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A CHIVALROUS MAN IN /I SHIBARAKU," ONE OF "THE EIGHTEEN BEST PLAYS /I

Reproduction of th r> coror print by Toyokuni Utagml.-'u the first (1769- 1"825), owned by the Theatrical Arts Museum at Waseda University

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KABUKI DRAMA BY

- - SHUTARO MIYAKE

JAPAN TRAVEL BUREAU TOKYO

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D ecember, 1948 j February, 1952;

Febru ary, 1953

Prinfed by IlOSOKAWA PIUNTING CO .. Tokyo, Japan

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~ ( 12 L/-. S- f<3 ms- f,1\ft= It ~ r

tblTORIAL NOit

The purpose of the Tourist Library Series is to give to the pass ing tourists and other foreigners interested in Japan a basic knowledge of various phases of Japanese culture. When completed, the Series is expected to in· elude a hundred volumes or so, and will give a complete picture of J ap anese culture, old and new.

The Library was started in 1934 by the Board of Tourist Industry and was transferred to the Japan Travel Bureau in 1943, when 40 volumes had been completed.

From the beginning the Library attained a high rep- ut a tion as a concise but reliable interpreter of Japanese culture, and the demand for the volumes steadily increas- ed both in Japan and abroad . Unfortunately, however, the old volumes are all out of print. The Japan Travel Bureau, therefore, has begun a new series,-revising and reprinting some of the old volumes, and issuing others on entirely new and equally interesting subjects.

Each volume in the Library is the work of a recogniz- ed authority on the subject, and it is hoped that by perusing these studies of Japanese life the reader will gain some insight into the unique culture that has developed in thi s country throughout the ages.

The present volume, " Kabuki Drama," is the work of Mr. Shlltaro Miyake, who is an acknowledged au- thority on the Bunraku Puppet Playas well as the Kabuki Drama. He is also well known as the regular

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drama crItIc of' the Mainichi Newspaper and a membel: of the specjal council of the Cultural Proper ties' P ro - tection Commission .

h ~~iS four~h ed ition , p ubli shed only half a year after t / t Ird rev.lsed edition went to press, is an evidence ;h t?e ever-mcreasing interest sh own by foreign en-

f UJsIasts, both here and abroad, in thi s grand old art

o apan.

The new edition has an added fea ture in the fine grade o~ art paper that is use d for most of the photo- graphs Il1 the text. This, toaether with th " d

. . b. " e up-to- ate reVISIOns and colored photoaraph s add I" . , d b'l ' b, S great y to ItS lea a I Ily. "

December, 1952 THE EDITOR

CONTENTS

Pa ge

1. How to Appreciate Kabuki. . . . . . . . . . . . 11 An Analysis of the Kabuki-A Land of Dreams-" Daikon"-Its Powe r of Exp ression.

II. Characteristics of the Kabuki. . . . . . . . . . . 16 Female Roles-Their No ted Playe rs-High- born Dau ghters-Courtesans.

JII. :Machinery Peculiar to the Kabuki Stage.. 33 Curtains - " Hanami chi" - The Revolving Stage - " Ki " - "Chobo " - Geza"-"Deba-

h," "1r " yas 1 - \..uro go

IV. Principal Kabuki Plays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 The Eighteen Best Plays- "Ara goto " -Clas- sical P Ia ys-"Sew amono " - "Kizew amono"

V. Technique Peculiar to the Kabuki. . . . . . . 52 , The Pantomime Show-"Koroshi"-"Michi-

k '" " T h' ." " M ." I yu 1 - ac Imawan - 1 onogatan - n- spection of the Head - Revue Element- "S ." d "T ""S I" awan an surane - eppu cu

VI. Symbolism and Impressionism in the Kabuki ............... . ... ..... . 69

The Black Curtain-" Yabudatami"-"Nami- ita"-The Story of Rice.

"VII. The Story Value of the Kabuki. . . . . . . . . 72 "S ukeroku"-"Kuma gai's Camp"-"Kampei"

"VIII. Practical Guide to the P resent-day Kabuki. 78 Appendix (Notes on Some of the Famous

Kabuki Plays)............... . . . .. 85 Index ................ .... ... .... " 121

Ancie nt Sketches of Kabuki Al'fO~

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ILLUSTRATIONS

A Chivalrous Man in "Shibaraku" (Color Print)' . . . . . . . Frontispiece

Page

The Fa~ade of the Kabukiza Theater. . . . . . . . . . . 13 The Interior of the Kabukiza Theater. . . . . . . . . . . 14 Players on the Passage to the Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Utaemon Nakamura as a Woman-servant-from

"K . J' h'" agaml I S 1 ....................••..• 17 A Lion's Dance-from "Kagami Jishi"

(In Colors) ......................... 18, 19 Children Actors and Tokiz6 Nakamura as a Wet

Nurse ............................... . 20 Baik6 Onoe, as Princess Yaegaki-hime ......... . 21 A Female Impersonator Preparing for the Stage 22, 23 Wig-dressers in the Dressing Room ........... . A Scene from "Sukeroku" .................. . A S f "II h- N" - h'k-" cene rom onc 0 IJUS 1 0 ........•••• "Kumado'ri," Special Make-up Used in Kabuki .. Varieties of "Kumadori" (In Colors) ......... . The Authentic Curtain Used on Kabuki Stages ... . Actors on the H anamichi . . . ................ . A Samurai Rises onto the H anamichi by the Trap-

lift ... . , .. . .......................... .

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31 33 35

35 A Part of the Revolving Stage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 36 Chobo Musicians. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 39 Kiyomoto Musicians. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 39 A Kurogo , Black Hooded Attendant. . . . . . . . . .. 40 From the Eighteen Best Plays. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43, 44 "Chiishingura" and "Sugawara Denju Tenarai-

) kagami" .............................. 47

The authentic curtain in KaSuki s tages has wide green, rllst and black s1ripes

III. MACHINERY PECULIAR TO THE KABUKI STAGE

1. Curtains

The leading theaters where the Kabuki plays are staged are also used for performances of the modern school. In view of thi s circumstance, the managements of most of such theaters find it convenient to use the European curtain. But if possible, the European curtain

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which works up and down is avoided. Instead, a maku (curtain) of simple-patterned cotton is regularly used. This curtain is not of the lift type, but is pulled aside. In Tokyo theaters, when the maku is used, it is usually striped with thick lines of green, red -b rown, and black, while in the Kansai, there is more variety and color in the design of the traditional Kabuki stage curtain . The simple-patterned curtain of the Kabuki stage is termed joshiki-maku ("proper curtain"), and it is considered by competent critics to be in perfect keeping with the spirit of the Kabuki.

2. "Hananlichi"

Hanamichi, or "flower way," is a passage leading to the stage through the left section of the theater. There is diverse opinion as to the history of the hanamichi, and no detailed account of it can be given here. Suffice it to say that the hanamichi has been in use for about two centuries . Crhe passage of the actors on to the stage over the hanamichi is called de (advance) and the pas- sage back from the stage to the exit screened with a small curtain termed agemaku, is called hikkomi (with- drawal[] The use of the hanamichi is considered very important and productive of histrionic effect. Foreigners are unanimous in their praise of this particular feature of the Kabuki stage. It is said that a Russian dramatist, Meierchold , who deeply appreciated the Kabuki, was so much pleased with the hanamichi that he adapted it in a modif-ied form in a Russian theater with which he was connected . The hanamichi is sometimes doubled to

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Actor s pause dramatically on the" hanamichi . .

A sam u rai appea r s on the" hanamichi" by 'th<' "seriagc" or trap-lift.

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Two samu r ai enact a scene while rising on the "seriage." The curved line on stage shows a part of the revolving stagt'o

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enhance the spectacular effect and maintain closer coIl- tact with the audience. The auxiliary passage, kar.i- hanamichi ("provisional £-lower way"), runs parallel on the opposite side of the main passage, and it is narrower than the hanamichi by about one-third. These two passages are sometimes used by actors to great advantage in such scenes as the one called "Numazu"no -b a" (At Numazu) from the Kabuki versjon of "Igagoe Dochu- sugoroku" (Vendetta on the Iga Pass), a puppet play. The hanamichi, a theatrical device peculiar to Japan, is no doubt a valuable adjunct to the Kabuki.

3. The Revolving Stage

This is a device for the rapid sbifting of scenes~ bringing to view, by means of a mechanism similar to the turntable, the scene 'which is ready behind the stage. This device is caned maL{)ari-hutai, or , revolving stq.ge . Its invention is ascribed to Sh6z6 Namiki (1730-177.'3L a playwright of Osaka, who lived some two hundred years ago. The mawari-lmtai makes for much economy in time, by shortening the intervals between acts~ and is deservedly well commented on by Western play-lov,ers .

Another device, which like the mawari-hutai, is a time saver, is the seriage, or platform on which a charac- ter is raised to the stage from underneath. There is also a device which reverses the process, so that an actor may' disappear from the stage into the ground. It is ~allE; d the serisage . , Such inventions, products of the fertile brain of Sh6z6 Namiki, add Lo the uniquenes s of the

Kabuki~~

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4. "KP' In the Kabuki, ki or wooden clappers invariabiy ac-

company the pulling on and off of the curtain. Ki or hyoshigi are a pair of square- shaped sticks made of hard kashi wood. The clapper is about three inches thick and about a foot lon g. The hyoshigi are clapped by a kyogenkata, who is a sor t of as sistant to the stage manager. The peculiar, sharp sounds of the h yoshigi, like the sound of the bell or the gong of the Western plays, are used to punctuate the beginning, close, or intervals of a play. Simple as it may seem, co nsider- able skill is really required for the proper operation of the h yoshigi. ~ the Kabuki, the climax of a piece of acting is

accentuated by an impressjve pose in which the actor becomes statue-like with hi s eyes wide open . This posing is called mie. It effectively heightens esthetic appeal. A good Kabuki actor must be skilful in this posing. iI/lie is seen at its best when perfoqned by Kichiemon Naka- mura, a well-known modern Kabuki actor.

A mie is emphas ized by the striking of the wooden clappers against a thick board by th e assistant stage- manager, who sits on one side of the stage. The sound of the wooden clappers is called tsuke. I ts function is to call attention to the posing of the actor. In fact, the hyosh'igi is part of the fahl-ic of a Kabuki play, and a neglect of their value keeps the audience from under- stand ing much of the charm and sign ifi cance of a Kabuki dram a.

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Chobo musicians ( right) - a reciter ~~ a samisen player.

Kiyomoto musicians ( right) in a " michiyuki .. sce ne.

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A kUrogo, the black hooded attendant w ho assists the actors on the stage.

5. "Choho~ ~ This music is an indispensable adjunct of the Kabuki

dramas of puppet-play origin. Chobo means Gidayu or loruri music which dates back some three hundred years. Gidayu stands highest in arti stic merit among various kinds of music in Japan. The term chobo is u sed only when Gidayu is performed in accompaniment to a Maruhommono, or a Kabuki drama of puppet-play origin. The words are recited by a tayu and the mu sical accompaniment is supplied by a samisen player. A singer and musician form a group and occupy a section of the stage . They are always attired in kamishimo, a costume dating from feudal time s. Choho is essential to the effective rendering of a Maruhommono play. The chobo players, though in the sight of the audience , app ear without any other make-up or disguise than the kami- shimo already mentioned. The reciter has a play-book before him resting on a k endai, or small decorati ve des k, from which he reads in a highly dramatic manner. Some- times the chobo mu sicians p e rform behind a bamhoo screen which is situatefl on one side 01' the s tage.

6. "Geza" A geza is a kind of music box. It is on the opposite

side of the stage from the chobo whi ch is alway s on the stage . The box is in con spicuously placed, so it often passes unnoticed by the audience. It is manned by a number of musician s, whose work is specialized. The saniisen is the chief instrument used. The box men signal for the entrance and exit of actors, and are responsible

lor the effects and various musical incidents which occur in the course of a play. They make sound imitation as in a radio broadcast by simulating with their instruments the noise of water, rain, bells, etc. to add to the reality and impressiveness of the performance on the stage . The mu sical features other than the chobo are supplied by the box, and they are of considerable variety.

7. "Dehayashi" This is a sort of visible orchestra, and is chiefly used

when there is a dance. The members, whose number varies according to circumstances, are located in the middle bank of the stage or on the right or the left side. The kinds of music they perform are Nagauta, Tokiwazu , and Kiyomoto, all consisting of an emotional recital with samisen accompaniment.

S. "Kurogo" The kurogo corresponds to the prompter of the Euro-

pean stage . A kurogo is attired and hooded in black so as to make him self most unobtrusive ; hence the name of kurogo, or kurombo (lit. black man) . The work of a kurombo is done by one of the assistants of the stage manager. His duty is to aid the actors during a stage performance. When an actor remembers his words imperfectly, the kurombo stands behind him and acts as prompter. He also attends to the p] acing of the aibiki, a kind of chair often used by an actor in a leading role . Besides the kurombo there is another stage assistant called k6ken . He is more dignified looking, for he shows his face and is in hakama.

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FROM THE /I EIGHTEEN

BEST PLAYS "

- 1 -

/I Shibaraku "

(ab ove)

II Yanone "

(bel ow)

fROM THE 1/ EIGHTEEN

BEST PLA YS "

- 2 -

' I Kanjinch6 /I

(above)

/I Sukeroku /I

(below)

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IV. PRINCIPAL KABUKI PLAYS

1. The Eighteen Best Plays

As already mentioned, the eighteen masterpieces se- lected from the plays of Kabuki origin staged since the birth of the Kabuki about two centuries and a half ago are collectively styled "Kabuki Juhachiban." These eighteen were the repertoire of the nine generations of the illustriou s Ichikawas from the first Danjuro of the Genroku period (1688-1703) .to the ninth in the Meiji era. The plays have been the monopoly of the Ichikawas, and even now the rights of printing and staging them are in the hands of the present representive of the family. About ten out of the eighteen are now staged, the re st havin g died a natural death. The following seven are considered by general consent to be of greatest mer it :-"Sukeroku" (The Love of Sukeroku, an Edo Beau), "Kanjincho" (A Faithful Retainer), "Shiba- raku" (Stop a Minute !) , "Yanone" (The Arrow-head), "Kenuki" (Hair Tweeze rs), "Narukami" (Thunder) , and "Karnahige" (Shaving with a Large Sickle) .

Of the se seven, "Sukeroku" and "Kanjincho" are the most di t' tinguished, being the best of the plays of Kabuki origin . All the plays of the "Kabuki Juhachi- ban" are charac terized by the spirit of hero-worship , and are labelled Aragoto, or plays of masculine character, and are th eatrical products peculiar to Edo .