Kabuki
Kabuki no butai (Kabuki stage)
Kabuki stage has a number of unique installations. The elevated runway is a passage built as an extension of the stage that cuts through the audience; in addition to being used for actors' entrances and exits, important scenes take place on it. On the stage, with the mechanisms of a revolving stage and a trapdoor, scenes can change without using the curtain and actors can appear from below. In addition, there are installations in which large props fall backward and separate scenes appear; by calculating such actions in minute detail, the beauty and appeal of Kabuki increases.
When did kabuki originate?
Kabuki is believed to have originated around 1603, when a woman attendant from the Izumo Shrine named Okuni performed a dance called Nembutsu odori. However, in 1629, women were banned from the stage, leaving only men to perform; and by the Genroku period (1688-1704), the current kabuki style was perfected. With the Meiji period came a sudden influx of Western culture, and kabuki even attempted to incorporate some of these new influences. However, in the 20th century, the trend focused on preserving kabuki as a traditional theatrical form, a trend which continues to this day. It is a world that preserves conservative traditions, such as the practice of passing down the stage names of famous kabuki actors according to family lineage. In Tokyo, a permanent kabuki theater called the Kabuki-za stages performances throughout the year.
Kabuki Dance
