The Supreme Priest in a Shintô Shrine.

In Japanese: 大宮司

An prestigious rank in a hyôbanki. Possible translation: grand - superior - superior - excellent.

In Japanese: 大上上吉

The god of wealth (one of the shichi fukujin).

In Japanese: 大黒天

A ham actor. The litteral meaning of the word daikon is Japanese white radish.

In Japanese: 大根役者

Literally "great crest". A kimono for men: a robe with wide, billowing sleeves and a distinct family crest on the garnment.

In Japanese: 大紋

A Japanese feudal lord.

In Japanese: 大名

The traditional Japanese rice dumplings [more details].

In Japanese: 団子

Expression used for the triumvirat of Meiji tachiyaku stars: Ichikawa Danjûrô IX, Onoe Kikugorô V and Ichikawa Sadanji I.

In Japanese: 団菊左

The May program at the Kabukiza, which always features the Naritaya and Otowaya guilds, to commemorate the memory of the two Meiji stars Ichikawa Danjûrô IX and Onoe Kikugorô V and to perform their stage legacy. Dan = Ichikawa Danjûrô IX and Kiku = Onoe Kikugorô V. Sai is the Sino-Japanese reading of the word matsuri.

In Japanese: 団菊祭

The word danmari litteral meaning is "silence" or "to be silent". In Kabuki, the word danmari means also "fight in the dark". It is a pantomime, with actors moving slowly in the dark. There are 2 kinds of Danmari:

Sewa danmari: a danmari scene included in a sewamono drama. It is a highly choreographed fight in the dark, with a precious object moving from hand to hand up to the final pose.

Jidai danmari: ceremonial item performed as an independant play. In the past, a jidai danmari was a way to present a full troupe to the audience. It is a large-scaled pantomine made up of a succession of kata performed simultaneously by several actors, with a music accompaniment but without any dialogue.

In Japanese: 暗闘 (黙り)

The battle of Dan-no-Ura. A decisive Heike naval defeat against the Genji, which occured the 25th of April 1185 in the Shimonoseki Strait. This defeat led to the end of the Taira clan and sealed the victory of the Minamoto clan [more details in English/more details in Japanese].

In Japanese: 壇ノ浦の戦い

Dramas whose main character is the Ôsaka otokodate Danshichi. The role is based on a real man, a fishmonger in the city of Sakai (a port near Ôsaka), who became a murderer in the middle of winter in 1697. The first danshichimono was staged in Ôsaka in November 1698, under the title "Yadonashi Danshichi" (literally "Homeless Danshichi"), starring Kataoka Nizaemon I in the role of Danshichi. There are 3 danshichimono in the current Kabuki repertoire: "Natsu Matsuri" (premiere in August 1745), Namiki Shôzô I's "Yadonashi Danshichi" (premiere in September 1767) and Tsuruya Namboku IV's "Nazo no Obi Chotto Tokubei" (premiere in July 1811). The latter drama is, however, not a typical Ôsaka danshichimono as the play is set in Edo, not Ôsaka, and Danshichi is the villain.

In Japanese: 団七物

The Tatars.

In Japanese: 韃靼

A shop apprentice.

In Japanese: 丁稚

Usher working for a shibai jaya in a Edo Kabuki theater. Dekata were also in charge of delivering some food or sake to their clients during the Kabuki performances. Dekata disappeared in the Kabuki world during the Meiji era but this kind of work still exists and you can see working dekata during the sumô tournaments.

In Japanese: 出方

An actor's disciple.

In Japanese: 弟子

A comic actor (also called dôkeyaku).

In Japanese: 道化方 (道外方)

A curtain decorated with a landscape (a mansion wall, a forest...), temporarily used on stage for a short scene.

In Japanese: 道具幕

A curio shop.

In Japanese: 道具屋

A temple located in the province of Kishû (the current prefecture of Wakayama) and famous for its legend about Princess Kiyo and the priest Anchin:

"In former times there lived the beautiful daughter of a feudal lord in Kishû province. Once a year a young priest stopped at their mansion on his annual pilgrimage to the Kumano shrine. The lord told the girl one day that she was betrothed to the priest. Parents in those times, of course, arranged marriages for their children. The maiden believed her father and began to make advances towards the priest. To avoid temptation and fearing for the salvation of his soul, the young priest fled by night and hid in the bell of the Dôjôji temple. The maiden followed him but was stopped by the flood waters of the Hidaka River. Thereupon she changed into a serpent, crossed the river and coiled herself seven times round the temple bell. The bell melted under her venomous fire and the priest was destroyed." (A. C. Scott in "The Kabuki Theatre of Japan")

This legend was first adapted to the Nô theater, then to Kabuki (from 1731).

In Japanese: 道成寺

The Kabuki dance-dramas based on the legend of the Dôjôji temple. The most famous dôjôjimono is "Kyôganoko Musume Dôjôji".

In Japanese: 道成寺物

The pit of an Edo theater.

In Japanese: 土間

A famous temple in Ôsaka. It was built in 1752 to honour the soldiers who were killed during the 1615 Summer campaign. Its real name was Kyônyoan but it was nicknamed Dondoro Taishi because of the daimyô Doi Toshitsura (1789~1848), who was in service in Ôsaka Castle for the Shogunate from 1834 to 1837 and lived near the Kyônyoan. He assiduously prayed there and contributed to the fame of this temple. It was a custom to call it "Doi-dono Taishi", which became Dondoro Taishi in popular speech.

In Japanese: どんどろ大師

A bank or embankment along a river.

In Japanese: 土手

Dôtombori is a famous entertainment and theater district along the southern bank of the Dôtombori canal in Ôsaka [visuals/more details].

In Japanese: 道頓堀

A traditional storehouse with thick mortar walls.

In Japanese: 土蔵

Literally "the prawn bend". A beautiful pose done by the leading onnagata actor in a few dances or in the koroshiba scene of some jidaimono dramas. He bends backwards like a prawn as a form of gracious resistance against a threat, like an enormous axe in "Seki no To" or the torments of hell in "Sagi Musume".

In Japanese: 海老反り

A traditional hat worn by nobles in court dress.

In Japanese: 烏帽子

The old name of Tôkyô, the capital of the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo period.

In Japanese: 江戸

The Edo period:

"The Edo period is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1603 to 1867. The period marks the governance of the Edo or Tokugawa Shogunate which was officially established in 1603 by the first Edo shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. It ended in 1867 with the restoration of the Imperial rule by the 15th and last shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu. The Edo period is also known to be the beginning of the early modern period of Japan" (from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

In Japanese: 江戸時代

A child of Edo. The typical edokko is a hedonist young man loaded with cheeky humour, a strong sense of honor and a rebellious spirit. The most famous edokko in Kabuki is Sukeroku.

In Japanese: 江戸っ子

The three licensed Edo theaters: Nakamuraza, Moritaza and Ichimuraza.

In Japanese: 江戸三座

An illustrated book.

In Japanese: 絵本

An illustrated playbill.

In Japanese: 絵本番付　

A series of actors portraits enclosed in fan shapes, made in 1770 by both Ippitsusai Bunchô and Katsukawa Shunshô, which was published as a color illustrated book.

In Japanese: 絵本舞台扇

Collective mie done at the end of a jidaimono by actors in beautiful costums, forming a perfect line facing the audience.

In Japanese: 絵面の見得

The Great King of Buddhist Hell Emma.

In Japanese: 閻魔大王

A rupture scene between 2 lovers in front of many passive witnesses. The rupture is usually initiated by the woman, who is still in love with her partner but has to quit him in order to save his life. The word enkiri is made up of 2 ideogram, the first one "en" meaning link and the second one "kiri" meaning cut. The rejected lover is often driven to madness and the plays ends with a bloodbath. The most famous enkiriba is in the play "Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba".

In Japanese: 縁切場

A sewamono play containing an enkiriba scene.

In Japanese: 縁切物

An imperial era in Japanese history which started the 21st February 1744 and ended the 12th July 1748. The 2 eras before and after Enkyô were Kampô and Kan'en.

In Japanese: 延享

A collection of 18 large-scale dramas revived or created by Ichikawa Ennosuke III:

Futago Sumidagawa

Gohiiki Tsunagi Uma

Haji Momiji Ase no Kaomise

Hitori Tabi Gojûsan Tsugi

Jûni Hitoe Komachi Zakura

Jûnitoki Chûshingura

Kagamiyama Gonichi no Iwafuji

Kiku-no-En Tsuki no Shiranami

Kimi-wa-Fune Nami no Uwajima

Kinmon Gosan no Kiri

Kin no Zai Sarushima Dairi

Nansô Satomi Hakkenden

Ogasawara Shorei no Okunote

Tôryû Oguri Hangan

Shusse Taikôki

Tenjiku Tokubei Imayô Banashi

Yamato Takeru

Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura

In Japanese: 猿之助十八番

A collection of ten dances created by Ichikawa En'ô: "Akutarô", "Kurozuka", "Kôya Monogurui", "Kokaji", "Koma", "Ninin Sambasô", "Nomitori Otoko", "Hanami Yakko", "Yoi Yakko" and "Yoshinoyama"

In Japanese: 猿翁十種

An imperial era in Japanese history which started the 21st September 1673 and ended the 29th September 1681. The 2 eras before and after Enpô were Kanbun and Tenna.

In Japanese: 延宝

One of the "Wisdom Kings" (myôô - emanation of Buddha) and an esoteric Buddhist Deity, who fights Evil and protects ascetic priests. Fudô means literally immovable. The Ichikawa Danjûrô line of actors is closely related to the cult of Fudô Myôô.

In Japanese: 不動明王

A globefish; a blowfish; a balloonfish. This funny-looking fish is a delicacy in Japanese cuisine but it is poisonous if not cooked properly and a state license is needed in order to open a Fugu restaurant. The great actor Bandô Mitsugorô VIII dies of paralysis and convulsions after eating some Fugu liver in a Kyôto restaurant.

In Japanese: 河豚

A wisteria. The wisteria is an important pattern used on kimono or to decorate the stage. One of the most famous Kabuki dance is the Wisteria Maiden ("Fuji Musume").

In Japanese: 藤

Fujiwara no Mototsune (836~891) was the son of Fujiwara no Nagara and the adopted son of his uncle Fujiwara no Yoshifusa. He was the first kampaku in Japan history. Walking in the footsteps of his adoptive father, he helped the Fujiwara clan tightening its grip on the Imperial power.

In Japanese: 藤原基経

Fukagawa is an important district of Edo/Tôkyô, which is located 2km east of Nihombashi, on the Eastern side of the Sumidagawa river, across the famous Eitaibashi bridge. Fukagawa became an important pleasure quarter at the end of the Edo period. The geisha came into existence in the mid 19th century, in the vicinity of the Tomioka Hachiman Shrine in Fukagawa. Small boats used to moor near a tributary of the Sumidagawa river and in time boat houses that had begun dotting the shores developed into tea houses, which were frequented by the Fukagawa geisha. It is nowadays called shitamachi, like Asakusa, which refers to the old traditional part of Tôkyô. No more geisha but a nice place to visit if you go to Tôkyô.

In Japanese: 深川

Actor specialized in old women roles.

In Japanese: 老女方

Old people roles. The actors playing female fukeyaku roles are called fukeoyama. The actors playing male fukeyaku roles are called oyajigata.

In Japanese: 老役

Short shosagoto.

In Japanese: 振事

A long-sleeved kimono.

In Japanese: 振袖

A dance choreographer.

In Japanese: 振付

Another name of the famous Isonokami Jingû shrine, which is located in the city of Tenri in the Nara prefecture.

In Japanese: 布留神社

Elegant sexy stylish girl.

In Japanese: 風流娘

The traditional Japanese sliding paper door.

In Japanese: 襖

Futa omote means double face. In Kabuki, it is a double possession, one ghost with two spirits inside. For example, the souls of lovers who have committed suicide may reunite in one half-man half-woman evil vengeful spirit. futa-omotemono are dance-dramas whose leading role is a futa omote character. The two most famous examples in the current Kabuki repertoire are "Futa Omote Mizu ni Terutsuki" and "Futa Omote Dôjôji".

In Japanese: 双面物

Dramas or dances whose main characters are Nagoya Sanza and his arch-enemy Fuwa Banzaemon. They are rival in love as Banzaemon longs for the courtesan Katsuragi, who is none other than Sanza's wife. She has sold herself into prostitution to help her husband, becoming a prestigious courtesan. Despite her fame and fortune, she is still in love with Sanza. The story is also about Banzaemon's murder of Sanza's father, the revenge of Sanza and his henchman Umezu Kamon, and the final happy union of Sanza and Katsuragi. The best example of fuwa-nagoyamono is the famous "Sayaate".

In Japanese: 不破名古屋物

Dances featuring characters from the daily life of 19th century Edo (courtesy of Paul M. Griffith).

In Japanese: 風俗舞踊

A dressing room; the backstage.

In Japanese: 楽屋

The wars for power between the Minamoto clan (also called Genji) and the Taira clan (also called Heike). The word Gempei is in fact the contraction made up of the Gen from Genji and the Hei from Heike. It makes one of the most important Kabuki worlds (sekai). Its heroes are the leading warriors of the Minamoto and Taira clans, fighting each other to rule Japan: Minamoto Yoshitsune, Taira Tomomori, Taira Kagekiyo, Kagekiyo's wife Akoya, Kajiwara Heizô Kagetoki...

In Japanese: 源平合戦物

An imperial era in Japanese history which started the 28th April 1736 and ended the 27th February 1741. The 2 eras before and after Genbun were Kyôhô and Kampô.

In Japanese: 元文

Literally Family of Minamoto. Gen is the Sino-Japanese reading of Minamoto. The Minamoto clan was one of the major Japanese clans in feodal Japan. They defeated the Heike clan, their arch-enemy, to rule over Japan [more details].

In Japanese: 源氏

An imperial era in Japanese history which started the 20th February 1864 and ended the 7th April 1865. The 2 eras before and after Genji were Bunkyû and Keiô.

In Japanese: 元治

"Genji Monogatari" is a Japanese literature classic, which was written by Murasaki Shikibu at the beginning of the 11th Century, at the peak of the Heian Period [more details].

In Japanese: 源氏物語

An imperial era in Japanese history which started the 13th July 1615 and ended the 30th February 1624. The 2 eras before and after Genna were Keichô and Kan'ei.

In Japanese: 元和

In Japanese history, the Genroku period is not only an imperial era but it also stands as a symbol of the flourishing popular culture in Japan, which reaches its peak during the Genroku era (the 1690s). The Genroku era started the 30th September 1688 and ended the 13th March 1704. The 2 eras before and after Genroku were Jôkyô and Hôei.

For more details check the following page!

In Japanese: 元禄

Japanese traditional wooden clogs.

In Japanese: 下駄

A small black room with a slatted window, located on the left side of the stage and used by some musicians in charge of background musics and sound effects. They are shamisen, stick or hand drums, bell and flutes players. The Geza is also called Kuromisu. The Geza ensemble is known as Kagebayashi ("The hidden orchestra").

In Japanese: 下座

A style of musical narration in the puppet theatre (ningyô jôruri) and in the gidayû kyôgen of Kabuki, created by Takemoto Gidayû in Ôsaka in 1684.

In Japanese: 義太夫

Drama originally written for the puppet theater (ningyô jôruri, commonly called Bunraku) and adapted to Kabuki [=> maruhonmono].

In Japanese: 義太夫狂言

A famous pleasure quarter in Kyôto.

In Japanese: 祇園

The conflict between obligation (giri in Japanese) and human feelings (ninjô):

"In these conflicts the hero is torn between his sense of duty and the dictates of his heart. Sometimes one, sometimes the other wins out; but the result is usually death either way. There is rarely a reward for him." (Faubion Bowers in "Japanese Theatre")

"The greatest obstacle to the enjoyment of Chikamatsu by a Western reader is undoubtedly his morality. The chief elements of this morality were giri (obligation) and ninjô (human feelings), generally depicted as warring with each other. The meanings of giri varied considerably according to the circumstances. It might mean obligation to members of one's own family, to fellow townsmen, to one's class, or to society at large, or refer to something closer to the abstract concept of honor. Ninjô represented the human sentiments balancing the austere ideals of giri." (Donald Keene in "Major Plays of Chikamatsu")

In Japanese: 義理·人情

A traditional Japanese board game.

In Japanese: 碁

A traditional Go wooden board.

In Japanese: 碁盤

A series of plays based on a real event: in 1737, the warrior Hayada Hachiemon, from Satsuma, killed several people in an Ôsaka bath-house named Sakura, including the bath-house girl (yuna) Kikuno, whom he loved but was already engaged with a man named Sen'ya Zengobei. This sad story was dramatized in several different plays with different names for the three main characters. The girl was named not only Kikuno but also Sakuraya Oman or Koman. The killer was either Katsuma Gengobei or Satsuma Gengobei. The girl's lover was Sasano Sangobei or Sasanoya Sangorô. The godairikimono are the plays dealing with this story and it comes from the expression godairiki, which is used in Japanese for the five bodhisattvas enumerated in the Benevolent Kings Sutra. This expression plays an important role in the story, either Namiki Gohei I's "Godairiki Koi no Fûjime" or Tsuruya Namboku IV's "Kamikakete Sango Taisetsu", the two most important godairikimono. In the former drama, it was written on the girl's shamisen whereas in the latter drama it was tattooed on her arm. With a little graphic modification of the ideogram, the meaning could simply be changed into sango taisetsu, which means "Sango is important to me" (Sango being Sangobei or Sangorô), leading to the murder of Kikuno/Koman by the jealous Gengobei.

In Japanese: 五大力物

The fifth actor in a lineage.

In Japanese: 五代目

An extremely prestigious rank in a hyôbanki. Possible translation: extreme - superior - superior - excellent.

In Japanese: 極上上吉

Expression coming from the English "Golden Combination" and used to design a successful couple (onnagata/tachiyaku) of actors. The most famous ones in Kabuki history were Iwai Hanshirô V/Matsumoto Kôshirô V, Onoe Baikô VI/Ichimura Uzaemon XV or Onoe Baikô VII/Ichikawa Danjûrô XI. Nowadays the best goruden kombi is the duo Bandô Tamasaburô/Kataoka Nizaemon.

In Japanese: ゴルデンコンビ

A medieval 3-year war in Ôshû, which started in 1083 and ended in 1087. It started in the Kiyohara clan, with Kiyohara Sanehira on one side and the half-brothers Fujiwara Kiyohira and Kiyohara Iehira on the other. The brothers were supported by Minamoto Yoshiie, the victor of the zenkunen war. After the death of Sanehira, the brothers quarreled and fought each other. Yoshiie was on Kiyohira's side and they finally defeated Iehira.

In Japanese: 後三年