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...

Hari-ōgi (張扇)

A tool used to keep time during Noh and kyōgen practice. It consists of two wooden sticks, with soun...

Kumihimo (組紐)

A cord in which bundles of threads are crossed diagonally to form a structure. Most of the cords use...

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）, ...

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...

kashiragane (頭金)

A metal fitting inserted into kashira (the end near the mouthpiece) of a nō-kan (Noh flute). The de...

Shichō (紫調)

Hemp tension strings between the heads of tabors and drums are called “shirabe-o”, or more simply “...

Hariban (張盤)

A wooden board used during practice or mōshiawase in place of the taiko, kotsuzumi, and ōtsuzumi. Th...

Yubizuke (指付ケ)

One type of musical notation for flutes which describes the performance in lettering. When singing “...

Kakegoe (掛声／カケ声)

Kakegoe are the vocals performed by players of the percussion instruments, the kotsuzumi, ōtsuzumi a...

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...

Nohkan (能管)

The flute used by the fuekata in Noh and kyōgen. The nohkan is also simply called the fue. As the no...

Shōga (唱歌)

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

Hayashikata (囃子方)

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