A first-hand look at the Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami Terakoya scene at the Osaka Shochikuza Grand Kabuki farewell performances - a story that cannot be told without tears.

Is Kabuki Worth Watching for Tourists? An Honest Answer To be honest,at first I thought kabuki might be difficult and boring for foreign visitors. It looks long.The language is Japanese.And the rules feel unfamiliar. Many first-time visi...

I had the pleasure of watching “Kyōganoko Musume Ninin Dōjōji.” Quick note before we start: Kyōganoko Musume Ninin Dōjōji (“Two-Person Dōjōji”) is a distinct variant of the more commonly performed Musume Dōjōji, in which the ...

Kuruwa Bunsho: Yoshidaya tells the tragic, beautiful romance between the courtesan Yugiri and merchant heir Izaemon in Edo-period Osaka.

Aragoto is kabuki's bold, superhuman heroic performance style, created by Ichikawa Danjuro I. Here's what beginners need to know about its meaning and highlights.

Wagoto is kabuki's gentle, romantic performance style, portraying soft-spoken lovers and townsmen. Here's what beginners need to know about its meaning and highlights.

Shibaraku: The Origin of Japan’s Kabuki Hero Shibaraku is one of the most famous and iconic Kabuki plays, often described as the origin of Japan’s hero stories.It is part of the Kabuki Juhachiban (Kabuki Eighteen Classics) and a work of ...

Sukeroku: A Stylish Kabuki Hero of Edo Japan An Easy-to-Understand Guide for International Audiences “Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura” is one of the most iconic Kabuki plays, famous for its color, humor, and bold hero.At first glance, it l...

Sannin Kichisa Tomoe no Shiranami follows three thieves who share one name, bound by a stolen sword, money, and hidden family ties, in this classic tale of fate.

The Love Suicides at Sonezaki (Sonezaki Shinju) is Chikamatsu Monzaemon's classic tragedy about two lovers driven to a double suicide. Plot, characters, and the cultural meaning behind Japan's most famous shinju story.