3 shows in Tôkyô (Kabukiza, Cerulean Tower Nô Theater), 1 in Fukuoka (Hakataza), 2 in Kyôto (ROHM Theatre, ROHM Theatre), 1 in Nagoya (Nagoya Nô Gakudô) and 1 tour (Western Provinces)!

Living National Treasure Sakata Tôjûrô, Living National Treasure Nakamura Kichiemon, Living National Treasure Nakamura Tôzô, Nakamura Jakuemon, Nakamura Kaishun, Onoe Kikunosuke, Ichikawa Somegorô, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Nakamura Karoku and Nakamura Matagorô perform at the Kabukiza !

Nakamura Shikan, Nakamura Baigyoku, Nakamura Senjaku, Onoe Shôroku, Bandô Yajûrô and Ichikawa Komazô are on tour in the Western Provinces !

Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô performs at the Hakataza and at the ROHM Theatre!

Living National Treasure Sakata Tôjûrô, Living National Treasure Nakamura Kichiemon, Living National Treasure Nakamura Tôzô, Nakamura Jakuemon, Nakamura Kaishun, Onoe Kikunosuke, Ichikawa Somegorô, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Nakamura Kazutarô, Nakamura Karoku, Nakamura Matagorô, Kamimura Kichiya, Matsumoto Kingo, Nakamura Kikaku, Nakamura Matsue, Sawamura Sônosuke, Arashi Kitsusaburô, Ôtani Keizô, Nakamura Kotarô, Nakamura Kashô, Nakamura Tanenosuke, Nakamura Yonekichi, Nakamura Hayato, Nakamura Kichinojô

The 10th 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.

Keya-mura: Rokusuke (Ichikawa Somegorô), a sword master who lives a simple country life, is taking care of a small foundling child. He hangs the boy's kimono outside his house in the hope that the boy's relatives will see it and know where he is. One day he finds himself attacked by a woman named Osono (Onoe Kikunosuke) who turns out to be the aunt of the child. As they talk, they find that they are in fact linked by promises of marriage although they have never met directly. Osono is searching for Kyôgoku no Takumi (Nakamura Matagorô), the killer of her father, Rokusuke's master, and Rokusuke promises to help in her vendetta.

Michiyuki Tabiji no Yomeiri: this is a short dance scene that shows Honzô’s wife Tonase (Living National Treasure Sakata Tôjûrô) and her daughter Konami (Nakamura Kazutarô) traveling along the Tôkaidô highway to Kyôto on a desperate journey to unite her with Rikiya. The beauty of the journey and innocent happiness of the young bride contrast with the anxious feelings of the mother, aware that this trip will end in tragedy. There is also a humorous encounter with a boisterous samurai footman (Nakamura Hayato).

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 (Living National Treasure Nakamura Kichiemon). But this frustrates the ambitions of the samurai Mizuno (Ichikawa Somegorô) 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 (Nakamura Kaishun) and son. Finally, Chôbê is killed when he is defenseless in the bath. Featuring also Nakamura Kinnosuke, Nakamura Karoku and Nakamura Matagorô.

Sakaro:
(The Rise and Fall of the Heike Clan - Reverse Rowing)
A period play taken from the Bunraku puppet theater which combines a historical tale with the daily life of commoners. Matsuemon (Living National Treasure Nakamura Kichiemon) has married into the family of a country boatman. Having learned the special rowing skills of his father-in-law, he is invited to transport the Genji general Yoshitsune. But Matsuemon is actually the warrior Higuchi Kanemitsu, a leading retainer of a general killed by Yoshitsune and he sees this as a perfect opportunity to take his revenge. Before he can put his plan into action, though, his identity is discovered and he is captured in a spectacular battle on sea and land. Featuring Living National Treasure Nakamura Tôzô, Nakamura Karoku, Nakamura Jakuemon and Ichikawa Sadanji in the roles of Oyoshi, Gonshirô, Ofude and Hatakeyama Shigetada.

Saikai Zakura Misome no Kiyomizu: First performed in 1985, this is a new Kabuki production written by Matsu Kanshi (the pen name of Living National Treasure Nakamura Kichiemon). It belongs to a group of works which feature the priest Seigen (Ichikawa Somegorô) and Sakura-hime (Nakamura Jakuemon). It is the day on which Minamoto no Yoritomo is to dedicate a sword to Shin-Kiyomizu Temple in Kamakura to ward off evil. Chibanosuke Kiyoharu (Nakamura Kinnosuke) has been given the duty of arranging this. Egara no Heita Tanenaga is in love with Sakura-hime but his feelings are unrequited because she is in love with Kiyoharu. Sakura-hime gives Kiyoharu a love letter and they go to a hermitage. Kiyoharu drops the letter, however, and when Tanenaga picks it up he burns with anger. Reading it, he learns about their secret meeting. As they are about to be taken away from the hermitage, Sakura-hime's lady-in-waiting Yamaji (Nakamura Kaishun) asserts wrongly that the man having an illicit relationship with Sakura-hime is, in fact, Priest Seigen, for the names 'Seigen' and 'Kiyoharu' happen to be written with the same Chinese characters. Though Priest Seigen is astonished at this, since it is the duty of priests to help people, he accepts the disgrace of being a depraved priest and leaves the temple. Sakura-hime jumps down from the high platform of the temple, prepared to die. Seigen rescues her and, while tending to her, he comes to love her. Eventually, he urges her to accept his love, but she refuses him and runs away with Kiyoharu. Seigen wanders about with Sakura-hime's torn sleeve in his arms. Yamaji's husband, Namihei (Ichikawa Somegorô), a footman, gives shelter to Kiyoharu and Sakura-hime in the house of Yamaji's father Sôbê. But pursuers are hot on their heels and they disperse. A wicker basket in which Sakura-hime is being carried, is left by chance in Seigen's care at his hermitage in the east of Kamakura. As Seigen embraces her, the footman Isohei arrives and slays him. But Seigen's embittered spirit haunts her.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Nakamura Shikan, Nakamura Baigyoku, Nakamura Senjaku, Onoe Shôroku, Bandô Yajûrô, Ichikawa Komazô, Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Fukunosuke, Nakamura Baika, Ichimura Kitsutarô

The usual September Grand Kabuki Tour in the western provinces. Nakamura Shikan VIII and two of his three sons, Nakamura Hashinosuke IV and Nakamura Fukunosuke III, celebrate their shûmei.

Shôjô: the shôjô is a mythical sake-loving spirit that lives in the sea. In this dance, a sake seller has a mysterious customer that appears daily and drinks enormous amounts with great satisfaction. The sake seller has a dream with instructions to go by the beach with a large tub of sake. As it turns out, the customer has actually been the shôjô in disguise. The dance shows three shôjô as they drink and dance joyfully. Starring Onoe Shôroku, Nakamura Hashinosuke and Nakamura Fukunosuke as the shôjô and Nakamura Baika as the sake seller.

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 Shikan VIII, Nakamura Hashinosuke IV and Nakamura Fukunosuke III.

Kumagai Jin'ya: this play is a dramatization of the clash between the Genji general Kumagai Jirô Naozane and the Heike warrior Taira no Atsumori at the battle of Ichi-no-Tani, one of the most famous passages of the epic "Tales of the Heike". In the Kabuki version, on the cryptic orders of the Genji leader Yoshitsune, Kumagai hides the enemy warrior Atsumori and has his own son take the warrior's place. On the battlefield, Kumagai has to kill his own son in Atsumori's place. Things become worse when his wife Sagami and Atsumori's mother Fuji-no-Kata arrive at his camp. In the highlight of the play, he tells them the story of his mortal battle with Atsumori, keeping Atsumori's well-being and his own sacrifice a secret. He then shows the head of Atsumori for inspection by his leader to see if he has interpreted his orders correctly. This performance stars Nakamura Shikan as Kumagai, with Nakamura Senjaku as Kumagai's wife Sagami, Ichikawa Komazô as Fuji-no-Kata, Nakamura Baigyoku as Yoshitsune and Bandô Yajûrô as Midaroku. Featuring alternatively Nakamura Hashinosuke or Nakamura Fukunosuke in the role of Tsutsumi Gunji.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô

Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô performs in Nagoya at the Aichi Arts Center along with the Kodô taiko drummers in a newly-created dance-drama entitled "Yûgen", which features an array of classical Japanese images from plays by Nô founder Zeami Motokiyo, incorporating themes from iconic works such as "Hagoromo" (The Feather Robe), "Dôjôji" (Dôjôji Temple) and "Shakkyô" (The Stone Bridge). Bandô Tamasaburô shares the stage with the dance master Hanayagi Jusuke IV and his disciples.

Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô

Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô performs in Nagoya at the Aichi Arts Center along with the Kodô taiko drummers in a newly-created dance-drama entitled "Yûgen", which features an array of classical Japanese images from plays by Nô founder Zeami Motokiyo, incorporating themes from iconic works such as "Hagoromo" (The Feather Robe), "Dôjôji" (Dôjôji Temple) and "Shakkyô" (The Stone Bridge). Bandô Tamasaburô shares the stage with the dance master Hanayagi Jusuke IV and his disciples.

Ichikawa Kudanji

2nd edition of the Kudanji no Kai in Nagoya, which stars Ichikawa Ebizô's disciple Ichikawa Kudanji. Kudanji no Kai literally means "Kudanji's Association".

Ichikawa Kudanji

2nd edition of the Kudanji no Kai in Kyôto, which stars Ichikawa Ebizô's disciple Ichikawa Kudanji. Kudanji no Kai literally means "Kudanji's Association".

Ichikawa Kudanji

2nd edition of the Kudanji no Kai in Tôkyô, which stars Ichikawa Ebizô's disciple Ichikawa Kudanji. Kudanji no Kai literally means "Kudanji's Association".