2015 in figures:

620 actors

430 summaries

420 actors lines

52 playwrights

30 lesser known actors

1600 entries in the Kabuki plays list

I would like to thank very much all the friends who helped me building this site. Happy new year of the monkey 2016. We wish that 2016 will be the year of Nakamura Fukusuke's comeback on stage. We also wish for two successful series of shûmei performances for both Nakamura Jakuemon V and Nakamura Shikan VIII!

ACTORS: Matsushima Moheiji.

PLAYS: "Bun'ya", "Henjô", "Kuronushi" and "Rokkasen Sugata no Irodori".

ACTORS LINES: Ichikawa Momotarô, Nakamura Shibazô and Suketakaya Kodenji.

LESSER KNOWN ACTORS: Sakata Tôkurô and Sakata Hyôshichirô.

PROGRAMS: January 2016 (details for the Shôchikuza, National Theatre, Kabukiza, Shinbashi Enbujô and Asakusa Kôkaidô programs), February 2016 (Kabukiza, Orchard Hall, Ôsaka NHK Hall), March 2016 (Kabukiza, updated casting at the Shôchikuza) and April 2016 (Kanamaruza, Hakataza).

OTHERS: 8 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki plays list; a new illustration for the actors Ichikawa Danzô VIII, Ichikawa Danzô IX, Ichikawa Ebizô XI, Kataoka Ichizô VI, Nakamura Baishi IV and Onoe Baikô VII; ariwara narihira, bun'ya yasuhide, kisen hôshi, man'yôshû, ôtomo kuronushi and sôjô henjô are added to the glossary.

PLAYS: "Shiki Sanbasô".

CONTEMPORARY ACTORS: Nakamura Muneo and Nakamura Yoshio.

KAOMISE: Edo 1715 (Moritaza) and Ôsaka 1715 (Ôsaka Tazaemon's theater).

LESSER KNOWN ACTORS: Fujikawa Kinjûrô and Fujikawa Koisa.

PROGRAMS: December 2015 (details for the Minamiza, National Theatre and Kabukiza programs), January 2016 (Kabukiza, Shinbashi Enbujô, Asakusa Kôkaidô), February 2016 (Sistine Kabuki) and March 2016 (Shôchikuza).

OTHERS: 1 new link; 4 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki plays list; the pages on the Nakamura Kanjaku and Nakamura Shibajaku lines of actors were reworked; more details about the Fall 2015 revivals of "Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba" and "Shinrei Yaguchi no Watashi" at the National Theatre; more details and a new picture for Ichikawa Ebizô V; the page on Kataoka Nizaemon I is slightly reworked; bikuni, kami, kanteiryû, maneki-age, maneki kanban, okina, okina, oshie, oshieshi, sanbasô, senzai and takeyarai are added to the glossary.

KABUKI ART: Kabuki Kiss.

KABUKI VISUAL ENCYCLOPEDIA: Hanamichi.

DERIVATIVES: Stamps 2003.

STROLLING AROUND: Mimeguri Shrine Memorial Stones.

LESSER KNOWN ACTORS: Nakamura Kyôka, Onoe Samon and Segawa Kamesaburô.

PROGRAMS: October 2015 (National Theatre), November 2015 (Eirakukan, National Theatre, details for the Kabukiza, Shinbashi Enbujô and the Shôchiku Grand Kabuki Tour programs), December 2015 (Kabukiza), January 2016 (Shôchikuza, casting for the Asakusa Kôkaidô, playbill for the National Theatre) and February 2016 (Hakataza).

OTHERS: 4 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki plays list; the summary for "Kumo ni Magou Ueno no Hatsuhana" is heavily reworked (the last scene of act II and act V are added); two new illustrations for the actor Nakamura Tomijûrô V; data about Nakamura Ryûnosuke are relocated in the Lesser Known Actors (Nakamura) page; a new illustration page for the actor Bandô Tamasaburô V; the data on Bandô Aizô are moved from the Sanogawa Ichimatsu page to the Lesser Known Actors (Bandô) page; bakame, ike-no-hata, ishin no sanketsu, izumo, kenjutsu-zukai, kôchiyama sôshun, koshô, tajima and tanshû are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: Fujikawa Sango, Hayakawa Shinkatsu and Izumikawa Sennosuke.

PLAYS: "Heike Nyogo no Shima".

PLAYWRIGHTS: Kaneshima Kaisuke.

ACTORS LINES: Ichikawa Emisaburô, Ichikawa Masusaburô and Ichikawa Monzaburô.

LESSER KNOWN ACTORS: Ichimura Mihoemon, Nakamura Danzô and Ôtani Hikosaburô.

PROGRAMS: October 2015 (Yachiyoza, details for the Kabukiza and NHK Hall programs), November 2015 (Kabukiza, Yachiyoza, details for the National Theatre), December 2015 (Minamiza) and January 2016 (National Theatre).

OTHERS: 1 new link; 5 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki plays list; 1 new book referenced in the bibliography; a new (and more-detailed) summary for the drama "Murai Chôan"; the pages on "Sanmon", "Shinobu no Sôta" and "Shunkan" are slightly reworked; the pages on the Azuma Tôzô (more details for Azuma Tôzô VI and Azuma Tôzô VII), Ichikawa Sadanji (pictures for Ichikawa Sadanji I, Ichikawa Sadanji III and Ichikawa Sadanji IV; illustration for Ichikawa Sadanji II), Morita Kan'ya (pictures for Morita Kan'ya I, Morita Kan'ya II, Morita Kan'ya III, Morita Kan'ya XI, Morita Kan'ya XIII and Morita Kan'ya XIV; illustrations for Morita Kan'ya V, Morita Kan'ya VII and Morita Kan'ya X) and Sawamura Genpei (pictures for Sawamura Genpei II, Sawamura Genpei V and Sawamura Genpei VI) lines are reworked; an illustration page for the actors Ichikawa Danjûrô XII, Nakamura Kichiemon II and Onoe Kikugorô VII; akabanebashi, bizen, bushô, fujiwara naritsune, gokushi, hirakawa tenjin, honjo machi bugyô, kami, kan u no mie, kita machi bugyô, kôjimachi, kôshû kaidô, machi bugyô, minami machi bugyô, miuke, mongaku, nôshû, noto, noto-no-kami noritsune, nyogo no shima, ôoka tadasuke, senoo kaneyasu, shirasu, shôshô, taira noritsune, taira yasuyori, tenchi no mie, tenjin, tokiwa gozen and yoriki are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: Shinomiya Genpachi.

PLAYS: "Yukanba Kichisa".

ACTORS LINES: Kagaya Fukunosuke, Kagaya Hashinosuke, Kataoka Matsunojô and Kataoka Shimanojô.

SOGAMONO: Nakamuraza 1721.

LESSER KNOWN ACTORS: Arashi Kinzaburô, Bandô Shinzaemon, Ichikawa Gennosuke, Ichimura Sanohachi, Matsumoto Someshô, Nakamura Manjirô, Onoe Taijirô and Sawamura Kamesaburô.

PROGRAMS: September 2015 (Yachiyoza, details for the Kabukiza, Minamiza and Akasaka Act Theater programs), October 2015 (Kabukiza, Minamiza, NHK Hall, Shinbashi Enbujô, Yachiyoza, details for the National Theatre, NTK Hall and Heisei Nakamuraza programs), November 2015 (Shinbashi Enbujô, details for the Heisei Nakamuraza programs) and December 2015 (National Theatre).

OTHERS: 1 new link; 11 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki plays list; the list of disciples of both Matsumoto Kôshirô VII and Kataoka Nizaemon XIII; an illustration page for the actors Sakakiyama Koshirô I and Yashio Ikuemon; more details about the life and career of Onoe Baikô VI; correction of the birthday of Kawatake Mokuami; more details about Kawatake Mokuami retirement in 1881; 1 new book referenced in the bibliography; chakushi, daraku bôzu, enjôji, hannô, hongô, kamikuzuya, ki no aritsune, koishikawa, naka no jô, tenna no Taika, yaoya, yukan and yukanba are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: Yamashina Shirojûrô.

PLAYS: "Meoto Dôjôji", "Shakkyô", "Suma no Utsushie" and "Tsuru Kame".

PLAYWRIGHTS: Horikoshi Nisôji I.

LESSER KNOWN ACTORS: Bandô Chôemon and Ichikawa Kôjaku IV.

PROGRAMS: August 2015 (details for the Kabukiza programs, three new playbills, Ryôzenji Temple), September 2015 (Kabukiza), October 2015 (Heisei Nakamuraza) and November 2015 (National Theatre, Heisei Nakamuraza, Shôchiku Grand Kabuki Tour).

OTHERS: 13 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki plays list; more details about the end of the Hisamatsuza and the opening of the Chitoseza; ariwara yukihira, jakushô, kariginu, meisho, monju bosatsu, ryôshi, shakkyô, shishimono, shûgikyoku, suma no ura and suodori are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: Ichikawa Dannosuke VI.

PLAYS: "Fudô", "Gedatsu", "Jayanagi", "Kan U", "Uwanari" and "Zôhiki".

PLAYWRIGHTS: Fujimoto Tobun.

PROGRAMS: July 2015 (details for the Shinbashi Enbujô program), August 2015 (Kabukiza, National Theatre, National Bunraku Theatre, Kanagawa Arts Theatre, Kintetsu Art Kan), September 2015 (Classics Tour, Kôfu Civic Center) and October 2015 (National Theatre, NTK Hall, Shôchikuza).

OTHERS: 7 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki plays list; a few extra details about Ichikawa Shinnosuke V; a new page on Kabuki history in Edo/Tôkyô; asagimaku, bakamono, chô hi, chô ryô, chôsen, gedatsu, jayanagi, jiutai, kaneiri, kan pei, kan u, kentei, kôga saburô, kôyasan, kûkai, maibayashi, meifu no kuni, ô bijin, ryû bi, sangô, seiryûtô, shinreigoto, shû sô, toshimashi, tsurigane, uwanari and zô are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: Ichikawa Danzaburô V.

PLAYS: "Genpei Nunobiki no Taki", "Go Taiheiki Shiraishi Banashi", "Kamakura Sandaiki", "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata" and "Tamamo-no-Mae Asahi no Tamoto".

PLAYWRIGHTS: Tsuruya Nanboku V.

ACTORS LINES: Sawamura Kijûrô and Sawamura Kinpei.

PROGRAMS: June 2015 (details for the Kabukiza, Hakataza, Shôchikuza and National Theatre programs, Ichikawa Ennosuke Tour), July 2015 (Kabukiza, Shôchikuza, Nikkei Hall, details for the National Theatre programs), August 2015 (Shinkabukiza) and September 2015 (Akasaka Act Theater, Minamiza, Tour in the western provinces).

OTHERS: 12 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki plays list; a new illustration for the actors Bandô Mitsugorô IX, Ichikawa Danzaburô VII, Kataoka Nizaemon VIII and Nakamura Matagorô II; abe yasunari, akahata, akudaikan, azemichi, bandô sanjûsankasho, daikan, heike monogatari, hôjô yasutoki, honjin, inaka musume, irezumi, kaminarimon, kankyo, kenshunmon, kimura shigenari, kiso yoshikata, kome arai, kusunoki masashige, kyûbi no kitsune, migawari, minamoto yoshikata, miura yoshimura, morokoshi, nasuno-ga-hara, nunobiki no taki, onmyôdô, onmyôji, ôsaka-jô, ôsaka no eki, ôsaka no jin, saitô sanemori, sakamoto-jô, sanada nobuyuki, sanada yukimura, sasaki moritsuna, sasaki takatsuna, seiryôden, sesshôseki, shirakawa tennô, shirohata, sûpâ kabuki sekando, taira munemori, taira shigemori, tamamo-no-mae, tenjiku, toba rikyû, toba tennô, tokugawa ieyasu, uijin, watakuri and watakuri-uma are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: Anegawa Shinshirô IV.

PLAYS: "Honzô Shimoyashiki" and "Uekiya".

PLAYWRIGHTS: Segawa Jokô I and Segawa Jokô III.

ACTORS LINES: Anegawa Shinshirô.

PROGRAMS: May 2015 (details for the Kabukiza, Meijiza, Minamiza and the New Green Leaves Tour programs), June 2015 (Kabukiza, Shôchikuza, ABKAI 2015), July 2015 (Shinbashi Enbujô, details for the eastern and central provinces Kabuki tours) and August 2015 (Chûnichi Theatre, Orix Theatre).

OTHERS: 11 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki plays list; asakusa kannon, chûshinguramono, kamigata kyôgen, kamiyashiki, kanzaki yogorô noriyasu, karakuriya, sensôji, senzaki yagorô, shijûshichishi, shimoyashiki, takebayashi tadashichi takashige, takemori kitahachi and uekiya are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: Hyakunin'isshu Genzaburô, Onoe Koisaburô III and Takenaka Tôzaburô.

PLAYS: "Dote no Oroku" and "Kin no Zai Sarushima Dairi".

ACTORS LINES: Segawa Takenojô, Segawa Tamon and Segawa Yûjirô.

PROGRAMS: April 2015 (details for the Kabukiza, Kanamaruza and Minamiza programs), May 2015 (Kabukiza, Shôchikuza, details for the National Theatre programs), June 2015 (Hakataza, National Theatre) and July 2015 (National Theatre, Kabuki Tours in the Eastern and Central Provinces).

OTHERS: 8 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki plays list; details for the premiere of "Kakitsubata Iro mo Edozome" in the 5th lunar month of 1815 in Edo; revision of the details for the premiere of "Haji Momiji Ase no Kaomise" in the 7th lunar month of 1815 in Edo; details for the premiere of "Kin no Zai Sarushima Dairi" in the 11th lunar month of 1829 in Edo; the table of all the productions of "Date no Jûyaku" is updated; a new illustration for the actors Ichikawa Shinnosuke, Iwai Hisajirô II, Nakamura Tomijûrô V, Onoe Monzaburô III and Segawa Tomisaburô III; a new illustration page for the actor Nakamura Tomijûrô V; the pages on the Bandô Matajirô, Ichikawa Sumizô and Onoe Koisaburô lines of actors are slightly reworked; fujiwara hidesato, fujiwara tadabumi, hashihime, hashihime jinja, hyakunin isshu, karuwazashi, miidera, minamoto mitsunaka, minamoto yorimitsu, misemono-goya, mukô ryôgoku, shakujô, tada mitsunaka, takiyasha, tawara tôta hidesato and ujibashi are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: Tatsuoka Hisagiku and Tatsuoka Someemon.

PLAYS: "Megumi no Kenka" and "Umagiri".

PLAYWRIGHTS: Takeshiba Kisui, Tatsuoka Mansaku and Tenmaya Kyûshichi.

DERIVATIVES: Shibaraku Bôryokudan.

PROGRAMS: March 2015 (details for the National Theatre and Minamiza programs, full casting for the Kabukiza programs), April 2015 (Kabukiza, Minamiza, details for the Heisei Nakamuraza and Chûnichi Theatre programs) and May 2015 (Minamiza, New Green Leaves Tour, National Theatre, details for the Heisei Nakamuraza programs).

OTHERS: 10 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki plays list; a new illustration for the playwright Chikamatsu Tokuzô; a new summary for "Shunkan"; the summary for the "Ichiwakamaru Seppuku" scene of "Wada Gassen Onna Maizuru" is added; the summaries for the "Kutsukakemura" and "Sakanoshita" scenes of "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna" are added; the pages on the Arashi Sangorô, Bandô Takesaburô and Ichikawa Danjûrô lines of actors are slightly reworked; a new illustration for late Bandô Mitsugorô X; details for the premiere of "Keisei Yanagi Zakura" in the 1st lunar month of 1793 in Ôsaka; details for the premiere of "Hade Kurabe Ishikawa-zome" in the 4th lunar month of 1796 in Ôsaka; details for the premiere of "Kami no Megumi Wagô no Torikumi" in March 1890 in Tôkyô; details for the premiere of "Sanzen Ryô Haru no Komahiki" in January 2014 in Tôkyô; the background image this month is the mon of late Bandô Mitsugorô X; a new illustration for Bandô Tamasaburô V; more details about the history of the Kiriza and a new illustration for this theater; ama, dazaifu tenmangû, jûshoku, kanze motokiyo, kenka, kerai, kikai-ga-shima, matsudaira chôshichirô, megumi, megumi no kenka, minamoto tôru, nakama, rantô, rantô jiken, shiba daijingû, shiba shinmeigû, shishigatani jiken, shishigatani no inbô, shunkan, shunkan, tokugawa iemitsu, tokugawa tadanaga, tomozuna, tôru, umagiri, yanagisawa-sôdômono, yotsuguruma daihachi and zeami motokiyo are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: Sodesaki Iroha I, Sodesaki Iseno I and Sodesaki Miwano I.

PLAYS: "Akegarasu" and "Keisei Yamato Zôshi".

PLAYWRIGHTS: Kyôgendô Sakô II.

CONTEMPORARY ACTORS: Nakamura Jûjirô.

ACTORS LINES: Ichikawa Kudanji, Sodesaki Iroha, Sodesaki Iseno and Sodesaki Miwano.

SOGAMONO: Moritaza 1723.

NI-NO-KAWARI: Kyôto 1723 and Ôsaka 1723.

THE KABUKI CLANS: the Sodesaki Clan.

PROGRAMS: February 2015 (more details for the programs at the Hakataza and the EX THEATER), March 2015 (Minamiza, National Theatre, details for the programs at the Kabukiza and at the Kagekiza, Ichikawa Ebizô Tour), April 2015 (Kanamaruza, Heisei Nakamuraza, Ichikawa Ebizô Tour) and May 2015 (Meijiza, Heisei Nakamuraza).

OTHERS: 7 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki plays list; the actor Sodesaki Karyû is from now on referenced as Karyû Sawaemon in our database; more details about Ichikawa Jukai III's career; more details about Matsumoto Kôshirô VIII and Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII name-taking ceremonies; a new illustration for the actors Onoe Kikugorô VII and Sakurayama Shôzaemon I; a new entry in our disclaimer; we've decided to get rid of an old anomaly regarding names like Tokubei, Chôbei, Gombei or Sôbei, which are from now on written Tokubê, Chôbê, Gonbê or Sôbê within kabuki21.com; a new illustration page for the actors Kanazawa Goheiji, Kataoka Nizaemon I, Matsumoto Shigemaki and Sanogawa Hanazuma I; the page on the Nakayama Kiraku line of actors is reworked; opening of a new section dedicated to the Lesser Known Actors (Ichikawa, Nakamura and Onoe); 1 new book referenced in the bibliography; hachidaime, hibachi, hoshino kanzaemon, jûdaime, jûgodaime, jûhachidaime, jûichidaime, jûnidaime, jûrokudaime, jûsandaime, jûshichidaime, jûyondaime, kakeochi, kotatsu, mamemaki, ôshôya, sanjûsangendô, setsubun, shichidaime, shinnai, tenmei kabuki, ugajin, wasa daihachirô and yuki are added to the glossary.