What's Kabuki?

History

Interview

Famous Program

日本語 - Japanese English - 英語

History

We'll introduce History of kabuki here.

The root of kabuki is "Nenbutsu odori" which starts 9 century. The word “kabuki” comes from “kabuku” and it means lacking in common sense and unusual.

Genroku Period (1688~1707)

Since unpretentious culture was in full swing, kabuki’s theater multiplied to 11, and it became performance.

Kyohou Period (1716~1735)

Kabuki lose popularity and Ningyojyoruri became popular, so they act the program which became popular of Ningyojyoruri in kabuki. But Ningyojyoruri declined for 30 ~ 40 years, and kabuki became more popular. They changed mechanism of the stage and devise acting to perform bare.

Bunka Bunsei Period (1804~1844)

They emphasized cruelty and grotesquely by the opinion from audience and there’re programs that performs person who are sociality lower rank. And there’re actors who act tachiyaku and onagata by their own.

Tempou Period (1830~1844)

Many writers and popular actors died, this period became rotation period. And there was some fires at Nakamuraya and Ichimuraza which is two of the Edo Sanza, kabuki world didn’t have energy of that time.

Meiji Period ~ During the war (1868~1945)

There was the movement of the theatrical play reformation to enjoy foreigners and high rank people kabuki, and Kabukiza was made. But the traditional Edo kabuki which was continuing from Edo Period decline because of the death of the grate people, and ended. After that, they made kabuki more modern, in Showa 3, there was a first stage in foreign country in Soviet. When the war became violently, there was a command to close the theater was issued, and many theaters burned down. Right after the war, in Showa 20, September, 1 month after the war ends, kabuki performance started again, but they were banded to play the program which contrary to government’s opinion and revenge, so they can’t play traditional programs. In end of Showa 22, the command was lifted. And in end of Showa 24, they played Takechi kabuki and new kabuki for young people, and some actors co-star with other actors without genres.

After the war ~ Now (about 1950~)

In Showa 28, TV broadcast started and the performance was broadcasted. In Showa 30, they started abroad performances again, and in Showa 40, kabuki became Intangible cultural asset, kabuki developed with modernization. Nowadays, many young people enjoys kabuki, and there are ideas to enjoy many people kabuki for example audio guide. In other hand, there are problems for example lacks of engineers who supports performance.