Noh Terminology

Komparu School [Taiko-kata] (金春流［太鼓方］)

One of the Noh drum (taikoi) schools, also called the Sōemon School. The founder, Komparu Saburō Toy...

Kanze School [Taiko-kata] (観世流［太鼓方］)

One of the Noh drum (taiko) schools, also called the Kanze Sakichi School. The founder, Kanze Yoshir...

Ishii School [Ōtsuzumi-kata] (石井流［大鼓方］)

One of the Noh large hand drum (ōtsuzumi) schools. The founder, Ishii Shōzaemon Shigenaga, was a dis...

Takayasu School [Ōtsuzumi-kata] (高安流［大鼓方］)

One of the Noh large hand drum (ōtsuzumi) schools. The founder, Takayasu Yoemon Dōzen (1499-1557), w...

Kadono School [Ōtsuzumi-kata] (葛野流［大鼓方］)

One of the Noh large hand drum (ōtsuzumi) schools. The founder, Kadono Kurō Hyōenojō Sadayuki (1588-...

Ōkura School [Ōtsuzumi-kata] (大倉流［大鼓方］)

One of the Noh large hand drum (ōtsuzumi) schools. Like the kotsuzumi-kata Ōkura School, the founder...

Kanze School [Ōtsuzumi-kata] (観世流［大鼓方］)

One of the Noh large hand drum (ōtsuzumi) schools. The founder was Kanze Katsujirō Shigemasa (died i...

Kanze School [Kotsuzumi-kata] (観世流［小鼓方］)

One of the Noh small hand drum (kotsuzumi) schools, also called the Kanze-Shinkurō School because ma...

Ōkura School [Kotsuzumi-kata] (大倉流［小鼓方］)

One of the Noh small hand drum (kotsuzumi) schools. Like the ōtsuzumi-kata Ōkura School, the founder...

Kōsei School [Kotsuzumi-kata] (幸清流［小鼓方］)

One of the Noh small hand drum (kotsuzumi) schools, also known in the past as the Kō Seijirō School....

Kō School [Kotsuzumi-kata] (幸流［小鼓方］)

One of the Noh small hand drum (kotsuzumi) schools, also known in the past as the Kō Gorōjirō School...

Komachi-mono (小町物)

A genre of plays about Ono no Komachi, a poet of the early Heian period. One of the Rokkasen (six fa...

Kensaki-eboshi (剣先烏帽子)

A kind of headgear, used by performers who perform sanbasō in “Shiki-sanban”, a kind of divine serv...

Shikigaku (式楽)

A style of performing arts featured in ceremonies of aristocrats and warrior families. Shikigaku als...

Mio-kaeru (身ヲ替エル)

A movement form in Noh and Kyōgen acting: to turn from the current direction. Different schools and ...

Shikake (シカケ)

A movement form in Noh and Kyōgen acting: the actor steps forward a few feet while making a “sashi” ...

Sashikomi (サシコミ)

A movement form in Noh and Kyōgen acting: the actor steps forward a few feet while making a “sashi” ...

Shimogakari Hōshō-ryū (下掛宝生流)

A Noh school of waki actors. The Shimogakari style was founded by Konparu Gonshichi Yūgen (d. 1692),...

Fujita-ryū (藤田流)

One of the Noh flute schools. The founder of the school was Fujita Seibee Shigemasa (1600 (Keichō 5)...

Morita-ryū (森田流)

One of the Noh flute schools. The artistic lineage of the school’s founder, Morita Shobee （1597 - 16...

Issō-ryū (一噌流)

One of the Noh flute schools. The founder of the school was Nakamura Shichirōzaemon （died in 1539）, ...

Kanjinchō (勧進帳)

A letter of intent to request donations for the construction of a temple or shrine. Used as the name...

Fue-zutsu (笛筒)

A tube-shaped container for a nō-kan (Noh flute). On stage, it is attached to the player's right hi...

Shikinō (式能)

A Noh performance held as an official ceremony. Considered the most prestigious Noh performance duri...

Shimai-ōgi (仕舞扇)

From actors, musicians and assistants to reciters, every Noh performer holds a fan. Actors in costum...

Kanetsuri-kōken (鐘吊後見)

A part in the Noh play "Dōjōji" that involves carrying the fake bell to the stage, hanging it with ...

Kanetsuri (鐘吊)

A part in the Noh play "Dōjōji" that involves carrying the fake bell to the stage, hanging it with ...

Noh-gakushi (能楽師)

Performers involved in the art of Noh (Noh and kyōgen) as their profession. Responsibility for thei...

Kodōgu (小道具)

Kodōgu refers to properties used on stage. It does not include masks, kahatsu (wigs) or costumes. Pr...

Wagin (和吟)

A type of vocal that has different meanings in different schools. In the Kanze School, it refers to ...

On-matsuri-sarugaku (御祭猿楽)

A type of Sarugaku performed at the Wakamiya Festival at Wakamiya Shrine, an auxiliary shrine to Kas...

Shimai-bakama (仕舞袴)

Actors who perform Mai-bayashi (digest performances with music) or solo dances, as well as assistant...

Iro (イロ )

A kind of vocal intonation to decorate the melody. Its use is optional; the actors will decide wheth...

Haikyoku (廃曲)

Used in contrast to genkōkyoku, plays currently being performed, haikyoku refers to plays no longer ...

Tachiai (立合)

Competitive performances between performers of different schools gathered on the same stage. Tachiai...

Kurokawa Noh (黒川能)

The Noh prevalent during the Muromachi era in Kurokawa in the city of Tsuruoka in Yamagata prefectur...

Yamato-Sarugaku (大和猿楽)

A sarugaku school which performed mainly in the middle ages in the Yamato Province (where Nara Prefe...

Sanyaku (三役)

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

Sanbasō (三番叟)

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

Tobikaeri (飛ビ返リ)

One of the forms in Noh and kyōgen. After spinning and raising the body up rapidly, one knee is pla...

Menbakomochi (面箱持)

In Okina (shiki sanba), play that prays for peace and security of the nation, the mask representing...

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...

Izumi School (和泉流)

One of the kyōgenkata schools. Said to have been founded by Sasaki Gakurakuken in the middle of the ...

Ōkura School (大蔵流)

One of the schools of kyōgen. While some sayGen-ei Hōin (1269-1350) of the Nanboku-chō era was its f...

Kita School (喜多流)

One of Noh’s shitekata schools. A new school founded around 1619 at the start of the Edo era with th...

Kongoh School (金剛流)

One of Noh’s shitekata schools. Its founder is said to be Sakato Magotarō Ujikatsu (1280-1384) of th...

Konparu School (金春流)

One of Noh’s shitekata schools. The Konparu School has the longest history of any of the four Yamato...

Hōshō School (宝生流)

One of Noh’s shitekata schools. The founder is said to be either the son or brother of Kan’ami Kiyot...

Kanze School (観世流)

One school of the shitekata of Noh. The founder was one of the greats ofNoh, Kan’ami Kiyotsugu. (13...

Taiko (太鼓 )

The percussion instrument used by the taikokata. The top and bottom drum faces, made of cow leather,...

Ōtsuzumi (大鼓)

The percussion instrument used by the ōtsuzumikata, literally “large drum.” The characters may also ...

Kotsuzumi (小鼓)

The percussion instrument used by the kotsuzumikata, literally “small drum.” Also known simply as “d...

Zeami (世阿弥)

Zeami is believed to have lived from 1363 to 1443 and was a performer during the first half of the M...

Kanjin noh (勧進能)

Performances held to raise subscriptions for the construction of shrines or temples. As times change...

Yoza (四座)

Za is a name of given to groups formed by performers. At present, there are five schools of leading ...

Omote (面)

The masks used in Noh and kyōgen, known as either omote or men. Many characters wear masks in Noh, a...

Shimogakari (下掛り)

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

Honmen (本面)

Masks that form the standard for individual schools and are passed down by the heads of the schools ...

Kamigakari (上掛リ)

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

Kusemai (曲舞)

One of the medieval arts prevalent from the Nanboku-chō era to the Muromachi era, kusemai is also re...

Hayashikata (囃子方)

The instrumental performers in Noh, the hayashikata are divided into the fuekata, kotsuzumikata, ōts...

Kyōgenkata (狂言方)

In addition to performing and acting as the kōken and jiutai in kyōgen, the kyōgenkata acts as the a...