7 shows in Tôkyô (Kabukiza, Shimbashi Embujô, National Theater, Theatre Ginza, Setagaya Public Theatre), 1 in Ôsaka (National Bunraku Theater) and 1 in Nagoya (Chûnichi Gekijô)!

The Naritaya (Ichikawa Danjûrô and his son Ichikawa Ebizô), Otowaya (Onoe Kikugorô, his son Onoe Kikunosuke and Onoe Shôroku), Nakamura Jakuemon, Bandô Mitsugorô and Nakamura Tokizô perform at the Kabukiza!

Nakamura Kichiemon, Nakamura Shibajaku, Nakamura Shinjirô and Ichikawa Danshirô perform at the Shimbashi Embujô!

Bandô Tamasaburô performs at the Setagaya Public Theatre!

The Zenshinza troupe performs at the National Theater!

Ichikawa Ennosuke's troupe performs at the Chûnichi Gekijô!

Ichikawa Danjûrô, Onoe Kikugorô, Nakamura Jakuemon, Bandô Mitsugorô, Nakamura Tokizô, Nakamura Baigyoku, Ichikawa Sadanji, Sawamura Tanosuke, Ichikawa Ebizô, Onoe Kikunosuke, Onoe Shôroku, Bandô Hikosaburô

This program celebrates the comeback on stage of Ichikawa Danjûrô, who fell sick in August 2005; he plays the bombastic role of the moxa peddler, in reality Soga Gorô Tokimune, in the drama "Uirô Uri".

Edo no Yûbae: the sunset of the title is the passing of the world of the Edo period with Japan's opening to the west and modernization. This play by novelist Osaragi Jirô, written in 1952, shows two members of the samurai class and how they dealt with the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate and their loss of rank in the new world of Meiji Japan. One decides to fight the new order while the other escapes into dissipation and pleasure. Starring the popular young stars Ichikawa Ebizô and Onoe Shôroku.

Kaminari Sendô: handsome boatmen crossing the Sumida River were the popular idols of the Edo Period, but the only thing they feared was lightning. This humorous dance shows a boatman and the thunder god carrying his drums and dressed in an animal skin loincloth. Starring Onoe Shôroku as the boatman.

Uirô Uri: there are many plays based on the revenge by the Soga brothers on Kudô Suketsune, the man that arranged to have their father killed. In this particular play, this dramatic fight is transformed into light fantasy by showing one of the Soga brothers disguised as a peddler of Uirô, a medicine that makes it possible to speak quickly and elegantly. The highlight of the play is a long speech full of puns and wordplays. Starring Ichikawa Danjûrô as the peddler.

Gonza to Sukejû: in this comedy by Okamoto Kidô, two palanquin bearers constantly argue and their wives, but when they witness a murder, it changes everything in the nagaya tenement where they live. This modern play takes one of the classic stories of the wise magistrage Ôoka Echizen and looks at it from the point of view of common townspeople. Starring Onoe Kikugorô and Bandô Mitsugorô in the roles of Gonza and Sukejû.

Domo Mata: the artist Matahei has been refused a professional name because of his stuttering. He makes a poor life by drawing folk paintings and decides to make one last effort to gain respectability. His wife Otoku, who is given as much to chatter as Matahei is silent, pleads his case. Turned down again by his master, Matahei decides to take his life. He draws a farewell portrait of himself, a painting so skillful that the lines seep through solid rock and this miracle convinces his master to confer a professional name. Starring Bandô Mitsugorô as Matahei and Nakamura Tokizô as his wife Otoku.

Yasuna: after the death of his lover, the handsome young Yasuna wanders through the open fields madly searching for his love. The tragedy is a contrast to the beautiful setting, a field of brilliant yellow flowers and the lush, sensuous Kiyomoto narrative music that accompanies it. Starring the young star Onoe Kikunosuke in the role of Yasuna.

Fuji Musume: the spirit of wisteria blossoms dances of love in the form of a beautiful young maiden. One of Kabuki's most famous and colorful dances, it will feature the dancing skills of Ichikawa Ebizô.

Kurotegumi Kuruwa no Tatehiki: this play by the 19th century playwright Kawatake Mokuami combines the sunny world of the Kabuki classic "Sukeroku", the handsome hero Sukeroku and his lover Agemaki, the top courtesan in the Yoshiwara, with his own dark world of thieves and absconding clerks and the ironic twists of karma. Featuring Onoe Kikugorô as Sukeroku and the comic clerk Gonkurô and Nakamura Jakuemon as Agemaki.

Source: Earphone Guide website

Nakamura Kichiemon, Nakamura Shibajaku, Nakamura Shinjirô, Ichikawa Danshirô, Nakamura Fukusuke, Nakamura Kashô, Nakamura Karoku

The star Nakamura Kichiemon performs for the second time the spectacular role of the thief Ishikawa Goemon in the drama "Zôho Futatsu Domoe", which ends with an amazing chûnori. He also plays in the first program the great role of Danshichi Kurobei in "Natsu Matsuri".

Hitoyo: ???

Kotobuki Shiki Sambasô: Okina is the oldest ritual in the Nô theater. This Kabuki version shows Okina, an old man who symbolizes eternal youth, his attendant Senzai and the vigorous Sambasô, who perform dances solemnly for good fortune. Sambasô dances vigorously, stamping and shaking bells, praying for agricultural fertility and prosperity for all. This version features two Sambasô, played by Ichikawa Somegorô and Ichikawa Kamejirô.

Natsu Matsuri: this grisly murder story became a smashing hit when it was first performed in 1745 because of the chivalrous spirit of the many Ôsaka characters appearing in this story, the contrast between a brutal murder and the jovial mood of a summer festival, and the splashing of real water used on the stage. Danshichi, a gallant fishmonger, does everything he can to protect the weak young son of his patron with the help of his companion Tokubei and the older Sabu. Although even Tokubei's wife Otatsu heroically helps out, in the end, Danshichi is betrayed by his evil father-in-law Giheiji and, in the most famous scene of the play, must kill him in a mud-covered fight in a lonely alley with the shouts of the local festival nearby. This program stars Nakamura Kichiemon as Danshichi, with Nakamura Shinjirô, Ichikawa Danshirô and Nakamura Fukusuke as Tokubei, Sabu and Otatsu.

Ishikawa Goemon: in the time of the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Ishikawa Goemon was a famous larger-than-life thief. When he was executed by being boiled alive, he is said to have defiantly said that the sands on the beach may run out but thieves will never disappear from this world. In this play, a rare revival, Goemon hides in a giant basket, which then flies through the air. As the basket goes to the ceiling of the theater, suddenly Goemon burst out and travels triumphantly through the sky. This production stars Nakamura Kichiemon as Goemon.

Musume Dôjôji: a beautiful young woman dances under cherry blossoms at a dedication ceremony for a temple bell. She dances the many aspects of a woman in love, but is actually the spirit of a serpent, driven to destroy the bell out of jealousy. In addition to being the most famous of all Kabuki dances, "Musume Dôjôji" is considered to be the pinnacle of the art of the onnagata. The role of the shirabyôshi is played by Nakamura Fukusuke.

Shôchikubai Yushima no Kakegaku: Oshichi was a grocer's daughter who fell in love with a temple page named Kichisaburô when her family took refuge in a temple after a fire. She so wanted to see him that she set a fire, even though the penalty for arson was death. The story of Oshichi is famous in many theatrical versions, but this particular one features the antics of the middle-aged man Beniya Chôbei (commonly called Benchô) who is in love with her. Starring Nakamura Kichiemon as Benchô, Ichikawa Kamejirô as Oshichi and Ichikawa Somegorô as Kichisaburô.

Source: Earphone Guide website

Ichikawa Ukon, Ichikawa Danjirô, Ichikawa Emiya, Ichikawa Monnosuke, Ichikawa Emisaburô, Nakamura Karoku, Ichikawa Shun'en, Ichikawa En'ya

The Omodakaya guild in a new production, without Ichikawa Ennosuke (still on sick leave).

Nakamura Umenosuke, Arashi Keishi, Kawarazaki Kunitarô, Nakamura Baijaku, Segawa Kikunojô, Fujikawa Yanosuke, Nakamura Tsuruzô, Nakamura Seinosuke, Yamazaki Ryûnosuke, Yamazaki Kyôka, Yamazaki Tatsusaburô, Osagawa Genjirô, Anegawa Shinnosuke

The Zenshinza troupe celebrates its 75th anniversary by producing Tsuruya Namboku IV's "Nazo no Obi Chotto Tokubei" and Kawatake Mokuami's "Sakanaya Sôgorô". Arashi Keishi, Nakamura Baijaku and Kawarazaki Kunitarô plays the roles of Ôshima Danshichi, Azumaya Tokubei and Okaji/Otatsu in the former drama. Nakamura Umenosuke and Segawa Kikunojô plays the roles of Sôgorô and Ohama in the latter drama.

5th edition of an original program called "Heisei Wakashû Kabuki" (the young men's Kabuki of the Heisei imperial era); the leader of this troupe is the rising star Kataoka Ainosuke. This troupe gives a performance in Tôkyô for the first time!

Telling the story of the principal goddess of Shintô mythology and the progenitor of the imperial line, Amaterasu, say the Kodô taiko drummers and Kabuki star Bandô Tamasaburô, is intended to tackle the thorny issues of "Japan’s place in the world" and its "past vs. present". The project is the culmination of several years of collaboration between Kodô and Bandô Tamasaburô that began when the actor traveled to Kodô’s commune on far-flung Sado Island to prepare for their 2003 concert series, in which Bandô Tamasaburô choreographed the group. In a press conference held at the end of last year to announce Amaterasu, Bandô Tamasaburô explained the genesis of the project. "I took my first of several trips to Sado Island in 2000 and directed the Kodô One Earth Tour Special in 2003. Immediately after that project was over, I thought, "Next time we’ll take to the stage together", and discussed the idea with Kodô. We thought that the best theme for this project would be Japanese mythology, and Amaterasu was born". According to ancient Japanese chronicles, the sun goddess Amaterasu, angered by the unruly behavior of her younger brother, the storm god Susanoo, retreated into a cave and left the world in darkness. Finally the goddess Ama-no-Uzume and others were able to lure Amaterasu from her cave with a dance. The sun goddess resumed her position in the heavens, and light and order were restored. Bandô Tamasaburô, renowned for playing onnagata female roles in Kabuki, will play Amaterasu, and the Kodô drummers act as the other gods.

Source: Dan Grunebaum

The staging of "Amaterasu" celebrates the 25th year of the Kodô troupe!

Bandô Takesaburô, Bandô Shinsha, Bandô Takeyuki, Bandô Takeaki

3rd edition of a special program produced by the Taketokai, an association which patronizes Bandô Takesaburô and his three disciples. The first item in this program is a modern version of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's masterpiece "Daikyôji Mukashi Goyomi" written by the playwright Ômori Chisetsu. The others are dances.