KURUWA SANBASŌ

['Sanbasō in the Pleasure Quarters']

CAST :

A millionaire

Nakamura Baigyoku

A courtesan

Nakamura Fukusuke

A millionaire

Nakamura Shikan

A professional entertainer

Nakamura Hashinosuke

A professional entertainer

Nakamura Fukunosuke

A professional entertainer

Nakamura Utanosuke

An apprentice courtesan

Nakamura Kangyoku

An apprentice courtesan

Nakamura Tamatarō

A caretaker for a courtesan

Nakamura Kamenojō

A caretaker for a courtesan

Nakamura Baika

A sales clerk

Nakamura Matsue

The proprietor

Nakamura Tōzō

A courtesan

Nakamura Kaishun

STORY :

'Sanbasō' is an auspicious dance based on the ritual play 'Okina' in the classical Nō Theatre which portrays an old man as a symbol of longevity, and the energetic Sanbasō as a symbol of fertility and prosperity. In kabuki there are many different versions, but this particular one is a parody set in the pleasure quarters, with a beautiful top-ranking courtesan in place of the old man, an apprentice courtesan in place of the old man's attendant Senzai, and a professional entertainer instead of the boisterous Sanbasō.

Ume Momiji Nishiki no Dateori
URAOMOTE SENDAI HAGI

['Both Sides of the Date Clan Dispute']

CAST :

Kosuke, a servant / Masaoka, a nurse / Nikki Danjō

Onoe Kikugorō VIII

Kurahashi Yajūrō / Hosokawa Katsumoto

Nakamura Kankurō

Otake, a maidservant

Nakamura Shichinosuke

Okinoi

Nakamura Tokizō

Ashikaga Yorikane

Nakamura Kashō

Arajishi Otokonosuke

Nakamura Mantarō

Watanabe Minbu

Onoe Ukon

Kinugawa Tanizō

Nakamura Tanenosuke

Yamanaka Shikanosuke

Nakamura Utanosuke

Senmatsu

Nakamura Hidenosuke

Tsuruchiyo

Onoe Kotoya

Mokubē, the Landlord

Nakamura Kichinojō

Sōeki, Dōeki’s younger brother

Ichimura Kitsutarō

Yokoi Kakuzaemon

Bandō Hikosaburō

Watanabe Gekizaemon

Kawarasaki Gonjūrō

Sakae Gozen

Ichimura Manjirō

Ōba Dōeki / Yashio

Bandō Yajūrō

STORY :

This is a play showing both sides of the troubles that affected the Ashikaga clan. It is based on the older play 'Sendai Hagi' that describes the troubles of the Date clan in Sendai. On the outside it takes the form of a ‘jidaimono’ history play, while on the inside it depicts the case of a doctor's murder in the style of a ‘sewamono’ play. Plays of the ‘sewamono’ category depict the lives of ordinary people in the Edo period. Nikki Danjō plans to overtake the Ashikaga household and asks the doctor Ōba Dōeki to mix a poison to assassinate Tsuruchiyo, the young heir of the Ashikaga clan. Dōeki receives money as a reward, but his servant Kosuke kills him to steal the money, putting the blame on Otake whom he loves. The court lady Sakae Gozen brings Tsuruchiyo poisoned cakes, but Senmatsu, the son of Tsuruchiyo's wet-nurse Masaoka, saves Tsuruchiyo by tasting them before his young lord, as Masaoka had taught him to do. As Otake is about to be declared guilty of murdering Dōeki, Hosokawa Katsumoto's retainer Kurahashi Yajūrō produces irrefutable evidence and Kosuke is found guilty. Furthermore, Katsumoto convicts Nikki Danjō after an appeal by an old retainer who risks his life.

HONCHŌ NIJŪSHIKŌ
Jishukō

['The Ten Types of Incense' from 'Japan's Twenty-Four Paragons of Filial Piety']

CAST :

Princess Yaegaki, Kenshin’s daughter

Nakamura Tokizō

Nureginu, a lady-in-waiting

Nakamura Shichinosuke

Hara Kobunji

Nakamura Kashō

Shirasuka Rokurō

Nakamura Mantarō

Nagao Kenshin

Nakamura Shikan

Minosaku, a gardener, in reality, Takeda Katsuyori

Nakamura Manju

STORY :

Nagao Kenshin, one of Japan's most powerful feudal warlords, has borrowed a family treasure from his rival, Takeda Shingen. However, he has failed to return this treasure, which has caused a rift between the families. Kenshin's daughter, Princess Yaegaki, is mourning the death of her fiancé Katsuyori, Shingen's son, who supposedly killed himself after taking responsibility for the Shogun's assassination. However, she notices a close resemblance between her fiancé's portrait and the new gardener. The gardener is in fact Katsuyori, who has entered the household in disguise to regain possession of the stolen family treasure. Unfortunately, Kenshin has also seen through the disguise and plans to kill Katsuyori, and Princess Yaegaki decides she must take the treasure to save him. The role of Princess Yaegaki is one of the three "red princess" roles which epitomize the art of the 'onnagata' female role specialist. Such characters must combine delicate refinement with passion and an unshakable strength of will for the sake of the man she loves.

RENJISHI

['Parent and Child Lion Dance']

CAST :

The actor Ukon, later, the spirit of the parent lion

Onoe Ukon

The actor Sakon, later, the spirit of the lion cub

Onoe Maholo

Hennen, a priest of the Pure Land Sect

Nakamura Utanosuke

Rennen, a priest of the Nichiren Sect

Nakamura Fukunosuke

STORY :

This is a dance adapted from a tale featuring the legendary 'shishi', a mythical lion-like beast. It is based on the belief that a 'shishi' will push its cubs over a steep cliff as a test of their strength, only nurturing those cubs strong enough to climb up by themselves. Two priests dance the tale of the legendary 'shishi' that live at the foot of a holy Buddhist mountain. The dance portrays a parent 'shishi' forcing its cub to undergo harsh training in order to grow up strong. In the finale, the 'shishi' themselves appear and perform their dance with the wild shaking of their long manes.

UKARE SHINJŪ

['The Happy Love Suicide']

CAST :

Eijirō

Nakamura Kankurō

Hahakigi of the Miuraya

Nakamura Shichinosuke

Osuzu

Onoe Kikugorō VIII

Seiroku, a carpenter

Nakamura Hashinosuke

Okoto, Eijirō’s younger sister

Nakamura Tamatarō

Gohei, the head clerk

Ichimura Kitsutarō

Sano Junnosuke

Kataoka Ichizō

Iseya Taemon

Ichimura Manjirō

Tasuke

Nakamura Shikan

STORY :

This is a kabuki adaptation of the novel 'Tegusari Shinjū' (The Handcuffed Double Suicide) written by Inoue Hisashi. Eijirō, the young master of the grand Iseya store, resolves to be a novelist and is struggling to attract public attention. Today, ignoring the concerns of the head clerk Gohei, he asks to be disowned by his father, and marries Osuzu, whom he has never seen and who lives in a tenement house. The wedding ceremony descends into chaos as the go-between Tasuke does not appear, but in the end, Eijirō manages to marry her. However, the picture book he has written proves unpopular, so he ransoms the courtesan Hahakigi of the Yoshiwara pleasure quarters and asks the governmental official Sano Junnosuke to confine him in chains. His father Taemon is disgusted with him. He commits double suicide with Hahakigi to attract more public attention, but ..