Noh Terminology

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S (Index List)

Sagarihanomai (下リ端之舞)

One type of dance in Noh. Sagarihanomai is danced by the atozure/tennyo in Kuzu. Sagarihanomai is t...

Sagimidare (鷺乱)

One type of dance in Noh. Sagi, or “heron” is danced by a heron in front of the emperor on the orde...

Sanbaso (三番叟)

See "Sanbasō"...

Sanbasō (三番叟)

The dance performed by the kyōgenkata after the dance of the words of happiness of the Okina, the S...

Sanbunin (三婦人)

Among the kazura mono of Noh plays in which a graceful and refined woman plays the shite, sanbunin r...

Sandan-no-mai (三段之舞)

A type of dance in Noh and kyōgen. The shitetsure or kokata dance the naka-no-mai, officially a five...

Sanrojo (三老女)

See "Sanrōjo"...

Sanrōjo (三老女)

Among the many types of Noh plays, plays depicting old women are considered particularly important. ...

Sanyaku (三役)

A collective name for the wakikata, kyōgenkata and hayashikata as opposed to the shitekata. There ar...

Sarugaku (猿楽)

A collective name for Noh and kyōgen used until the start of the Meiji era. Sarugaku derives from sa...

Sashi (サシ)

Noh chants are made up of numerous shōdan. Sashi is one name for shōdan. They are usually sung befor...

Sashinuki (指貫)

A type of kuribakama worn by characters of the highest status, the sashinuki is often given a sack-l...

Sayu (左右)

See "Sayū"...

Sayū (左右)

One of the forms in Noh and kyōgen. The fan is taken in the right hand, the direction changed to the...

Seme (責メ)

In kyōgen, a movement where the enmaō or devil banishes a dead person to hell. It is played with th...

Senyomen (専用面)

See "Senyōmen"...

Senyōmen (専用面)

A “specialized mask,” or mask worn by a specific character. Noh masks include generalized masks such...

Senzainomai (千歳ノ舞)

In Okina (Shiki Sanban), a play that prays for peace and security of the nation, this is the dance o...

Setsugekka (雪月花)

The three characters refer to the snow of the winter, moon of the fall and flowers of the spring (...

Shagiri dome (シャギリ留)

A style of music in Kyōgen. At the finale, the leading actor jumps from side to side and to his fron...

Shiboriage (絞上げ)

One way of wearing a costume. Sleeves such as suō or hitatare are tucked up, and the kimono is close...

Shibyoshi (四拍子)

See "Shibyōshi"...

Shidai (次第)

One of the hayashigoto of Noh (a part of the play where the hayashi plays the main role). While shid...

Shijimagoto (無言事)

One type of Noh production, literally “no-word things.” Typically, the parts accompanying the vocals...

Shikaridome (叱リ留)

A type of kyōgen performance that ends with the master scolding his servant, giving it its meaning “...

Shikko (膝行)

See "Shikkō"...

Shikkō (膝行)

One of the forms in Noh and kyōgen. The kneecaps are place on the floor and moved forward and backwa...

Shimai (仕舞)

A type of performance accentuating the movement of the shite danced in the crest-adorned kimono know...

Shimogakari (下掛り)

Among the five shitekata schools, the Kanze and Hōshō schools, which share the same artistic roots, ...

Shimotsuma Shoshin (下間少進)

See "Shimotsuma Shōshin"...

Shimotsuma Shōshin (下間少進)

Shimotsuma Shōshin lived from 1551 to 1616. He was a monk at Honganji and amateur Noh performer from...

Shinka (神歌)

See "kamiuta" ...

Shinsaku (新作)

Noh and kyōgen plays written after the Meiji era are known as shinsaku, or “new works” (shinsaku-noh...

Shiori (シオリ)

A movement indicating crying – the hand with extended fingers is held slightly in front of the face,...

Shirabe (調べ)

Tuning of musical instruments done in the room behind the entrance curtain. Usually known as "oshira...

Shirabyoshi (白拍子)

See "Shirabyōshi" ...

Shirabyōshi (白拍子)

A type of chanting and dance popular from the end of the Heian era through the Kamakura era, or, the...

Shirogashira (白頭)

One type of kazura, or wig, worn by the performers. Traditionally made of yak hair. The bangs are wo...

Shirotare (白垂)

One type of wig worn by the performers, the shirotare is a tare, or type of wig, made of white hair...

Shishi (獅子)

One type of dance in Noh. In the latter part of Noh’s Ishibashi, it is danced to portray a crazed s...

Shitaniiru (下ニ居ル)

One of the forms in Noh and kyōgen. The knee of one leg is placed on the floor, and the top of the ...

Shite (シテ)

The lead role in Noh and kyōgen. Written in kanji as either “doing-hand” or “useful-hand,” the shite...

Shiwaihito (しわい人)

A stingy person that never wants to pays. Nanigashi, who appears in Bonsan, is asked by an acquainta...

Shodo (初同)

See "Shodō"...

Shodō (初同)

Within a Noh play, the vocals sung by the jiutai at the very beginning to match the rhythm. However,...

Shoga (唱歌)

See "Shōga"...

Shogi (床几)

See "Shōgi"...

Shojomidare (猩々乱)

See "Shojōmidare" ...

Shojōmidare (猩々乱)

One type of dance in Noh. Noh’s shojōmidare (or midare) is danced by a shite or shojō. The typical ...

Shozoku (装束)

See "Shōzoku" ...

Shugen (祝言)

See "shūgen"...

Shura Mono (修羅物)

In the official five-play style of performance of the Edo era, shin nan nyo kyō ki (deity, man, woma...

Shushin-mono (執心物)

See "Shūshin-mono"...

Shōga (唱歌)

A written representation of an instrumental performance. There are two types of shōga, those that in...

Shōgi (床几)

The kazuraoke, or chair used by the shitekata, wakikata and kyōgenkata. The shōgi is around 50cm tal...

Shōzoku (装束)

The costumes in Noh and kyōgen. Includes the kimono worn as the very bottom layer of the costume (a ...

Shūgen (祝言)

Celebratory Noh played at the end of a day’s performance. Also known as shūgen-noh, in the official ...

Shūshin-mono (執心物)

One type of Noh play, included in the yonbanme-mono (“fourth performance” or “random Noh”). The main...

Soryo (僧侶)

See "Sōryo"...

Sotogumi (外組)

The Utaibon is the book of words (lyrics) and musical notation for the syllables, and when they are ...

Su-utai (素謡)

Utai in Noh sung completely without the inclusion of the hayashi. There are no movements such as dan...

Sumiboshi (角帽子)

See "Sumibōshi"...

Sumibōshi (角帽子)

One type of headwear in Noh and kyōgen. The sumibōshi, or “angled hat,” is worn by monk roles, with ...

Sumitori (角取り)

One of the forms in Noh and kyōgen. The area close to the metsuke-bashira or “eye-fixing pillar” in ...

Suo (素袍)

See "Suō"...

Suppa (すっぱ)

A character in kyōgen. A swindler. In kyōgen, the suppa uses fancy words to trick peasants out of th...

Surihaku (摺箔)

A type of lined kosode, or short-sleeved kimono, worn as the innermost layer of the costume of a fem...

Suō (素袍)

A long-sleeved garment with matching top and bottom worn by male characters. The suō is used for cha...

Sōryo (僧侶)

A character in kyōgen. Living a ascetic life in the mountains and said to possess supernatural power...

Shibyōshi (四拍子)

Shibyōshi, or “four rhythms” is the collective name for the flute, kotsuzumi, ōtsuzumi and taiko. It...