Sono Omokage Tsui no Amigasa
SAYA ATE

['A Fight in the Pleasure Quarters']

CAST :

Fuwa Banzaemon

Ichikawa Udanji

Nagoya Sanza

Ichikawa Kudanji

An arbitrator

Ichikawa Omezō

STORY :

Two samurai are rivals in love for one of the top courtesans in the Pleasure Quarters. As they pass each other in the street, their scabbards knock together, which is considered an insult. They begin to compete with each other in a series of sarcastic, poetic and stately speeches. A play full of the color and ceremony from the most stylized age of kabuki.

YOWA NASAKE UKINA NO YOKOGUSHI
Genjidana

['Scar faced Yosaburō']

CAST :

Yosaburō

Nakamura Toranosuke (Program A)
Ichikawa Kudanji (Program B)

Otomi

Ōtani Hiromatsu

Yasu the Bat

Ichikawa Kudanji (Program A)
Ichikawa Shinjūrō (Program B)

Izumiya Tazaemon

Ichikawa Udanji

STORY :

At the seaside, Yosaburō, the spoilt son of a wealthy family, meets Otomi, the mistress of a gang boss, and falls in love with her at first sight. The affair is soon found out by the gang boss and Yosaburō gets beaten up, suffering scars all over his body. Thinking that Yosaburō died, Otomi throws herself into the sea. 3 years later, Yosaburō, who has become a petty thief, and his mentor Yasu, nicknamed 'the Bat', go to blackmail the mistress of a wealthy merchant, only to discover that it is Otomi, who also survived. In one of the most famous scenes in kabuki, Yosaburō pours out his resentment against Otomi and bemoans the fate that has destroyed his life. Then Otomi learns the secret about her situation...

KANJINCHŌ

['The Subscription Scroll']

CAST :

Musashibō Benkei

Ichikawa Danjūrō

Minamoto no Yoshitsune

Nakamura Yonekichi

Togashi no Saemon

Nakamura Baigyoku

STORY :

Disguised as traveling priests, the fugitive general Yoshitsune and his band of retainers are stopped at a road barrier. The head retainer Benkei claims they are soliciting contributions for the rebuilding of a temple, but the barrier guard Togashi insists that, if so, they must have the temple's book of solicitation. Benkei elaborately improvises the text with an empty scroll. When one-soldier points out that a member of their group resembles Yoshitsune, Benkei is forced to strike Yoshitsune with his staff. Togashi is convinced that they are the fugitives but, sympathizing with Benkei's loyalty, he tells them to proceed on their way.

YOSHITSUNE SENBON ZAKURA
Torii Mae

['In Front of the Fushimi Inari Shrine' from 'Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees']

CAST :

Satō Tadanobu, in reality, the fox Genkurō

Nakamura Takanosuke

Shizuka Gozen

Ōtani Hiromatsu

Minamoto no Yoshitsune

Nakamura Toranosuke

Hayami no Tōta

Ichikawa Kudanji

Musashibō Benkei

Ichikawa Omezō

STORY :

This is a 'jidaimono' history play portraying the civil war between the Genji and the Heike clans during the 12th century. After recent battles, the Genji are victorious and their leader Yoritomo is now shōgun. However, there is a falling out between Yoritomo and his brother Yoshitsune. As a result, Yoshitsune is fleeing through the country from his brother's forces. As the journey will be hard, he decides he must leave behind his lover Shizuka Gozen. While Yoshitsune visits the nearby shrine, Shizuka is attacked by enemy men, but she is rescued by the timely arrival of Yoshitsune's retainer Tadanobu, who is actually a magical fox in disguise. The fox Tadanobu longs for the hand drum which is made from its parents' skins.

HANABUSA SHŪJAKU JISHI

['Courtesan Lion Dance']

CAST :

A courtesan, later the spirit of the lion

Nakamura Yonekichi

STORY :

A lovesick courtesan dances gracefully as she thinks longingly of her lover. Later, she reappears as the spirit of a lion and brings the dance to a close with the lion’s frenzied movements. Enjoy this classic lion dance performed by onnagata, distinguished by its old-fashioned elegance and refined beauty.

NANATSUMEN

['The Seven Masks']

CAST :

Gagoze Akaemon　

Nakamura Toranosuke

STORY :

Minamoto no Noriyori holds a banquet to celebrate the defeat of the Heike at Dannoura, where Gagoze Akaemon is called upon to provide entertainment with a dance using seven masks. Akaemon gives a brilliant performance, but then reveals his true identity as Akushichibyōe Kagekiyo, a surviving Heike warrior, and…
This dance, one of the Kabuki Jūhachiban (Eighteen Favorite Plays of the Ichikawa Family), was first performed by Ichikawa Danjūrō II at the Ichimuraza Theatre in Edo in 1740. After disappearing from the stage for many years, it was revived in January 2009 by the present Danjūrō (then known as Ebizō). Look forward to a thrilling performance that continues to be refined with each revival.

Stage Announcement

STORY :

Ichikawa Shinnosuke will make a stage announcement to the audience at the Minamiza Theatre.

ARAGOTO DAIRIKI TEN NO MUSŌ

['The Matchless Powerful Hero']

CAST :

Ichikawa Danjūrō

Ichikawa Shinnosuke

STORY :

Danjūrō makes up, dresses himself and wears a wig on stage to show you how a kabuki actor dresses himself to play a character. Danjūrō showed make up of “Shibaraku” last year, hoping both those who have seen kabuki and see kabuki for the first time to enjoy different aspects of kabuki. As this attempt was popular among the audience, he shows the make up of a different type of character in this performance. Please enjoy the moment, which you usually cannot see, and the charm of the kabuki world to your heart’s content.