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...

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...

Fukkyoku (復曲)

Around 200 Noh plays are performed as “current pieces”. The existing Noh pieces are based on the “ka...

Shikigaku (式楽)

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

Shiki-sanba (式三番)

See "Shiki-sanban"...

Shiki-sanban (式三番)

A kind of divine service classified in Noh but not a genuine Noh play. It is usually called “okina”....

Sarugaku-dangi (申楽談儀)

An esoteric book of Noh. With the formal title “Zeshi rokuju igo Sarugaku dangi”, it was written by ...

Fukuō-ryū (福王流)

A Noh school of waki actors. The founder of the school, Fukuō Kamiemon Moritada (1521-1606), was a S...

Takayasu-ryū (高安流)

A Noh school of waki actors. Its origins go back to Takayasu Chōsuke (died 1585), who lived in Takay...

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）, ...

Kōetsu utaibon (光悦謡本)

One of the books of librettos. Published in old typefaces from the Momoyama era to the Keichō era of...

Koetsu utaibon (光悦謡本)

See "Kōetsu utaibon"...

Shikinō (式能)

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

Nihon Nohgaku-kai (日本能楽会)

Japan Nohgaku Organization. A general incorporated association consisting of members selected from ...

Nohgaku Kyōkai (能楽協会)

The Nohgaku Performers’ Association. A public-interest incorporated association whose full members a...

Kinagashi (着流シ)

A style of wearing kimono. In this style, a man wears a short-sleeved kimono (kosode) with a rich b...

Kodōgu (小道具)

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

Okina-sarugaku (翁猿楽)

A kind of divine service classified in Noh, but not a genuine Noh play, called "Shiki-sanban" (or Ok...

Men-himo (面紐)

Braided codes for fixing the mask to the actor's face. The round braid straps are made of silk so th...

Wagin (和吟)

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

Chūgin (中吟)

A form of vocal used in the Hōshō School. It refers to a method of chanting that uses both tsuyogin ...

Waranbe Gusa (わらんべ草)

Treatise of late Edo era kyōgen. Written by Yaemon Toraakira (1597-1662), 13 th generation head of t...

Haikyoku (廃曲)

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

Kyōtokanzekaikan (京都観世会館)

Opened in the Sakyōku ward of Kyoto in 1958, this Nohgaku theatre is the home of the Kanze School of...

Konparusatsu (金春札)

A shitekata and the founder of the Konparu School was granted authority over a region near Nara by T...

Okuribue (送り笛)

The flute playing that indicates the entrance of the maeba-no-shite. Usually only the flute plays wh...

Yamato-Sarugaku (大和猿楽)

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

Tetsuke (手付)

Music using percussion instruments. The rhythm units performed by the kotsuzumi, ohtsuzumi and taiko...

Katatsuke (型付)

Katatsuke refers to a predetermined, stylized form (movement) in Noh and kyōgen plays. Or it can be ...

Sanyaku (三役)

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

Menbakomochi (面箱持)

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

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...

Umewaka Troupe (梅若家)

One of Noh’s famous Shitekata Kanze troups. Tachibana no Moroe a, a government official in the first...

Kanze School (観世流)

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

Yoza (四座)

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

Hakama-noh (袴能)

Hakama-noh refers to when the actor performs in a montsuki-hakama without a mask or costume. For the...

Shimogakari (下掛り)

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

Narai (習)

Narai are plays and performances that require special permission to be performed. Narai are both tec...

Honmen (本面)

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

Kogaki (小書)

Kogaki or “small writing” indicates a special type of Noh or kyōgen performance. The name refers to ...

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...

Hiraki (披キ)

A narai, or “advanced practice play” of a nohgakushi, or the first time this play is played. Narai a...

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...