A townsfolk' daughter.

In Japanese: 町娘

A forelock.

In Japanese: 前髪

An imperial era in Japanese history which started the 18th Marchy 1860 and ended the 19th February 1861. The 2 eras before and after Manji were Ansei and Bunkyû.

In Japanese: 万延

An imperial era in Japanese history which started the 23rd July 1658 and ended the 25th April 1661. The 2 eras before and after Manji were Meireki and Kanbun.

In Japanese: 万治

Kabuki dramas adapted from the puppet theater (Ningyô Jôruri) [=> gidayû kyôgen].

In Japanese: 丸本物

A wandering gambler.

In Japanese: 股旅

Drama depicting the adventures of a wandering gambler.

In Japanese: 股旅物

The pine tree.

In Japanese: 松

Nô drama or Kyôgen (Nô farce) adapted to Kabuki, using a giant pine tree backdrop (matsubame in Japanese) as the main stage setting.

In Japanese: 松羽目物

Dramas or dances, which deal with the two famous salt-making sisters Matsukaze and Murasame, who both fell in love with the same man, the courtier Ariwara no Yukihira (818~893), an exile at Suma. This story, along with several of Yukihira's poems from famous compilations, form the basis of Kan'ami's (1333~84) Nô play, which was titled "Matsukaze" and in which the ghosts of Matsukaze and Murasame wait at Suma beach for Yukihira's promised return, cherishing his outer cloak and cap left as keepsakes.

In Japanese: 松風村雨物

A festival sponsored by a local shrine or temple. It usually features a procession of portable shrines, which serve as vehicle for deities.

In Japanese: 祭

Guild name (yagô) for the actors Kataoka Nizaemon, Kataoka Gatô, Kataoka Roen, Kataoka Hidetarô, Kataoka Ainosuke, Kataoka Kamezô, Kataoka Ichizô, Kataoka Takatarô and Kataoka Shinnosuke.

In Japanese: 松島屋

A revolving stage.

In Japanese: 回り舞台

Literally "wife revenge". The Tokugawa legal code gave the samurai husband, who was victim of adultery, the right to do a "wife revenge" (megatakiuchi), usually by murdering both his wife and her lover.

In Japanese: 女敵討

In Japanese history, the Meiji period is an imperial era which started the 8th September 1868 and ended the 30th July 1912. The 2 eras before and after Meiji were Keiô and Taishô.

In Japanese: 明治

An imperial era in Japanese history which started the 13th April 1655 and ended the 23rd July 1658. The 2 eras before and after Meireki were Jôô and Manji.

In Japanese: 明暦

In Japanese history, the Meiwa period is an imperial era which started the 2nd June 1764 and ended the 16th November 1772. The 2 eras before and after Meiwa were Hôreki and An'ei.

In Japanese: 明和

The Chinese Ming Empire.

In Japanese: 明帝

A mask.

In Japanese: 面

One of the twelve signs of the zodiac (jûnishi). Mi is the sign of the snake.

In Japanese: 巳

A dance interlude, which is part of a Kabuki drama. It generally depicts two young lovers on the way to commit suicide or two travelling characters with a romantic implication attached to their journey. Some famous michiyuki are frequently performed independently from their drama ("Yoshinoyama"). Others are the only surviving scene of a forgotten drama ("Kasane").

In Japanese: 道行

A Kabuki program made up of an act from a historical play (jidaimono), a dance number (shosagoto) and a realistic play (sewamono).

In Japanese: 見取

An action-crystallizing self-contained dramatic pose performed by a tachiyaku actor.

"The mie has a motionless quality about it; it is the climax to all preceding movement. It may be likened to the curve of a shooting star through the sky, there is a bright flash but the flash is the apex in an arc of light, which to the eye rises and fades with even speed. This is the quality which is so important in a mie, it must merge in the action which precedes and follows without any apparent effort. It is unquestionably a difficult art to acquire and one which was practised far more in former times than it is today. According to many Japanese critics the real art of the mie has been lost and modern actors fail to get the quality of continuity in their action. Whether this is so or not, it remains a dramatic technique which appeals with its naïvety of exaggeration" (A. C. Scott in "The Kabuki Theatre of Japan").

"Mie poses are struck at moments of heightened tension and, like a picture or a sculpture they present to the audience in physical form a powerful crystallization of emotion (Paul M. Griffith)".

In Japanese: 見得

A scene or a drama with a substitution of one person for another. "Dramatic pathos is often created by substituting one's child for that of one's Lord, either as an act of penance or as an unsolicited gesture of loyalty." (from "The Kabuki Handbook")

In Japanese: 身替り物

Guild name (yagô) for the actors Ichikawa Danzô, Ichikawa Ginnosuke and Ichikawa Momotarô [more details].

In Japanese: 三河屋

Old province, which corresponds grosso modo to the central and southern part of the current prefecture of Gifu. It was also called Nôshû.

In Japanese: 美濃

A traditional set of three large sake cups.

In Japanese: 三組杯

This term can roughly be translated as "selling one’s body". In the Edo period, it was not uncommon for a woman or a daughter to sell herself to a brothel in order to help her family (either merchants or samurais) in difficult times. This is a common element in many Kabuki plots.

"Ces moyens extrêmes sont moins ressentis comme infamants que comme décisions héroïques permettant de satisfaire jusqu'au bout aux vertus cardinales de la morale confucéenne : respect du père et du mari" (Pierre Faure in "Le Kabuki et ses écrivains")

In Japanese: 身売り

Kabuki dramas written by the writer Mishima Yukio (1925-1970). The two most famous ones are "Iwashi Uri Koi no Hikiami" (1954) and "Chinsetsu Yumihari Zuki" (1969).

In Japanese: 三島歌舞伎

Kabuki performances stages in the precincts of temples or shrines.

In Japanese: 宮地芝居

One school of music in Kamigata, which was created by a disciple of Miyakoji Sonohachi, who was himself a disciple of Miyakoji Bungonojô. He took the name of Miyazono Sonohachi in 1762 and held it up to 1766, when he became Miyazono Ranbôken. This style is also called Sonohachi.

In Japanese: 宮薗

Guild name (yagô) for the actor Kamimura Kichiya.

In Japanese: 美吉屋

The move from bad to good for a character, a villain at the beginning of the play who repents of all his bad deeds at the end. Committing ritual suicide or mortally wounded by a character on the good side, he reveals to the audience that he has secretly accomplished some good deeds leading to the salvation of the heroes of the play. He dies as a noble-hearted character. The best example is Igami no Gonta in the "Sushiya" scene of the classic "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".

In Japanese: 戻り

The maple leaves in Autumn.

In Japanese: 紅葉

A family crest.

In Japanese: 紋

An important scene in a Kabuki drama in which the leading character tells the story of past events, with words or in mime, using only his fan to describe some actions. A famous example of monogatari is the one made by the warrior Saitô Bettô Sanemori in the "Sanemori Monogatari" scene of the epic drama "Gempei Nunobiki no Taki".

In Japanese: 物語

Kabuki dance or drama in which the leading character is a street peddler, selling for example moxa ("Uirô Uri"), dumpling ("Dango Uri"), fermented soja ("Nattô Uri") or Bonito ("Katsuo Uri").

In Japanese: 物売物

One of the 3 most famous Edo theaters (Edo Sanza) [more details].

In Japanese: 守田座 (森田座)

A traditional paper string used to tie the topknot of a chonmage hairstyle. Another possible and common reading for this word is motoyui.

"In ancient times, a braided cord or hemp string was used, but during the Edo period a type of paper string called a mizuhiki" began to be used for tying the topknots. Motoyui were made in a long process that involved braiding thin strips of paper together, drying them in the sun, polishing them with rice powder and finally giving them a lustrous finish using glutinous-rice powder. Motoyui were once essential everyday items and what's more were only used once. Even today when tying hair in the traditional Japanese hairstyle the hair is said to not sit properly without a motoyui." (source: Ishikawa prefecture website)

In Japanese: 元結

The legendary Bell of Hell. The person who strikes this bell becomes immensely rich in this world but will go directly to hell after his/her death to suffer eternally. In Kabuki, many dances were created based on this legend and in association with the world of courtesans, always desperately helping their lover in need of money and ready to sacrifice themselves by striking the Bell of Hell. Nowadays, the only surviving mugen no kane scene is part of one act of the epic drama "Hirakana Seisuiki", commonly called "Mugen no Kane" or "Kanzaki Ageya".

In Japanese: 無限の鐘

A very prestigious rank in a hyôbanki. Possible translation: unequaled.

In Japanese: 無類

A daughter.

In Japanese: 娘

An actor specialized in musume roles.

In Japanese: 娘方

Special actor status setup during the Meiji era and awarded to actors who were considered by their elders as "fully-fledged", enabling them to play more significant roles. Nowadays, it is a very difficult exam for Kabuki actors, in theory mandatory for the stars' sons but some do not care (need) to take the exam, open to actors after 10 years of training and stage appearance.

"There are three ranks of nadai: ônadai, chûnadai and hiranadai (major nadai, middle nadai and ordinary nadai). Major Kabuki roles are played by ônadai, while the supporting roles are played by chûnadai. The kind of roles an actor plays is determined by the status of his family. The actors who play the main roles, the ônadai, are the bosses of the Kabuki world; [...] The chûnadai are below them in rank, and then the hiranadai. Although there is no formal way of separating these ranks, this is the way that actors think about the status of Kabuki actors." (Nakamura Matazô in "Kabuki Backstage, Onstage")

The minor actors who are not nadai are called nadaishita ("below nadai") and make up the bottom league of Kabuki actors.

In Japanese: 名題

In the Edo period, a nadai was the owner of the right to organize Kabuki performances in Kamigata. Just like the zamoto in Edo, the circle of nadai in Kyôto or Ôsaka was limited to a few families, who transmitted their names and rights from father to (adopted) son, especially in Kyôto. Here are a few names: Shioya Kuroemon (Ôsaka), Ôsaka Kuzaemon (Ôsaka), Ôsaka Tazaemon (Ôsaka), Fukunaga Tazaemon (Ôsaka), Matsumoto Nazaemon (Ôsaka), Miyako Mandayû (Kyôto), Hoteiya Umenojô (Kyôto), Hayagumo Chôdayû (Kyôto), Kameya Kumenojô (Kyôto) and Ebisuya Kichirôbei (Kyôto).

In Japanese: 名代

Traditional long trailing hakama (trousers).

In Japanese: 長袴

Literally "long song". One of the most important schools of traditional music:

"When the shamisen was first used in the Kabuki, probably sometime before 1650, the music played was a type of Kouta. These short songs, however, were found to be insufficient for the extended dances that were being developed. Longer pieces were written, and by around 1740 a new, mature form of Nagauta was created which had all the lyricism of the shorter forms plus the sustaining power of the more narrative music. After the time of the first Kineya Kisaburô (early eighteenth century), many of the earlier forms of Kabuki music and the older styles of Nagauta were absorbed into this one form. The fame of Nagauta and the Kineya clan of musicians spread side by side through all the theatres." (William Malm in "Japanese Music and Musical Instruments")

"Nagauta was created entirely to meet the requirements of the Kabuki theatre and became a musical style which served a number of purposes on the stage. A notable feature of its development lay in the fact that it received a great deal of inspiration from the music of the Nô theatre and the yôkyoku, vocal music of the Nô, was adopted into Nagauta, but was used with the shamisen, an instrument completely foreign to the Nô orchestra. The latter, known as hayashi, consisted of kan or flute, taiko, a drum beaten with two sticks, kotsuzumi, a small drum played on the shoulder, and ôtsuzumi, a slightly larger drum played at the waist. These instruments were taken into the orchestra with the shamisen and the special music they gave rise to marks Nagauta apart from all other styles. Nagauta may be described as the general purpose music of the Kabuki theatre. It is popular for dance plays but it serves many other needs as well." (A. C. Scott in "The Kabuki Theatre of Japan")

In Japanese: 長唄

Guild name (yagô) for the actors Nakamura Kanzaburô, Nakamura Kantarô, Nakamura Kosanza and Nakamura Shichinosuke.

In Japanese: 中村屋

One of the 3 most famous Edo theaters (Edo Sanza) [more details].

In Japanese: 中村座

An intermediate rank in a hyôbanki. Possible translation: superior - superior in the middle class.

In Japanese: 中ノ上上

An alternate trade route to the Tôkaidô, running from Nihonbashi in Edo to Sanjô Ôhashi in Kyôto. This road was 534 km long and there were 69 Stations [more details].

In Japanese: 中山道

The old name of Ôsaka.

In Japanese: 浪速 / 難波 / 浪花

Guild name (yagô) for the actors Nakamura Shikan, Nakamura Ganjirô, Nakamura Fukusuke, Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Senjaku, Nakamura Kanjaku, Nakamura Shinobu and Nakamura Tamatarô [more details].

In Japanese: 成駒屋

Guild name (yagô) for the actors Ichikawa Danjûrô, Ichikawa Ebizô and Ichikawa Shinzô [more details].

In Japanese: 成田屋

One of the twelve signs of the zodiac (jûnishi). Ne is the sign of the rat.

In Japanese: 子

The second section of a Kabuki program during the Edo period [more details].

Nibanme has also the meaning of sewamono.

Synonyms: nibanmemono, nibanme kyôgen.

In Japanese: 二番目

Nigatsudô is one of the important structures of the Tôdaiji temple in Nara. It is on the hillside of Mount Wakakusa [more details].

In Japanese: 二月堂

The Nihon Embankment. One of the 100 famous views in Edo.
"The traveller could get to the Yoshiwara overland, but the most common way was to be taken by boat, alight at the San'ya Ditch, then walk or be carried to the Great Gateway along a pathway called the Nihon Embankment; originally nihon was written to mean 'two paths', denoting that it need not be trodden single file, but this was later rewritten with the meaning 'Japan'. The embankment was raised above marshland, with water visible on either side, on clear nights reflecting the moon (the planet of yin). The traveller then turned left and went down a hill called Clothing Slope (Emon-zaka) into the lower, wetter world of the well-clad female, finally crossing into the moated Yoshiwara across more water. It was conventional to depict the Nihon Embankment not only in moonlight (which is how it would have been viewed, since the quarter was only visited by night) but also in the rain - that is, sodden with the elementary force of the yin."
(Timon Screech in "Sex and the floating world: erotic images in Japan, 1700-1820")

In Japanese: 日本堤

Literally "second floor hairdresser". Hairdresser specialized in female roles wigs.

In Japanese: 二階床山

Actor specialized in the roles of handsome and refined young lovers, often performed in the wagoto style.

In Japanese: 二枚目

A way of acting which imitates the exaggerated motions of the puppets. A stage assistant, dressed as a puppeteer, is behind the actor and gives the illusion that he is handling the puppet.

In Japanese: 人形振り

A genre of illustrated romantic fiction in 19th century Japan.

In Japanese: 人情本

This is the traditional mie of the Ichikawa clan, which is used in important kôjô (shûmei). The word nirami comes from the verb niramu, which means "to glare at". At the beginning, Kamigata katakiyaku actors used to glare to the audience with eyes rolling over in their sockets. Ichikawa Danjûrô I decided to use this technique for himself when he was on tour in Kyôto in 1693/1694. Here is the method for a nirami no mie: the actor has to remove one arm from his outer sleeves, take with his left hand a small wooden tray holding a ceremonial scroll, close the fist of his right hand and put it on his chest, rest one knee on the ceremonial red carpet, then strike his terrifying glaring mie at the audience. It is said that if you can catch the actor eyes, you won't catch any cold during the coming year.

In Japanese: にらみの見得

Old province, which corresponds grosso modo to the central and southern part of the current prefecture of Gifu. It was also called Mino.

In Japanese: 濃洲

The fusion of two arts into one: puppetry (ningyô or ningyô shibai) and chanted narrative (jôruri). It is also commonly called Bunraku.

In Japanese: 人形浄瑠璃

A love scene in a Kabuki drama.

In Japanese: 濡れ場

Synonymous with nureba; style and techniques used by an actor portraying either a young man or a young woman in a love scene (nureba).

"The word for love scene in the Kabuki is nuregoto, which means, literally, "moist business". In a curtain speech at the Ichimuraza in Edo just after permission to erect a roof had been received, the leading actor said, 'Hereafter we will not do any more love scenes (nuregoto), for we have received permission to put up a roof." (Earle Ernst in "The Kabuki Theatre")

In Japanese: 濡れ事

A wife role.

In Japanese: 女房