Kabuki of Japan

1. 1. [Name]
2. 2. Kabuki of Japan Is a form of
traditional Japanese drama with highly
stylized song, mine, and dance, now
performed only male actors. Japanese
originally used this as a verb meaning
“act dissolutely” later interpreting the
word as “ka” for song, “bu” for dance,
and “ki” for art/skill.
3. 3. Kabuki theater is known for the
stylization of its drama and for the
elaborate makeup worn by some of its
performers. Kabuki is therefore
sometimes translated as “the art of
singing and dancing.” Since the word
kabuki is believed to derive from the
verb kabuku, meaning “to learn” or “to
be out of the ordinary,” kabuki can be
“bizarre” theater. The expression
kabukimono referred originally to
those who were
4. 4. The Kabuki Stage Features •
Hanamichi - a flower path, a walkway
 which extends into the audience via
which dramatic entrances and exits
are made; Okuni also performs on a
hanamichi stage with her entourage. •
Kogakudo - Kabuki theaters that have
stages both in front of the audience
and along the sides help create a bond
between the actors and viewers.
5. 5. • Mawaro butal - the interior of
the theater contains a revolving stage.
• Suppon - a platform that rises from
below the stage. • Hanamicho - a
walkway that cuts through the
audience seating area to connect the
stage with the back of the theater.
Magicians and supernatural beings
often make their entrances from trap
doors in the hanamichi. Some stages
have 17 trapdoors.
6. 6. The Three Main Categories of the
Kabuki Play • Jidaimono – historical or
pre-Sengoku period stories. •
Sewamono – domestic or post-Sengoku
stories. • Shosagoto – dance pieces.
7.7. Jidaimono Or history plays, were set
within the context of major events in
Japanese history. Strict censorship
laws during the Edo period prohibited
the representation of contemporary
events and particularly prohibited
criticizing the shogunate or casting it
in a bad light, although enforcement
varied greatly over the years.
8. 8. Sewamono Focused primarily
upon commoners (townspeople and
peasants). It is generally related to
themes of family drama and romance.
9. 9. Elements of Kabuki Mie in which
the actor holds a picturesque pose to
establish his character and his house
name Yagō, is sometimes heard in a
loud shout (kekegoe) from an expert
audience member, serving both to
express and enhance the audience’s
appreciation of the actor’s
achievement. An even greater actor’s
father Keshō.
10. 10. Actors are seperated into two
main categories: Onna-gata refer to the
female roles and Aragato refer to the
male roles. Most main characters in
kabuki plays are aragoto, because of
its superstylized masculine, heroic
style.
11. 11. Makeup is also one of the most
iconic parts of kabuki. Actors apply
their own makeup by painting their
faces and necks white, then adding
stylized lines red, black, or blue. The
colors and lines that are used tells
what kind of character is being
performed. Red and blue are usually
aragoto roles, onn-gata playing young
women have very little paint. These are
examples of famous kabuki characters.
A character’s makeup, like everything
else, is decided by tradition.
12. 12. Kabuki make up provides
element of style easily recognizable
even by those unfamiliar with the art
form. Rice powder is used to create the
 white oshiroi base for the
characteristic stage make-up, and
kumadori enhances or exaggerates
facial lines to produce dramatic animal
or supernatural character. The color of
the kumadori is an expression of the
character’s nature:
13. 13. • Red lines are used to indicate
passion, heroism, righteousness, and
other positive traits; • Pink for youthful
joy; • Light blue for an even temper; •
Pale green for peacefulness; • Blue or
black for villainy, jealousy, and other
negative traits; • Green for the
supernatural; and • Purple for nobility.
14. 14. Kabuki is performed in full-day
programs. Audiences escape from the
day-to-day world, developing a full day
to entertainment. Through some
individual plays, particularly the
historical jidaimono, might last an
entire day, most were shorter and
sequenced with other plays in order to
produce a full-day program.
15. 15. The play occupies five acts. The
first corresponds to Jo, an auspicious
and slow opening which introduces the
audience to the characters and the
plot. Ha, speeding events up,
culminating almost always in a great
moment of drama or tragedy in the
third act and possibly a battle in the
second and / or fourths acts. Kyu, is
almost always short, providing a quick
and satisfying
16. 16. Are often quite interesting.
Flowing water is usually represented
by fluttering rolls of linen; or creatures
like insects and foxes. Props often
have symbolic meanings. Fans are used
to represent wind, a sword, a tobacco
pipe, waves or food. Kabuki props
17. 17. Are swung from sticks or
manipulated by helpers who come on
stage dressed in black hooded
robesso; they are invisible to the
audience. The female characters
generally wear an elaborate kimono
 and obi. Pleated hakuma trousers are
worn by characters of sexes. Actors
playing both sexes often have a
supported midriff because a straight
and curveless figure are regarded the
essence of Costumes
18. 18. Is considered as an art. There
are special teams that take care of
complete and partial costume changes
and are done as part of the
performance. Costume Changing
19. 19. Are important accessories, with
each costumes having it’s own type.
Specialized craftsmen shape the wigs
to the head. Wigs are made of human
hair, horse hair, bear fur or yak- tail hair
imported from Tibet. Wigs
20. 20. Prepared by: Borreta, Suzzette
G. & De Belen, Luisa Marie E. Group 4