http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/ en Copyright 2012 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:08:05 +0900 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Altar placed by the mirror near the curtain in performances of shikisanban (okina). While it differs depending on the school, the top half which acts as the shrine holds the hakushikijō or kokushikijō and bell in the menbako, decorated with an okina-eboshi, okina-ōgi and omiki. The bottom half holds the three jewels, with washed rice, rough salt and pottery and sometimes flint. To purify themselves before the performance, a ritual known as sakazuki-goto, the performers gather by the kagami-no-ma to receive omiki “the blessed sake” and washed rise and receive the blessing of the flint sparks.]]> http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2012/01/okinakazari.html http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2012/01/okinakazari.html O Props Stage Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:08:05 +0900 "Ōzeimono" ]]> http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2012/01/ozeimono_1.html http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2012/01/ozeimono_1.html O Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:06:49 +0900 Tachishū is the word used when multiple similar characters such as troops, aristocracy or followers appear on stage, and ōzeimono refers to plays that include tachishū. The ōzeimono of Noh include Youchisoga Jūbangiri, Ataka and Settai, and there are also ōzeimono in which the wakikata appears, such as Rashōmon. The ōzeimono of kyōgen include Chigiriki, Higeyagura, Muko and Tōzumō (Tōjinzumō). In Tōzumō nearly 40 performers appear on stage to sumo wrestle, making it the play with the most performers in both Noh and kyōgen.]]> http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2012/01/ozeimono.html http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2012/01/ozeimono.html O Kyōgen Plays Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:06:02 +0900 The eri or “collar” is the piece of cloth worn around the neck when the kimono is worn. White is the most luxurious color, but there are also red, light purple, yellowish green, birch-colored and deep blue, with the color selection an important point in distinguishing the type of character. Sometimes two eri are worn. They are worn individually like the date-eri on a typical woman’s kimono, and are attached to a fabric base to prevent them from slipping. They are wide at around 15cm in width, and when put on they are folded over 3-4 times with the dōgi worn under the kimono.]]> http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2012/01/eri.html http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2012/01/eri.html E Costumes Production Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:41:18 +0900 "Isshisōden" ]]> http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2012/01/isshisoden_1.html http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2012/01/isshisoden_1.html I Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:39:20 +0900 Secrets and deep knowledge passed from a Noh practitioner to only one child. There are plays, performances and styles in each school which are treated as isshisōden. However, the arts are made up of the accumulation of various ideas, with even some simple things passed down from parent to child as isshisōden. In the world of Noh and kyōgen, there is a teaching that the proper person to whom to pass on knowledge must be selected carefully, even if this is not one’s own child. Zeami himself had some harsh words about this practice in his notes on Fushikaden: “Noh should not be passed on to the unskilled, even if this is one’s own child. Whether of one’s own family or not, the person must be worthy of carrying on the tradition.”]]> http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2012/01/isshisoden.html http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2012/01/isshisoden.html I History Important Persons Roles Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:37:34 +0900 One type of prop that is brought out and left on stage. The platform, or dai, is made of wood and is around as big as one jō – traditional Japanese unit of area measurement that gives the prop its name – and around seven sun high (around 20cm). It is brought on stage with a daikake, or “platform cover.” There are round holes in the four corners of the ichijōdai into which poles are placed to create larger props such as palaces or straw-thatched huts, with branches of either peonies or cherry trees used to give the appearance of blooming flowers.]]> http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2011/12/ichijodai_1.html http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2011/12/ichijodai_1.html I Production Props Stage Mon, 26 Dec 2011 23:28:44 +0900 "Ichijōdai"]]> http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2011/12/ichijodai.html http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2011/12/ichijodai.html I Mon, 26 Dec 2011 23:26:11 +0900 A sarugaku school which performed mainly in the middle ages in the Ōmi Province (where Shiga Prefecture is now located). It was a very strong school which performed for the Hie-jinjaand Taga-jinja. Yamashina, Shimosaka and Hiei belonged to the Kami-Sanza, and Mimaji, Ohmori and Sakaudo belonged to the Shimo-Sanza. The Omi-Sarugaku style is described as ghostly, emotional and sophisticated. Among these Dō Ami (Inu-Oh, Inu-Ami) were loved by the third-generation general of the Muromachi Shogunate, Yoshimitsu Ashikaga, and even Ze-Ami himself spoke highly of their talent. They began to disappear after that, and the tsure and hayashi-kata of Omi-Sarugakuwere absorbed by the Kanze school of Yamato Sarugaku at the start of the Edo era and disappeared.]]> http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2011/12/omisarugaku.html http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2011/12/omisarugaku.html O History Mon, 26 Dec 2011 23:23:18 +0900 A sarugaku school which performed mainly in the middle ages in the Yamato Province (where Nara Prefecture is now located). It gained strength performing in religious festivals at the extremely influential Kōfuku-ji shrine and included Enman-Iza (later the Konparu School), the Sakado-Za (later the Kongo School), the Tobi-Za (later the Hōshō School) and the Yuzaki-Za (later the Kanze School). During the Muromachi era the Yuzaki-Za moved into Kyoto where Kan’ami and Zeami practiced, and other schools followed. The style of Yamato-Sarugaku is rougher and more demonic, and as the Kanze School incorporated more elements of Kabuki, it became recognized as a highly refined art form. The four schools faced danger during the Warring States Period, but were protected by the policies of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, continuing to absorb other schools. After that, they continued to be protected by the Edo Shogunate, focusing on refining their art through the Edo era, with their pedigree now extending to five shite kata schools. ]]> http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2011/12/yamatosarugaku.html http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2011/12/yamatosarugaku.html Y History Schools Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:51:19 +0900 A sarugaku school which performed mainly in the middle ages in the Tamba Province (where Kyoto and the Hyogo Prefecture are now located). It was a very strong school which included Yata, Umewaka and Hiyoshi. Yata is an old school known as a honza, or “original school” which played at religious festivals at temples such as Hosshō-ji, the Kamo-sha and the Sumiyoshi-sha. Umewaka and Hiyoshi performed regularly at the Sendō Imperial Palace. Tamba-Sarugaku was a force in the sarugaku of Kyoto, but as Yamato-Sarugaku moved into Kyoto, the tsure and jiutai-gata of Tamba-Sarugaku were absorbed by Yamato-Sarugaku at the start of the Edo era and disappeared.]]> http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2011/12/tambasarugaku.html http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2011/12/tambasarugaku.html T History Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:50:29 +0900 Music using percussion instruments. The rhythm units performed by the kotsuzumi, ohtsuzumi and taiko are known as te, or “hand,” and the connection and combination of these is known as tegumi, or “to combine hands.” Scores including tegumi are known as tetsuke. The individual style of tetsuke vary by the school of the hayashikata and the key elements and foundation of each are respected and taken very seriously.]]> http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2011/11/tetsuke.html http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2011/11/tetsuke.html T Music Performance Production Schools Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:20:28 +0900 "Shōzoku" ]]> http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2011/11/shozoku_1.html http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2011/11/shozoku_1.html S Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:19:13 +0900 The costumes in Noh and kyōgen. Includes the kimono worn as the very bottom layer of the costume (a short-sleeved kimono), and the kimono worn as the top layer (a short-sleeved karaori or long-sleeved kariginu), the hakama, and the obi, or “belts,” worn around the waist and hair. All headwear including wigs, eboshi, hoods are also included in shōzoku. However, Noh and kyōgen masks are not included in shōzoku. Noh shōzoku are mostly made of silk, with extremely luxurious costumes represented by the karaori, which incorporate the finest weaving techniques. The shōzoku of kyōgen also include many costumes made of hemp such as the kataginu and kyōgen-bakama, and are characterized by richly provincial elements including bold designs and colors.]]> http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2011/11/shozoku.html http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2011/11/shozoku.html S Basic Knowledge Costumes Kyōgen Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:08:27 +0900 Katatsuke refers to a predetermined, stylized form (movement) in Noh and kyōgen plays. Or it can be the manuscript that indicates the katatsuke for each play. Each school has its own style of katatsuke, and the key elements and foundation of each are respected and taken very seriously.]]> http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2011/11/katatsuke.html http://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2011/11/katatsuke.html K Dance Forms Kyōgen Movement Performance Production Schools Tue, 15 Nov 2011 19:17:33 +0900