2014 in figures:

600 actors pages

400 summaries

400 actors lines

40 playwrights

1500 entries in the Kabuki play dictionary

I would like to thank very much all the friends who helped me building this site. Happy new year of the Sheep 2015. We all wish that 2015 will be the year of a quick comeback on stage for Nakamura Fukusuke and a successful series of shûmei performances for Nakamura Ganjirô IV!

ACTORS: Onoyama Ujiemon and Ôtori Michiemon.

PLAYS: "Ôuchi".

PLAYWRIGHTS: Kawatake Shinshichi I.

CONTEMPORARY ACTORS: Ichikawa Chûsha.

PRINTS:

ACTORS LINES: Bandô Kakitsu, Bandô Matajûrô, Bandô Matasaburô, Bandô Minosuke, Bandô Mitahachi, Bandô Momotarô, Bandô Moriwaka, Bandô Tamanosuke and Bandô Yamato.

KAOMISE: Kyôto 1716.

THEATERS: Asahiza.

STROLLING AROUND: Five Thieves in Asakusa.

PROGRAMS: January 2015 (details for the Asakusa Kôkaidô and Shimbashi Embujô programs, National Theatre), February 2015 (Kabukiza, Ôtsuka Museum of Art), March 2015 (Kabukiza) and April 2015 (Chûnichi Theatre).

OTHERS: 2 new links; 6 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; the pages on the Nakamura Ganjirô and Nakamura Kankurô lines of actors are reworked; the page on "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura" is edited; the page on the Jitsukawa Entarô line of actors is modified; a new illustration for the drama "Sodehagi Saimon"; two new pictures for the actor Onoe Kikujirô IV, one on the actor page and one on the line page; a new illustration for Nakamura Kankurô VI and Nakamura Shidô II; dôtombori goza, gandô-gaeshi, goshirakawa tennô and ôgiri are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: Arashi San'emon XI.

PLAYS: "Ôtô-no-Miya Asahi no Yoroi".

PLAYWRIGHTS: Katsu Hyôsuke and Katsui Gempachi.

CONTEMPORARY ACTORS: Onoe Kikujûrô.

ACTORS LINES: Fujimatsu Sanjûrô, Ichikawa Shinjûrô, Ichiyama Shichijûrô, Murayama Heijûrô, Onoe Kikujûrô and Yamanaka Heijûrô.

KAOMISE: Edo 1714, Kyôto 1714 and Ôsaka 1714.

KABUKI VISUAL ENCYCLOPEDIA: Iwai-maku.

DERIVATIVES: Aragoto Training Shoes.

PROGRAMS: December 2014 (details for the Minamiza, National Theatre and Kabukiza programs), January 2015 (details for the Shôchikuza, Kabukiza and National Theatre programs), February 2015 (details for the Shôchikuza programs, EX THEATER) and March 2015 (Kagekiza).

OTHERS: 10 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; more details about the 1914 revival of "Gedatsu"; new illustration page for the actor Shinozuka Jirozaemon I; bon, bon odori, godaigo tennô, genkô no hen, genkô no ran, hanagasa, hôjô norisada, ichiyama-ryû, kiriko tôrô, moriyoshi shinnô, nimaime sakusha, obon, ondo, ôtô-no-miya, rokuhara tandai, rokuhara yakata, sanmaime sakusha and wakamiya are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: Tomizawa Tatsujûrô.

PLAYS: "Osono Rokusa".

PROGRAMS: November 2014 (details for the Kabukiza, Meijiza and Eirakukan programs), December 2014 (Kabukiza), January 2015 (Shôchikuza, Kabukiza, Shimbashi Embujô, Asakusa Kôkaidô) and February 2015 (Shôchikuza, Hakataza).

OTHERS: 19 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; new illustration pages for the dramas "Hashimoto", "Hikimado", "Komeya" and "Sumôba"; new illustration pages for the actors Azuma Tôzô III and Yamamura Giemon II; a new illustration for the actor Mimasu Daigorô II; jûman okudo, osono-rokusamono, sanzesô, sanzugawa and shikishi are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: Kasaya Matakurô II.

PLAYS: "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara".

CONTEMPORARY ACTORS: Nakamura Kunio.

ACTORS LINES: Kasaya Matakurô.

THEATERS: Asakusa Kôkaidô.

KABUKI VISUAL ENCYCLOPEDIA: Ekanban.

PROGRAMS: October 2014 (National Theatre, Yachiyoza, Nihombashi Mitsui Hall, Minamiza, details for the Kabukiza, Shimbashi Embujô and Shôchikuza performances), November 2014 (Eirakukan, Yachiyoza, Nikkei Hall, Minamiza, details for the National Theatre program), December 2014 (Minamiza, casting and flyer for the National Theatre program) and January 2015 (National Theatre).

OTHERS: 3 new links; 9 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; a new illustration page for the Kyôto performances in the past; update of the list of all the major performances of "Sodehagi Saimon"; the pages on the Mimasu Tanin and Mimasu Tokujirô lines of actors are reworked; a new illustration page for the actor Nakamura Sukegorô II; the summary for the 1st act of "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki" is added; adachi-ga-hara, abe munetô, abe sadatô, abe yoritoki, chûnagon, iwata obi, kamakura gongorô kagemasa, kurozuka, minamoto yoriyoshi, minamoto yoshiie, saimon and yoshida jinja are added to the glossary.

ACTORS/PLAYWRIGHTS: Mishima Sadohachi and Sadoshima Dempachi.

PLAYS: "Osan Mohei".

CONTEMPORARY ACTORS: Nakamura Kamenojô and Nakamura Tamatarô.

KABUKI ART: Kabuki Face.

DERIVATIVES: Shanghai Kabuki.

STROLLING AROUND: Haneda Nakamuraza.

PROGRAMS: September 2014 (details for the Kabukiza, Kabuki Tour in the Western Provinces and Nihombashi Kôkaidô Programs, full casting for the Minamiza), October 2014 (NHK Hall, details for the National Theatre and Nagoya Kaomise Programs), November 2014 (Kabukiza, Shôchiku Tour) and December 2014 (National Theatre).

OTHERS: 48 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; a new picture for the drama "Fubuki Tôge"; a new dictionary for plays/acts/scenes; a new illustration for the actor Kataoka Nizaemon; 2 new books in the bibliography; we've started to get rid of most of the animated GIF files (on the road to a new site design?); awataguchi, chikamatsu san kantsûmono, daikyôji, ekanban, inkyo, kairaishi, kantsû and sôke are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: Haruyama Genshichi I.

PLAYS: "Oniji Hyôshimai".

PLAYWRIGHTS: Namiki Gohei II, Namiki Gohei III and Namiki Shôzô II.

ACTORS LINES: Haruyama Genshichi.

PROGRAMS: August 2014 (details for the Kabukiza programs, National Theatre, Shibuya-ku Bunka Sôgô Center Ôwada, Cerulean Tower Noh Theater), September 2014 (Kabukiza), October 2014 (Kabukiza, Shimbashi Embujô, Shôchikuza) and November 2014 (Meijiza, National Theatre).

OTHERS: 9 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; a new illustration for the dramas "Kikubatake" and "Sanemori Monogatari"; the page on the Sawamura Shozan line of actors is reworked; hagoromokai is added to the glossary.

PLAYS: "Omatsuri Sashichi".

PLAYWRIGHTS: Kawatake Shinshichi III.

ACTORS LINES: Onoe Kôzô and Onoe Monzaburô.

DERIVATIVES: Football Fans Kumadori.

PROGRAMS: July 2014 (details for the Kabukiza, Shôchikuza and the tour in the eastern provinces programs), August 2014 (National Theatre, National Bunraku Theatre), September 2014 (Nihombashi Kôkaidô) and October 2014 (National Theatre, NTK Hall).

OTHERS: 2 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; a new illustration page for the actor Ogino Izaburô II; 1 new book in the bibliography; hakomawashi, hanamachi, kakôshû, kamakuragashi, kigeki, machiai jaya, mikisho, shinkigeki, shôchiku shinkigeki, tobigashira and yanagibashi are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: Arashi Bungorô I.

PLAYS: "Okazaki no Neko".

PLAYWRIGHTS: Kanai Sangyô and Kanai Sanshô.

CONTEMPORARY ACTORS: Onoe Sakon.

NI-NO-KAWARI: Ôsaka 1784.

PROGRAMS: June 2014 (details for the Kabukiza programs), July 2014 (Kabukiza, Shôchikuza, Matsumoto, Ichikawa Ennosuke Tour), August 2014 (Kabukiza, Shimbashi Embujô, Nihombashi Kôkaidô, National Theatre, National Bunraku Theatre) and September 2014 (Minamiza, Kabuki Tour in the Western Provinces).

OTHERS: 4 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; 2 new books in the bibliography; a short self-presentation; a new note in the disclaimer for the calendars issue; a new summary for the drama "Uirô Uri"; the page dedicated to the Ichikawa Danzaburô line of actors was reworked; we had to change the line numbers of the third and fourth holders of the name of Ichikawa Morinosuke; chiryû jinja, chiryû-juku, fujisawa-juku, hakone-juku, hiratsuka-juku, hodogaya-juku, ishibe-juku, ishiyakushi-juku, jippensha ikku, kameyama-juku, kanagawa-juku, kanaya-juku, kawasaki-juku, kusatsu-juku, kuwana-juku, minakuchi-juku, mishima-juku, miya-juku, nippon daemon, nippon saemon, odawara-juku, ôiso-juku, okazaki-juku, ôtsu-juku, shinagawa-juku, shôno-juku, shukuba, shukueki, tôkaidôchû hizakurige, totsuka-juku, tsuchiyama-juku and uirô are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: Somenoi Hanshirô.

PLAYS: "Ôishi Saigo no Ichinichi".

CONTEMPORARY ACTORS: Ichimura Kitsutarô.

KAOMISE: Kyôto 1771 (Minamigawa no Shibai).

SOGAMONO: Moritaza 1772.

PROGRAMS: May 2014 (details for the Meijiza and National Theatre programs, New Green Leaves Tour), June 2014 (Kabukiza, Minamiza, details for the Hakataza, National Theatre, Cocoon Theatre and Kabuki Tour in the Central Provinces programs) and July 2014 (National Theatre).

OTHERS: 1 new link; 8 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; a new illustration page for the actor Mimasu Daigorô V; a new illustration for the drama "Kurumabiki"; a new illustration for the actor Jitsukawa Enzaburô I, Nakamura Fukusuke IX, Nakayama Nanshi II and Onoe Tamizô II; 1 new book in the bibliography; akabane genzô, chikamatsu kanroku, hana yoten, horibe yahei, horibe yasubei, isogai jûrôzaemon, jitte, jiuta, jiutamai, kudaime, kuro yoten, nidaime, nishiki yoten, ôishi kuranosuke, ôishi sezaemon, rekishigeki, shiro yoten, uroko yoten, yada gorôemon, yodaime and yoten are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: Kiriyama Monji I and Kiriyama Monji II.

PLAYS: "Ohama Goten Tsunatoyo-kyô".

ACTORS LINES: Kiriyama Monji.

KAOMISE: Kyôto 1733.

SOGAMONO: Nakamuraza 1755.

NI-NO-KAWARI: Kyôto 1731.

DERIVATIVES: Sukeroku Sushi.

STROLLING AROUND: Tawaramachi.

PROGRAMS: April 2014 (details for the Kabukiza programs), May 2014 (Minamiza, details for the Kabukiza programs), June 2014 (National Theatre, Tour in the Central Provinces) and July 2014 (Tour in the Eastern Provinces).

OTHERS: 12 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; two illustrations for the 1763 production of "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara" at the Moritaza; summaries for act I and act III are added to "Kumo ni Magou Ueno no Hatsuhana"; a new illustration for the actors Kataoka Ichizô V and Nakamura Kichinojô II; ahô, arai hakuseki, arai kageyu, bentô, godaime, goke, hinin, rokudaime, sandaime, tokugawa ienobu, tokugawa tsunatoyo, tominomori sukeemon and yushima tenmangû are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: Ichikawa Arajirô II.

PLAYS: "Ogurusu no Chôbei".

ACTORS LINES: Ichikawa Aragorô, Ichikawa Arajirô, Ichikawa Aratarô, Ichikawa Beishô, Ichikawa En'ô, Ichikawa Fukunosuke, Ichikawa Fukutarô, Ichikawa Fukuzô, Ichikawa Hakuzô, Ichikawa Sakimatsu, Ichikawa Sashô, Ichikawa Shôen, Ichikawa Yonejûrô and Ichikawa Yonezô.

PROGRAMS: March 2014 (details for the Minamiza, National Theatre and Shimbashi Embujô programs), April 2014 (Minamiza, details for the Shimbashi Embujô programs), May 2014 (Kabukiza, Meijiza) and June 2014 (Hakataza).

OTHERS: 2 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; the Ichikawa Dannosuke, Ichikawa Ichijûrô and Ichikawa Kodanji lines of actors are reworked; a new illustration for the actor Ichikawa Somegorô VII; akechi mitsuhide, hashiba hideyoshi, honnôji, kinoshita tôkichirô, konoshita tôkichi, mashiba hisayoshi, oda harunaga, oda nobunaga, takechi mitsuhide, takeyari, toyotomi hideyoshi, yamazaki no tatakai and yarisaki are added to the glossary.

ACTORS: Nakamura Kamenojô I.

PLAYS: "Ôgiya Kumagai".

ACTORS LINES: Nakamura Ginnosuke, Nakamura Masanosuke, Nakamura Sennosuke, Nakamura Tamanosuke, Nakamura Umenosuke and Nakamura Utanosuke.

STROLLING AROUND: Stars Hands 2012 (Onoe).

PROGRAMS: February 2014 (details for the Kabukiza and Hakataza programs), March 2014 (Kabukiza (with details), Minamiza, National Theatre), April 2014 (Kabukiza, Kanamaruza, Shôchikuza), May 2014 (National Theatre) and June 2014 (Cocoon).

OTHERS: 2 new entries in the Japanese-English Kabuki play dictionary; a new illustration for the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami"; one new scene added to the summary of "Gion Sairei Shinkôki" (at the the Ashikaga Palace) new illustration pages for the drama "Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami"; new illustration pages for the actors Arashi Rikaku II, Fujikawa Hachizô III, Ichikawa Ebizô V and Kataoka Nizaemon VII; a new illustration for the actors Jitsukawa Gakujûrô II, Kataoka Gatô V, Kataoka Hidetarô II, Kataoka Nizaemon VIII and Segawa Senjo; the pages on the Iwai Kumesaburô and Nakamura Tsurusuke lines of actors are reworked; gojôbashi, menoto, ôgiya and yakushae are added to the glossary.