3 shows in Tôkyô (Kabukiza, Asakusa Kôkaidô), 1 show in Ôsaka (Morinomiya Piloti Hall), 1 show at the Kanjizaiôin Temple and 2 tours (Western Provinces, Ichikawa Ebizô Special Dance Performances)!

Living National Treasure Nakamura Kichiemon, Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô, Nakamura Kaishun, Onoe Kikunosuke, Ichikawa Somegorô, Onoe Shôroku, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Nakamura Karoku and Nakamura Tôzô perform at the Kabukiza !

Nakamura Jakuemon, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Nakamura Baigyoku, Ôtani Tomoemon and Ichikawa Komazô are on tour in the Western Provinces !

Living National Treasure Nakamura Kichiemon, Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô, Nakamura Kaishun, Onoe Kikunosuke, Ichikawa Somegorô, Onoe Shôroku, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Nakamura Karoku, Nakamura Tôzô, Kataoka Kamezô, Nakamura Baishi, Nakamura Kikaku, Sawamura Sônosuke, Bandô Kamesaburô, Bandô Kametoshi, Nakamura Matsue, Sawamura Yoshijirô, Ôtani Keizô, Arashi Kitsusaburô, Nakamura Kichinojô, Nakamura Kotarô, Bandô Shingo, Nakamura Yonekichi, Nakamura Hayato, Nakamura Tanenosuke, Nakamura Mantarô

The 9th edition in Tôkyô of a special program called "Shûzan Matsuri" (the festival of Shûzan) is staged at the Kabukiza to commemorate the great actor Nakamura Kichiemon I, whose's haimyô was Shûzan. The two stars of these programs are the Living National Treasures Nakamura Kichiemon II and Bandô Tamasaburô. Nakamura Kichiemon's disciple Nakamura Kichinosuke takes the name of Nakamura Kichinojô III.

Goban Tadanobu:
(Go-Board Wielding Tadanobu)
This is an extremely rare performance bombastic aragoto routine from the earliest days of Kabuki that shows the heroic warrior Tadanobu fighting using a go-board (goban) as his weapon. Although it has not been performed in many years, it was inserted as a routine in various Kabuki plays in the Edo period. Featuring Ichikawa Somegorô, Onoe Kikunosuke and Onoe Shôroku in the roles of Satô Shirobyôe Tadanobu, Anbaiyoshi no Okan (in reality Kureha-no-Naishi) and Yokawa no Zenji Kakuhan.

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 Kinnosuke) carries a precious sword, which is made of gold. The thief Kurobê (Nakamura Matagorô) 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 (Bandô Yajûrô), who must try to figure out who tells the truth.

Ichijô Ôkura Monogatari: the world is ruled by Taira no Kiyomori, the leader of the Heike clan. Tokiwa Gozen, the widow of the head of the defeated Genji clan and mother of Yoritomo and Yoshitsune, the future leaders of the clan, has become the mistress of the dictator Kiyomori, then the wife of Lord Ôkura, a seemingly simple-minded fool who spends all his time watching pretty women dance. Outraged members of the Genji clan sneak into Lord Ôkura's mansion only to discover that Tokiwa Gozen's immorality and Lord Ôkura's idiocy are a guise, the only way to survive in a world ruled by the enemy. This performance stars Living National Treasure Nakamura Kichiemon as Lord Ôkura, Nakamura Kaishun as Tokiwa Gozen, Onoe Kikunosuke as Yoshioka Kijirô and Baishi2 as Yoshioka's wife Okyô. Featuring also Nakamura Kichinojô III as Yatsurugi Kageyu.

Yoshinogawa: it is the era of Emperor Tenchi in 7th century. Koganosuke (Ichikawa Somegorô), Kiyosumi's son, and Hinadori (Onoe Kikunosuke), Sadaka's daughter, love each other. Though, the mansions of Kiyosumi (Living National Treasure Nakamura Kichiemon) and Sadaka (Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô) face each other across Yoshino River, both families are estranged from each other, so they cannot even meet. Soga no Iruka who raised a rebellion and called himself the Emperor summons Kiyosumi and Sadaka. He orders Kiyosumi to have Koganosuke serve him and orders Sadaka strictly to make Hinadori enter his court. Kiyosumi and Sadaka come back pensively as Koganosuke and Hinadori talk across the river. Koganosuke commits ritual suicide as he anticipates to be killed if he attends the court to serve Iruka. Hinadori is beheaded by Sadaka as she wishes to remain true to Koganosuke's love. Kiyosumi and Sadaka sacrificed their own child to save each other's son and daughter but hearing of the tragedy of their children of each other, they grieve. Both families make up and Hinadori's head goes to Koganosuke with hina dolls over Yoshino River to marry him.

Rakuda: this is a popular dramatization of a rakugo comic story. A petty gang boss named Rakuda (Bandô Kametoshi) has died after eating blowfish. Hanji (Onoe Shôroku), one of his gang members, finds him and hopes to bury him, but has no money. When he tries to get the neighbors to contribute, everyone is overjoyed that such a nuisance is dead, but won't contribute a cent towards his burial. Finally Hanji pulls in a passing waste paper collector named Kyûroku (Ichikawa Somegorô) and forces him to carry around Rakuda's body and threaten to make it dance if the neighbors won't pay up. They get a great sum of money and start drinking together. But as he drinks, the hapless Kyûroku becomes surprisingly aggressive.

Genroku Hanami Odori:
(Viewing the Cherry Blossoms in the Genroku Period)
It is in the Genroku period (late 17th century) and the cherry blossoms are in full bloom on the hill of Ueno in Edo (present day Tôkyô). Men and women dressed up in showy outfits gather to view cherry blossoms and begin to dance. After the song about the custom of flower viewing in Kyoto, the drunken people start a lively dance. The dance under the cherry blossoms continues endlessly. Starring Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Nakamura Jakuemon, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Nakamura Baigyoku, Ôtani Tomoemon, Ichikawa Komazô, Matsumoto Kingo, Ôtani Hirotarô, Ôtani Hiromatsu, Matsumoto Komagorô

Nakamura Jakuemon V celebrates his shûmei touring in the western provinces!

Ataru Toshi Iwau Harukoma:
(Spring Hobbyhorses and the Soga Brothers)
The story of the revenge of the Soga brothers (sogamono) is one of the favorite themes of Kabuki. Here it is transformed into a fanciful dance using hobbyhorses, children's toys that were one of the sights of the New Year. Starring Ôtani Tomoemon, his two sons and Ichikawa Komazô.

Kôjô: the close relationship between the actors and the audience is shown by these stage announcements, lavish ceremonies to commemorate various important events. In this case, all the stars of the cast assemble to celebrate the shûmei of Nakamura Jakuemon V.

Gion Ichiriki Jaya: "Chûshingura" is one of the most popular plays in the theatre and shows a true event when forty-seven masterless samurai avenged the death of their lord by killing his enemy. The seventh act is one of the most popular and shows the leader of the vendetta Yuranosuke as he is hiding his intention to avenge his lord’s death by pretending to be only interested in pleasure, but also encountering key figures on his side and the side of the enemy. Yuranosuke (Matsumoto Kôshirô) spends his days and nights in the pleasure quarters of Kyôto in an effort to make their lord’s enemy, Moronô, believe he is not planning a vendetta. His acting is so good that even men in his own group believe he has given his life up to pleasure. Moronô is not so easily convinced, though, and has sent spies, including a former retainer of their late lord, En'ya Hangan, to find Yuranosuke's true intentions. Okaru (Nakamura Jakuemon), the wife of one of the retainers is now a courtesan at the Ichiriki Teahouse, unaware that her husband is dead. Okaru's brother Heiemon (Nakamura Baigyoku), a servant in the Hangan household, has also come to the teahouse and the interaction of these characters becomes a matter of life and death and ends with Yuranosuke preparing to lead the vendetta.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Ichikawa Kudanji

1st edition of the Kudanji no Kai in Tôkyô, which stars Ichikawa Ebizô's disciple Ichikawa Kudanji. Kudanji no Kai literally means "Kudanji's Association".

Ichikawa Kudanji

1st edition of the Kudanji no Kai in Ôsaka, which stars Ichikawa Ebizô's disciple Ichikawa Kudanji. Kudanji no Kai literally means "Kudanji's Association".

Ichikawa Ebizô, Ichikawa Kudanji, Ichikawa Fukutarô

A special Kabuki dance tour in Narita, Maebashi, Nagano, Akita and Aomori.

Mimasu Kuruwa no Kasauri: set in Edo, this newly-created dance (2015) is centered around an umbrella seller (Ichikawa Ebizô) in the Yoshiwara pleasure district. With his fine wares and irresistible charisma, the umbrella seller charms passers-by into buying his umbrellas, and conducts a brisk business until he's beset by ruffians who want a piece of his profits. However, their attempt at intimidation backfires when the umbrella seller reveals himslef to be Ishikawa Goemon, Japan's greatest thief and outlaw.

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 carries a precious sword, which is made of gold. The thief Kurobê (Ichikawa Kudanji) 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.

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 Ichikawa Ebizô in the role of the parent shishi and his son Ichikawa Fukutarô in the role of the cub.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Ichikawa Ebizô, Ichikawa Kudanji, Ichikawa Fukutarô

A special Kabuki program in the precincts of the Kanjizaiôin, which belongs to the historic monuments and religious sites of Hiraizumi, temples, gardens and archaeological sites in Hiraizumi, Iwate Prefecture. "Ennen no Mai" is the longevity dance of Musashibô Benkei in the famous dance-drama "Kanjinchô".