3 shows in Tôkyô (Kabukiza), 2 in Ôsaka (National Bunraku Theatre, Ôtsuki Nô Theatre), 2 in Kyôto (Minamiza, Shunjûza) and 1 tour (Classics Tour)!

Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon, Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô, Living National Treasure Nakamura Tôzô, Nakamura Shikan, Nakamura Fukusuke, Nakamura Jakuemon, Nakamura Baigyoku, Nakamura Kaishun, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Onoe Shôroku and Nakamura Kotarô perform at the Kabukiza !

Nakamura Shidô and Hatsune Miku perform at the Minamiza!

Ichikawa Ebizô is on tour (Classics Tour)!

Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon, Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô, Living National Treasure Nakamura Tôzô, Nakamura Shikan, Nakamura Fukusuke, Nakamura Jakuemon, Nakamura Baigyoku, Nakamura Kaishun, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Onoe Shôroku, Nakamura Kotarô, Nakamura Matsue, Ichimura Manjirô, Nakamura Hayato, Nakamura Kangyoku, Kataoka Sennosuke, Nakamura Yonekichi, Nakamura Kashô, Ôtani Hirotarô, Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Mantarô, Nakamura Tanenosuke, Nakamura Fukunosuke, Nakamura Utanosuke, Nakamura Tamatarô, Bandô Kamesaburô, Onoe Ushinosuke, Nakamura Kamenojô, Nakamura Baika

The usual September Grand Kabuki programs at the Kabukiza. The 1st program is staged to commemorate the 20th and 10th anniversaries of the passing away of Nakamura Utaemon VI and Nakamura Shikan VII.

Oedo Miyage:
(A Souvenir of Edo)
This modern play is a light comedy with a fanciful episode from the life of commoners in the Edo period. Two women, Otsuji (Nakamura Shikan) and Oyû (Nakamura Kankurô), who travel annually to Edo to sell the cloth that they weave encounter a young couple. Moved by the spirit of romance, Otsuji spends all the money that she has made for a once in a lifetime meeting with a fabulously handsome Kabuki actor (Nakamura Shichinosuke). Featuring also Living National Treasure Nakamura Tôzô and Nakamura Fukusuke.

Suma no Utsushie: a dance-drama adapted from the Nô play "Matsukaze". The aristocrat Ariwara no Yukihira has been exiled to the Bay of Suma where he now lives in the company of two sisters who are divers and with whom he has fallen in love. Today, too, they come to comfort him. In fact, his crime has now been pardoned and the time is drawing near when he is to return to the capital, but he has not bid farewell to them yet... Starring Nakamura Baigyoku, Nakamura Kaishun and Nakamura Kotarô in the roles of Yukihira, Matsukaze and Murasame.

Moritsuna Jin'ya: this play is one of the greatest classics of the jidaimono historical play style. Two brothers, Sasaki Moritsuna and Sasaki Takatsuna are generals on opposing sides. Moritsuna's forces are greater in number and strength, but his brother's brilliant strategies allow him to escape by preying on Moritsuna's psychological weaknesses. Ruthlessly, Takatsuna has his son sacrifice his life to force Moritsuna to identify the head of an imposter as that of his dead brother. Starring Matsumoto Kôshirô as Moritsuna, with Nakamura Jakuemon as Kagaribi (the wife of Takatsuna), Nakamura Yonekichi as Hayase (the wife of Moritsuna), Nakamura Matagorô as Hôjô Tokimasa, Nakamura Kinnosuke as the crafty general Wada no Hyôe and Nakamura Karoku as Mimyô (the mother of the Sasaki brothers).

Onna Date: Nakamura Tokizô stars as a woman in the pleasure quarters who swaggers and fights in the finest gallant style but who has a delicate sense of femininity as well.

Yotsuya Kaidan: Tamiya Iemon, a villainous masterless samurai (Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon) is in love with Oiwa (Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô) and even kills her father Yotsuya Samon to be united with her, cynically promising to help her to avenge her father's death. But at the same time, the granddaughter of a wealthy doctor falls in love with him and her grandfather tries to ensure the match by sending a horrible disfiguring poison to Oiwa. In the most famous scene of the play, face destroyed, hair falling out, Oiwa carefully dresses and puts on make-up to pay a proper visit to those who have wronged her. Iemon kills Oiwa and his servant Kobotoke Kohei (Nakamura Hashinosuke), has their bodies nailed to a door and thrown into the river. Iemon is happily married into the wealthy family, but no sooner does the beautiful young bride arrive than Oiwa's ghost causes Iemon to kill her. The vengeful ghosts do not rest until all of their enemies are dead and, in another famous scene, Oiwa and Kohei appear floating on the river, calling out to Iemon. The concluding scene shows the ghost of Oiwa appearing mysteriously from inside a paper lantern and pulling her enemies into the wall and disappearing magically. Featuring Nakamura Hashinosuke and Onoe Shôroku in the roles of Satô Yomoshichi and Naosuke Gonbê.

Sources: Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Nakamura Shidô, Hatsune Miku

A special Chôkabuki program in Kyôto at the Minamiza. The world of Kabuki and the world of otaku collide for the 7th time in Kabuki history and for the 2nd time in Kyôto at the Minamiza! Resulting from this spectacular collision, a new genre, the Chôkabuki (literally Ultra-Kabuki), which combines Kabuki with advanced ICT technology, was born in 2016 [more details]. Nakamura Shidô shares the stage with the virtual 3D creature Hatsune Miku. The main program will is staged either once (morning) or twice (morning/afternoon). The limited edition is staged the 5th, 7th, 10th, 14th, 17th, and 24th of September in the afternoon.

Ichikawa Ennosuke, Nakamura Takanosuke, Ichikawa Kôtarô, Ichikawa Emino, Ichikawa Kien, Ichikawa Enshi, Ichikawa Enshirô

A special Buyô program starring Ichikawa Ennosuke. This program celebrates the 30th and 20th anniversaries of the opening of the Kyôto University of the Arts (1991) and the Kyôto Art Theater (2001). Initially, it was Kyôto University of Art and Design but it was renamed Kyôto University of the Arts the 1st of April 2020.

Goaisatsu: a kôjô on stage made by Ichikawa Ennosuke.

Shunjû Sanbasô: the sanbasô is an auspicious dance based on the ritual play "Okina" in the classical Nô theater which shows an old man (okina) as a symbol of longevity and the energetic sanbasô as a symbol of fertility and prosperity. This special version with 5 sanbasô was premiered in May 2021 to celebrate the opening (kokera otoshi) of the Kyôto Art Theater.

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 Ennosuke in the role of the parent shishi and Nakamura Takanosuke in the role of the cub.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Ichikawa Ebizô, Ichikawa Udanji, Ichikawa Sai'nyû, Kataoka Ichizô, Ôtani Hiromatsu, Ichikawa Ukon

The Fall Tour of Ichikawa Ebizô.This is an Inochigake Kabuki no Michisuji ('The Path to a Life-Risking Kabuki') production based on the drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi". Mimasu is the blazon of the Naritaya guild; it means the 3 measures of rice and it looks like 3 nested squares [visual].

Onoe Kikunosuke, Nakamura Kazutarô, Nakamura Baishi

21st edition of the Kamigata Hanabutai (the Kamigata Association), a gala program sponsored by the Kamigata Culture and Entertainment Association since 1984. This association has continuously been hosting a performance called "Kamigata Hanabutai" at the National Bunraku Theatre. This performance showcases various Kamigata geisha entertainment forms, not normally presented outside the tea houses.

Kiku: this Nagauta-based dance symbolizes a woman's life through the spirit of chrysanthemum (kiku). It starts first as a kamuro, second as a machi musume, then as a goshuden and finally a mura musume. From girl to adult woman through musume. After the autumn festival and the strong storms, the white chrysanthemum does not wither, just like the life of a woman. Featuring Nakamura Kazutarô and Nakamura Baishi in the roles of the spirits of chrysanthemum.

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 Onoe Kikunosuke.

Rokkasen: a rare full-length performance of a humorous series of dances, which show the ancient poetic geniuses famous from classical Japanese literature, reinterpreted to the tastes of Edo period audiences. Ono no Komachi, the only woman of the six, was famous as a great beauty and in this dance, all the other poets are in love with her. The first dances are filled with the atmosphere of the Heian period imperial court, but then changes to a contemporary scene. Starring Onoe Kikunosuke in the five male roles (Henjô, Bun'ya, Narihira, Kisen and Kuronushi) and Nakamura Baishi in the roles of Ono no Komachi and Okaji.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Kamimura Kichiya, Kamimura Kichitarô, Kamimura Orinosuke

The 2nd edition of the gala of the Miyoshiya Guild, led by Kamimura Kichiya. The first item in the program, "Goaisatsu" (literally "Greetings"), is a stage speech. The Ôtsuki Nô Theatre is located near Ôsaka Castle. It was established in 1935 and it is one of the few Nô theaters in Kansai which has survived WWII.