her father's store. Yôsuke is actually an aristocrat searching for the lost treasure of his family. He regains possession only to have the scroll stolen by Hôkaibô. Yôsuke accepts Okumi's love, but is also pursued by Princess Nowake, his true fiancee. In a grim but humorous scene at a graveyard, everyone tries to get Okumi and the scroll. But Hôkaibô ends up killing Princess Nowake and is killed himself before he can enjoy the fruits of his villainy. The last scene, "Futa Omote Mizu ni Terutsuki", is one of the great classics of dance and is often performed separately. Yôsuke and Okumi try to run off together only to find a strange figure that looks exactly like Okumi. Yôsuke tries to find out which is the real Okumi. In fact, in a virtuoso turn for the star actor who plays this double role, the mysterious figure is made up of the combined spirits of Hôkaibô and Princess Nowake, each questing for love even after death. Featuring Nakamura Kanzaburô, Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Senjaku, Bandô Yajûrô, Kataoka Kamezô, Sasano Takashi, Nakamura Kantarô and Nakamura Shichinosuke.

Domo Mata: the artist Matahei 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, 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 Nakamura Kantarô and Nakamura Shichinosuke.

Banzui Chôbê: in the early Edo period, gallant men like Banzuiin Chôbê led the commoners. But this incurred the wrath of members of the samurai class, who were theoretically in control. This play begins with a recreation of Kabuki in its earliest days, then a fight breaks out which is settled by Chôbê. But this frustrates the ambitions of the samurai Mizuno who invites Chôbê to visit. All of Chôbê's men tell him not to go because it is a trap, but Chôbê decides to meet his end and bids farewell to his wife and son. Finally, Chôbê is killed when he is defenseless in the bath. Featuring Nakamura Kanzaburô, Nakamura Hashinosuke and Nakamura Senjaku.

Hanami Odori: this dance is a very lively one describing the merriment of cherry-blossoms viewing at Ueno hill (present Ueno Park in Tôkyô, a famous cherry- blossoms viewing place) in the Genroku Era (1688~1704). Genroku is the segment of Edo period, during which Japanese culture reached a zenith of gorgeousness and the epicurean tendencies of people came to extremity. Featuring Nakamura Kantarô and Nakamura Shichinosuke.

Source: Earphone Guide website, except "Genroku Hanami Odori" (www.komuso.com)

Sakata Tôjûrô, Nakamura Kanjaku, Kataoka Ainosuke, Kataoka Hidetarô, Bandô Hikosaburô, Nakamura Kikaku, Nakamura Kazutarô

Chikamatsuza tour in the Western provinces:

Goaisatsu: the close relationship between the actors and the audience is shown by this goaisatsu (literally greetings) kôjô, lavish ceremonies to commemorate various important events. In this case, the goaisatsu is performed by Living National Treasure Sakata Tôjûrô as an extension in the western provinces of his 2005/2006 shûmei.

Fûin Giri:
(Breaking the Seals)
In the pleasure quarters, the most important possessions were money and reputation. In danger of losing his lover, the courtesan Umegawa, the money courier Kameya Chûbê breaks the seals on a package of money entrusted to him after being taunted by a rival, even though the use of such money is punishable by death. Starring Sakata Tôjûrô as Chûbê, Tôjûrô's grandson Nakamura Kazutarô as Umegawa, Kataoka Ainosuke as Chûbê's treacherous friend Tanbaya Hachiemon and Kataoka Hidetarô as Oen, the proprietress of the teahouse.

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 Nakamura Kanjaku in the role of the parent shishi and his son Kataoka Ainosuke in the role of the cub.

Source: Earphone Guide website

Arashi Keishi, Kawarasaki Kunitarô, Arashi Hironari, Anegawa Shinnosuke, Ikushima Kigorô, Matsunami Kihachirô

The Zenshinza troupe is on tour all over Japan:

Source: Earphone Guide website

Nakamura Kanzaburô, Nakamura Kantarô, Nakamura Shichinosuke

A special Kabuki program in the precincts of the Kanazawa Castle (Kanazawajô), a large and well-restored castle in the heart of the city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture.