The kabuki performance and culture is full of rich words and phrases. Click the word to view a picture pertaining to the corresponding word(s).

agemaku
Curtain at the entrance on to the Hana michi

akattsura
Evil persons

Aragoto
(“rough stuff” or “bombast”) is a style of acting.  It was conceived and perfected by the great Ichikawa Danjuro I.  It is an attempt to portray the superman and has historical origins in the legends.

Asagi maku
Stage curtain, turquoise blue in color, used independently of the main curtain.

Ashi jun
Dancing term, a principle meaning “good order of steps”

bachi
The large hand held plectrum used by a shamisen player

bukkaeri
Changes in disposition and emotion of the main character

bunraku
Type of puppet theater that became very popular because of it's enriching storylines

butai
Stage

Chikamatsu Monzaemon
(1653 - 1724) Japan's most famous playwright of both puppet and kabuki plays

chobo
An ensemble consisting of singer and shamisen player which performs the gidayu style of joururi narrative music 

dan
Sectional division of a piece or melody

Danmari
An early form of kabuki

Debayashi
Large group of musicians at the rear of the stage

dokuhaku
Monologue

Edo
Old pre-Meiji era name of Tokyo; This was the period in which Kabuki started.

fundoshi
Loincloth.

gakuya
Dressing room, green room.

Genroku Period
1688 - 1704. A particularly prolific period of development of the kabuki tradition

Hana michi
This is the aisle that was used to pass through seats, allowing access to the stage in the Kabuki Theaters. The players used this passage, and utilized it as a part of the stage as well.

hayashi
Ensemble of three drums (o-tsuzumi, ko, tsuzumi, taiko) and flute originally used in the noh theatre

hongyou
Music which originated in Noh 

honrai
Music which originated in Kabuki

Ijumono Okuni
Ijumono Okuni was the founder of Okuni Kabuki, and she is recognized as 'the first woman of Kabuki'. She organized a theater group and traveled through Japan. In 1603, after the success of the Nebuchuodori play in Kyoto, she added the simple dramas that developed into Okuni Kabuki.

Ishou
Kabuki costume

jidaimono
A type of kabuki drama based upon historical subject matter dealing with the warrior and upper classes

jikata
Musician

juban
Undershirt

Kabuki
A ceremonial, ornate form of theater, kabuki features male actors, who play both female and male characters. They are usually outfitted in luxurious, classical wardrobes. Masks are prevalent as well. Common topics are the lives of court members and samurai.

kadobi
Funeral Ceremony

kakeai
Mixture of musical genres within the same play

Keren
Special effects, stage tricks and the art of acrobatic acting

kamishimo
The costume used most frequently in kabuki. It consists of a wide shouldered shawl (kataginu) over a set of wide overtrousers (hakama). both are worn over an outer kimono (kitsuke)

Ki and Tsuke
Ki are a pair of clappers of hard kashi wood.  They are struck together to mark the beginning or the end of a scnece.

kizami
"Continuous pattern" of the ki that starts with slow loud clacks and accelerates and tapers to nothing. It accompanies the drawing of the curtain

kodougu
Stage props 

kyogen
Comical interludes between noh plays

kyogen sakusha
The stage manager that gives signals to the actors with wooden clappers

maruhon
Style of kabuki developed from the mannerisms of the puppets in puppet theatre

Mawari brutai
Revolving stage

michiyuki
(Journeys).  A “journey” is a dance interlude in a long play.

nagauta
One of the principle musical forms in kabuki. This sectionalized piece can be used to accompany dance, recount action or set a general mood

nimaime
Handsome male roles

Nymgyojyoruri
Type of puppet show, greatly influenced Kabuki.

odori
Kabuki dance

oiran
Courtesan

Okuni
The early 17th century temple dancer to whom the icreation of the first kabuki is attributed

Okuni Kabuki
Kabuki originated in the early-Edo period as a play in which 'Okuni' (Female actors) who called themselves dancers, or ' Miko', performed simple dramas. This theatre presented 'Gyoto', or profanity, and debased the play about Nebuchuodori (the Buddhist Invocation Dance).

onnagata
'Female form'. Male actors in the Kabuki Theater who played female roles

ougi
The name for the large variety of fans important in all forms of Japanese theatre and dance, and one of the most important props in kabuki

o-daiko
Large stick drum used in the geza which originally was used to announce the start of a play from the yagura

o-nadai
Rank of fully qualified actor

 o-tsuzumi
Larger hour glass drum played on the shoulder

nureba
(Love Scenes).  Love scenes are called nureba (“wet scenes”) because they reduce the audience to tears

rakugo
Comic story telling

Samisen
Three-stringed instrument used as accompaniment in all styles of theatre music

samurai  
The warrior class of the old feudal system

sanmaime
Clowns

sato kagura
Regional Shinto shrine music

sewamono
Play relating to everyday life in the Edo period

shamisen
Popular pronunciation of samisen

shimai
Noh song and dance

shinjuu
Double Suicide

shoumen engi
The style of delivery found throughout kabuki where even in intimate scenes the actors face straight out to the audience

shouzoku
Noh Costume

shosagoto
Technical term for dance pieces in Kabuki

Su odori
Dancing in ordinary costume

suppon
Trap door in the hanamichi

suzudaiko
Kind of tambourine used in dancing

tachikata
Actors that play mainly male roles

tachimawari
Highly choreographed fight scene

takebue
Bamboo flute

toya
Room from which the actors make their entry on the hanamichi.

tsuke
Wooden clappers beaten on a board to emphasize dramatic moments on stage

tsume
Puppets used for minor rolls in the doll theatres

tsurigan
Bell

Usuberi
Thin straw matting used on the Kabuki stage

Uta
Song

Utaimono
Main division of vocal music whose emphasis is on rhythm and melody as against recitative

Wakashu Kabuki
In the early Edo period, young boys with specific facial features, called Wakashu, played. It was popular after the suppression of Ona Kabuki, in which women were the principal players. Because it caused an affront to public morality, Wakashu Kabuki was prohibited in 1652.

Wakashu kata
Young men’s role

yago
Shop name of an actor

yagura
Tower over the entrance to the theatre

yakuharai
A 7-5 arrangement of syllables set to music

Yakusha
Actor

Yamabushi
Sect of wandering priests

Yari yakko
Dancing with spears and other weapons

zouri
Type of sandal with thong between the toes