Kabuki Jūhachiban

The Kabuki Jūhachiban (歌舞伎十八番), or Eighteen Best Kabuki Plays, is a set of kabuki plays,
strongly associated with the Ichikawa Danjūrō line of actors ever since their premieres. These works
were chosen and assembled as "the eighteen" by actor Ichikawa Danjūrō VII (1800-1832). The
pieces were considered to be seminal representations of the aragoto style in the repertoire.[1] The
Danjūrō line has continued to dominate the leading roles, and the printing and production of these
plays ever since.
Shibaraku, Narukami, Sukeroku, Ya-no-Ne, and Kanjinchō are still considered among the greatest of
all kabuki plays, and are performed at least once a year. These plays are also often performed
for shūmei, auspicious naming ceremonies in which actors who receive new names, particularly
those receiving the illustrious name "Ichikawa Danjūrō", perform in these great plays which are
strongly associated with that lineage.
While the plays contained within the Kabuki Jūhachiban do number 18, the number, along with other
eight-related numbers such as 80 and 88, is symbolic of the general concept of "a great many."
A Shin-Kabuki Jūhachiban (New Eighteen Best Kabuki Plays) was assembled by Ichikawa Danjūrō
IX in the Meiji period, representing his favorites, many of which are particularly representative of
Meiji period kabuki.
Of the original eighteen, only ten or eleven are considered to still be actively performed, though
some are performed far less frequently than others.