3 shows in Tôkyô (Kabukiza), 2 in Fukuoka (Hakataza), 1 tour (Zenshinza) and 1 in Naruto (Ôtsuka Museum of Art)!

??? perform at the Kabukiza !

Ichikawa Ennosuke and his troupe perform at the Hakataza!

The Zenshinza troupe is on tour!

Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon, Living National Treasure Nakamura Tôzô, Nakamura Jakuemon, Nakamura Shikan, Nakamura Kaishun, Nakamura Ganjirô, Nakamura Senjaku, Kataoka Ainosuke, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Kataoka Takatarô, Onoe Shôroku, Nakamura Matagorô, Bandô Minosuke, Nakamura Kazutarô, Nakamura Takanosuke, Kataoka Ichizô, Kamimura Kichiya, Bandô Kamezô, Nakamura Matsue, Nakamura Kashô, Matsumoto Kingo, Sawamura Sônosuke, Nakamura Tanenosuke, Kataoka Sennosuke, Kataoka Kamezô, Nakamura Kichinojô, Kataoka Matsunosuke, Arashi Kitsusaburô, Ichimura Kitsutarô, Onoe Sakon

The February Grand Kabuki at the Kabukiza to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the opening of the fifth Kabukiza. "Funa Benkei" is staged to commemorate the 12th anniversary (13th memorial service) of the passing away of Nakamura Tomijûrô V.

Sannin Kichisa:
(Three Thieves Named Kichisa)
The late 19th century playwright Kawatake Mokuami excelled at plays about thieves and this play is considered to be one of his greatest. Three thieves, all with the name Kichisa, meet on a riverbank. Ojô Kichisa (Nakamura Shichinosuke) was once a Kabuki onnagata and robs in the guise of a woman. Obô Kichisa (Kataoka Ainosuke) is a handsome young man while Oshô Kichisa (Onoe Shôroku) has more weight and stature as the head of a derelict temple. Though they start out as rivals, they decide to become blood brothers and form a gang. The three are bound by fate in many ways, with the crimes of one leading to hardship of the family of another. But the same sins and crimes also lead to rescue and salvation. The play combines dark drama with the most beautiful of poetry. In the famous scene on a riverbank Ojô Kichisa kills a young prostitute and then speaks in the playwright’s famous rhythmical speech of the moon on a hazy night and the gold coins that have fallen into his hands. Soon, these gold coins will link together the three thieves named Kichisa, and in turn, draw these three into a larger drama of crime and retribution. The play combines the playwright Kawatake Mokuami's gritty depiction of the lowest levels of society with intoxicatingly beautiful music and poetry to bring life to his vision of the cycles of sin and retribution.

Onna Kurumabiki: a usual practice was celebrated female impersonators to have famous male roles rewritten for them. Numerous titles of already popular plays to which the character onna (“woman”) was added appeared in the Kabuki repertory over the centuries, such as "Onna Narukami" ("Female Narukami") or "Onna Shibaraku" ("Female Shibaraku"). "Onna Kurumabiki" is a female parodic dance based on "Kurumabiki". The three brothers Matsuômaru, Umeômaru and Sakuramaru are replaced by their wives Chiyo (Nakamura Kaishun), Haru (Nakamura Jakuemon) and Yae (Nakamura Shichinosuke).

Funa Benkei: although he won a war against the enemy Heike clan, the young general Yoshitsune (Nakamura Senjaku) has gained the disfavor of his brother, the Shôgun, and tries to flee to Kyûshû by boat. Before he sets sail, he must say farewell to his lover Shizuka (Nakamura Takanosuke), who performs a dance expressing her grief at their separation. Once the boat sets sail, the spirit of the great Heike general Tomomori (Nakamura Takanosuke), killed by Yoshitsune in battle at sea, appears and attacks to take revenge for the destruction of his clan. They are only saved by the prayers of Yoshitsune's companion, the warrior-priest Benkei (Nakamura Matagorô). The roles of both Shizuka and Tomomori are played by the same actor.

Kameyama no Adauchi:
(The Blood Revenge at Kameyama)
The February 3rd program at the Kabukiza is a 4-act revival of a play first performed in 1822 written by Tsuruya Nanboku IV (1755~1829), who is famous for his plays with sex, ghosts and grotesque humor. The play is based on the story of an actual vendetta, which was a favorite theme of Nanboku's. He dramatized the story four separate times. The play shows the villain Fujita Mizuemon and his fierce struggle with those who are trying to kill him to avenge the death of a man he killed in a rivalry over fighting skills. In scene after scene, there is a tense struggle to see who will kill whom. But the play is also filled with generous doses of Nanboku's black humor. The scene shifts abruptly from the raucous noise and laughter of the pleasure quarters to a grim scene in a crematory where Mizuemon attempts to escape his pursuers by disguising himself as a corpse and hiding in a casket. There is the thrill of seeing the actor play Mizuemon instantly change to his rival Hachirobê. Then there is the confusion among several caskets, ending with the sudden appearance of the living Mizuemon from the casket in the midst of the flames. Starring Kataoka Nizaemon in the roles of Fujita Mizuemon and Hachirobê. Featuring Nakamura Jakuemon as the geisha Otsuma, Living National Treasure Nakamura Tôzô as the Ishii kôshitsu Teirin, Nakamura Shikan as Ishii Gennojô and the servant Sodesuke, Nakamura Ganjirô as Ôgishi Tanomo and Kakezuka Kanbê, Kataoka Takatarô as Gennojô's wife Omatsu, Kamimura Kichiya as Tanbaya Oriki and Kataoka Ichizô and Hotoke Sakusuke.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Ichikawa Ennosuke, Ichikawa Monnosuke, Ichikawa En'ya, Ichikawa Emiya, Ichikawa Emisaburô, Ichikawa Omezô, Ichikawa Seiko, Bandô Shingo, Nakamura Fukunosuke, Nakamura Baika, Ichikawa Danko, Ishibashi Shôji, Asano Kazuyuki

A special program in Fukuoka at the Hakataza starring Ichikawa Ennosuke! Ichikawa Seiko II celebrates his shûmei in Fukuoka at the Hakataza.

Shin Sangokushi: This play is performed for the first time at the Kabukiza, with a new production and concept based on the original Sûpâ Kabuki play created by Ichikawa Ennosuke III (now En'ô). Kan U (Ichikawa Ennosuke) has a fateful encounter with Chô Hi (Ichikawa En'ya) and Ryû Bi (Ichikawa Emiya) who has high-minded ambitions. Impressed by Chô Hi's direct gaze as he explains his dream of a world where people live happily, and trusting his ability to see things in his dreams, the three become sworn brothers in a peach orchard in full-bloom. In order to realise Chô Hi's ideal peaceful world, they invite the young skilled military strategist Shôkatsu Kômei (Ichikawa Seiko) to be their military advisor. Shôkatsu Kômei advises them to found a third country to compete with the two rising powers. The age of rival warlords begins.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Ichikawa Seiko, Bandô Shingo, Nakamura Fukunosuke, Ichikawa Danko, Ichikawa Utaki

A special Buyô program in Fukuoka at the Hakataza.

Okuni Sanza:
(A Kabuki Scroll)
Kabuki is said to have begun in the early 17th century with the colorful dances of the shrine maiden Okuni and the short sketches she performed with her lover, the gallant samurai Nagoya Sanza. This modern dance recreates the romantic atmosphere of the earliest days of Kabuki. Starring Bandô Shingo and Nakamura Fukunosuke in the roles of Okuni and Nagoya Sanza.

Akutarô: this dance is based on a comic Kyôgen play and was written for Ichikawa En'ô and was one of his specialities. This dance shows a wild drunkard named Akutarô (Ichikawa Seiko). He appears with a bushy beard and long halberd and waves it around wildly. But his uncle (Nakamura Fukunosuke) has a plan to cure him of drinking.

Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

Fujikawa Yanosuke, Yamazaki Tatsusaburô, Nakajima Kôtarô, Tamaura Yûnosuke, Hayase Einojô, Matsunami Kihachirô, Arashi Ichitarô, Watarai Motoyuki, Takei Shigeru, Ishijima Ryûsei

A long tour for the Zenshinza troupe:

Bô Shibari:
(Tied to a Pole)
A dance play based on a classical Kyôgen farce. A master (Watarai Motoyuki) is irritated that his two servants always drink his wine while he is out. He plots with his servant Tarôkaja (Tamaura Yûnosuke) to trick the other servant Jirôkaja (Nakajima Kôtarô) into demonstrating his skill at stick fighting, tying him to the stick. The master then ties up Tarôkaja as well. But he is outsmarted when the two still manage to drink his wine while tied up. Their happy singing and dancing while tied up is a dazzling display of virtuoso dancing and star two of the finest young dancers in Kabuki.

Bunshichi Mottoi: Chôbê spends his days and nights gambling, but is finally made aware of his family's problems when his daughter takes a job in the pleasure quarters. Having received the money for her contract, he shows his good side to save a young man on the edge of suicide after losing a large sum of money, but nobody believes Chôbê, thinking that he has gambled the money away. The performance stars Fujikawa Yanosuke, Hayase Einojô and Ishijima Ryûsei in the roles of Chôbê, Chôbê's wife Okane and Bunshichi.

Sources: Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

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The 11th edition of the Sistine Kabuki, a Kabuki program within the Sistine Hall of the Ôtsuka Museum of Art, which is located in the city of Naruto (Tokushima prefecture), has been postponed due to the COVID-19 crisis.