歌舞伎D-13
日本語

01 — JOURNAL

D-13 JOURNAL

A new kabuki guide — one that begins with a question.

What is a name succession? What should you watch for in aragoto? Each piece starts from a single question and opens onto plays, history, and the words of Ichikawa Danjūrō XIII — articles, films and voices, all from one editorial room.

Learning from Plays

Aug 15, 2026 · 5 min read

Kanjinchō for Absolute Beginners: Three Ways In

Kanjinchō is the story of a fugitive lord, his loyal retainer Benkei, and a barrier keeper who sees through their disguise — and lets them pass anyway. You do not need to know the full plot. Three doorways — Benkei's lie, Togashi's silence, and the leaping exit called tobi-roppō — are enough to enjoy it fully, even on your first visit.

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Film SHUMEI

Three Words to Know Before Watching the Film SHUMEI

Three Japanese words unlock the film SHUMEI: shūmei (name succession), myōseki (a hereditary stage name), and Naritaya (the 'house name' of the Ichikawa Danjūrō line). Five minutes with these three ideas, and what happens on screen will carry a completely different weight.

Aug 15, 2026 · 5 min read

Film SHUMEI

Shūmei: Is It Just Inheriting a Name?

As a system, shūmei is simple to define: an actor takes over a predecessor's name and performs under it. But a hereditary name carries generations of artistry, signature roles and audience memory. This article thinks through the question — keeping verifiable fact and editorial interpretation clearly separate.

Aug 15, 2026 · 6 min read

Learning from Plays

Aragoto: The Stylised Power Born in Edo

Aragoto — literally 'wild business' — is the bravura acting style born in Edo kabuki. Bold kumadori face paint, exaggerated costumes, thunderous mie poses: its wildness is not violence but a refined aesthetic of power that drives evil away. Credited to the first Ichikawa Danjūrō, it remains the core of the Ichikawa Sōke's art today.

Aug 15, 2026 · 6 min read

Theatre Guide

Your First Visit to the Minamiza: A Kyoto Kabuki Guide

The Minamiza stands at the foot of Shijō Bridge in Kyoto, closest of all theatres to the riverbank where kabuki is said to have been born. Access, tickets, dress code, what to do at the interval — this guide gathers everything first-timers wonder about, ahead of the Ichikawa Danjūrō Special Performances in October 2026.

Aug 15, 2026 · 6 min read

Learning from Plays

'Shiganē koi no nasake ga ada': One Famous Line as a Door into Edo Style

A great kabuki line stays in the ear even before you grasp every word. 'Shiganē koi no nasake ga ada' — the opening of Yosaburō's famous speech in Yowa Nasake Ukina no Yokogushi — is the classic example. Let its seven-five rhythm be your doorway into Edo chic, and into this play.

Aug 15, 2026 · 5 min read

KABUKU Philosophy

KABUKU: To Lean, and to Live

Kabuku is an old Japanese verb meaning 'to lean' — to tilt away, deliberately, from the upright and expected. Around 1600, flamboyant nonconformists called kabukimono 'leaned' against convention, and their name is held to be the origin of the word kabuki. Here we set out the historical facts, and then — clearly separated — a modern reading.

Aug 15, 2026 · 6 min read

02WATCH / VOICE

Films & Voices (in preparation)

The same questions, on film and in voice. Every project below is in preparation and will be published with a full transcript.

VIDEOWhy Does Kabuki Feel So Difficult?In preparation
VIDEOKABUKI-mono: Living at a LeanIn preparation
VIDEOKABUKI Emotions — FURYIn preparation
VIDEOLearning from Danjūrō: A Ten-Minute Dialogue #1In preparation
VOICEBefore the Curtain RisesIn preparation
VOICENotes from the RoadIn preparation
VOICEOn the ExhibitionIn preparation
All films (WATCH)All voices (VOICE)