KABUKI DRAMA

Kabuki is the most popular form of Japanese traditional

theatre. More fast-moving than Noh, it is a colourful and
exciting spectacle based around traditional, historical
and mythic narratives, many of which involve the code
of the samurai. A recurrent theme is the ethical ideal of
the samurai who gives up his life for his lord and his
country, and the actors who take on the roles of
handsome young samurai enjoy large and enthusiastic
followings. Kabuki plays are set in the feudal samurai
era, and the actors wear dramatic makeup and costumes
and engage in wonderfully choreographed swordplay.
A feature of traditional Kabuki is that all the female roles
are played by men known as onnagata. Contents include
How to Appreciate the Kabuki; Characteristics of the
Kabuki; Machinery Peculiar to the Kabuki Stage; Principal
Kabuki Plays; Technique Peculiar to the Kabuki;
Symbolism and Impressionism in the Kabuki and The
Story Value of the Kabuki. This is a fine brief
introduction to a highly enjoyable art form.
www.keganpaul.com
 THE KEGAN PAUL
JAPANESE TOURIST LIBRARY
Floral Art of Japan • Issotei Nishikawa

Japanese Noh Plays • Toyoitiro Nogami

Odori • Kasyo Matida

Kabuki Drama • Syutaro Miyake

•• YANONE,·' ONE OF EIGHTEEN BEST PLAYS
I~y ]{iyorrdtu. Torii
KABUKI DRAMA

SYUTARO MIYAKE

,
KEOAN PAUL
London • New York • Bahrain
 First published in 2005 by
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ISBN: 0-7103-1020-X

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Miyake, Syutaro
Kabuki drama. - (Japanese Tourist Library)
I.Kabuki
I.Title
792'.0952
ISBN 071031020X
 EDITORIAL NOTE

It is a common desire among tourists to learn some-

thing of the culture of the countries they visit, as well as
to see their beautiful scellery. To see is naturally easier
than to learn, but flying visits merely for sightseeing
furnish neither the time 110r opportul1ity for more than a
passing acquaintance with tIle culture of a11Y foreig!l
people. This is specially true of Japan a11d her people.
TIle Board of Tourist Industry recogllizes both the
obligatioll and tIle difficlllty of pro\ridil1g foreign tourists
vvith accurate informatiol1 regardillg the various phases of
lapal1's culture. It is, therefore, endeavouring to meet this
obligation, as far as possible, by publis11ing this series of
brochures.
The present -series "viII, "\vhe11 completed, consist of
more than a hllndred volumes, each dealing witll a differ-
ent subject, but all co-ordillated. By studyillg the entire
series, the foreig11 student of lapa!l vvill gaill an adequate
knowledge of tIle unique culture that 11as evolved in this
country through the ages.

Board of Tourist Industry,

Japanese Goverllment Railways.
 NOTE
The Japanese Government has adopted a new system
of spelling for certain Romanized Japanese syllable
sounds. Though the spelling has been modified, the
pronunciation remains the same. The modified spell-
ing is giyen below with the old phonetic spelling in
brackets:
si (shi)
ti (chi) tu (tsu)
hu (fu)
zi (ji)
sya (aha) syu (shu) syo (sho)
tya (cha) tyu (chu) tyo (cho)
zya (ja) zyu (ju) zyo (jo)
:r~aturally,
the change has caused the spelling of certain
familiar names of places and things to be altered, for
instance:
Old Spelling New Spelling
Shinto shrine Sinto shrine
Chion-in temple Tion-in temple
Mt. Ful! Mt. Huzi
Chanoyu Tyanoyu
Chosen Tyosen
Jujutsu Zyuzyutu
Jinrikisha Zinrikisya
 CONTENTS

Page
I. How to Appreciate the Kabuki 9
An Analysis of the Kabuki -A Land of Dreams-
"Daikon "-Its Power of Expression.
II. C11atacteristics of tile Kabuki..................... 14
Female Roles -Their Noted Players -High~born
Daughters -Courtesans.
III. Machinery Peculiar to the Kabuki Stage 22
Curtains -"Hanamiti"-The Revolving Stage --"Ki"
-" Tyobo "-" Geza "-" Debayasi "-" Kurogo"
IV. Pril1cipal Kabuki Plays 31
The Eighteen Best Plays -" Aragoto "-Classical
Plays -" Sewamono "-" Kizewamono "
V. Technique Peculiar to the Kabuki 39
" Seppuku" (Harakiri) -The Dumb Show-" Koro~
si "-" Mitiyuki "-" Tatimawari"-" Monogatari"-
Inspection of the Head - Vendetta.
VI. Synlbolism al1d Impressiol1ism ill the Kabuki... 49
The Black Curtain-" Yabudatami "--" Namiita "-
The Story of Rice.
VII. The Story Value of the Kabuki 52
" Sukeroku "-" Kumagai's Camp"-" Kanpei "

Practical Guide to the Present-day Kabuki 57

 I. HOW TO APPRECIATE THE KABUKI

What is Kabuki?
An answer for the uninitiated may be supplied by
the study of the etymology of the word itself, which shows
that "Kabld{i" is a type of actillg based on the ar~s of
singing and dancing. It will thus be seen that Kabllki is
not acting, pllre and simple; it is fundamentally different
from Western drama.
In Kabuki the play, singing alld dancillg, occurs dur-
illg the course of the development of a story characterized
by dramatic elements, alld the whole performance is ex-
ecuted as a highly refined art. 1"'0 be exact the Kabuki
may be described as a play more lil<e a revue than a
drama, in the European sel1se-a play in which a classical
story is enlivened with spectacular scenes.
The Kabuki is a classical play for the masses al1d
rich in artistic qllalities. It naturally follows that the
Kabuki is presented in large theatres, and not, as with
modern plays of the West, in a small theatre intended to
serve the sole purpose of art for its own sake.
Moreover, the Kabuki is a very complicated dramatic
fornl. A Kabuki play contaills material not in accordance
with reaSOll, and its classic style is but a feeble excuse.
Foreigners seeil1g a IZabul{i play for the first time invaria-
bly thinl{ it is "wonderful." Alld" wonderflll" is a fittillg
epithet for the irrational elemel1t ill Kabuki. So a theatre
bllilt with the principles of modern stage science in mind
~9
is far frOll1 appropriate for the preselltatiol1 of a Kabtlki
play. For a full appreciatio11 of tIle Kabul<i, therefore,
OIle must prepare olleself, before elltering the play-house,
for a trip to a lalld of dreams-to a lalld of poetic visioll.
One's milld should be prepared to receive the poetic alld
the beautiful.
Modern common sense, scientific analysis, logical rea-
sOlli11g, and rational examillatioll-all should be forgottell
for the n011ce by a spectator of a Kabul<:i play. One might
as well clitnb a tree ill quest of fish as to expect logic and
rationality ill a KabtI1{i play.
To the critic of moderll drama, there is lTIucll 11011-
sellse itl tIle Kabuki, but this very ll011se11se is a quality
that mllst be place~ all the credit side.
Viewi11g the perforrna1lce with all eye for logic is 110t
the IJrOlJer attitude for the enjoymel1t of a Kabuki play.
It is to be ullderstood as all art illte1lded to appeal to the
sellses and the perceptioll, all art to feast tIle eye rather
tIla11 to satisfy the 111tellect. III this sellse the Kabul{i is
decidedly 110t to be classed with Inoderll drama which is
cl1tirely based all tIle story structure, but with mllsic,
dallcing, IJai11ting, al1d SCulptllre of the classical tYIJe. TIle
life of tIle presellt-day ]a!JalleSe is Oilly sca11tily represellt-
ed ill a Kabu1<:i play.
Being a classical art, the Kabuki play callnot be said
to Ilave a direct appeal to the modern mind. Though its
al)peal is itldirect, it is ca!)able of givillg esthetic pleasure;
tll0Ugll it is 11011sense, it is capable of giving consolatioll
to tIle l)eol)le- so it is a play ricll ill elements of recreatioll
,vIlich are etljoyed by the general public. III its cOlnbilling
of gelleral appeal with a COllsiderable amoullt of artistic

10--
The Meiziza Theatre

-II
 The Kabukiza Theatre

merit, it may not inaptly be compared to the plays of

Shakespeare. The Kabuki play is so complicated in its
nature that it is a difficult task to define it in a few words.
Kabuki plays are also known as "kyugeki," or plays of
the old school.
The Kabuki is then an artistic play. It is a play
expected to be rendered with skill. Here artistic expres-
sion reigns supreme. In no other form of drama is the
actor so ashamed of his immature execution and inferior
calibre. In Kabuki circles, a poor actor is called "daikon"
and a Kabuki actor feels most humiliated when he is call-
ed a "daikon." To attain perfect expression in his per-
formance is his supreme ideal. He aims at making a
strong appeal to the audience by bringing to esthetic
perfection the histrionic art so peculiar to the Kabuki.
12~
 A player on the passage to the stage at the Kabukiza Theatre

From the foregoing" it will be seen that to appreciate

a Kabuki play emphasis must be placed not on the story
and the contents, but on the ability of the actors to make
the characters live in the classical manner.
This appreciation is not easy to attain; it requires
preparatory knowledge. The beginner must be ready for
a trip to fairyland, for such is the atmosphere of a Kabuki
play. If so prepared, a Kabuki play, which is a spectacle,
highly colourful in presentation and mystic in form, yet at
the same time a dance and a story, will leave a pleasant
impression in the mind of the Western playgoer.

-13