Noh Terminology

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M (Index List)

Machi Utai (待謡)

The shōdan including the vocal sung by the waki who waits (machi) for the entrance of the nochishite...

Machi-iri-noh (町入能)

Edo-era Noh performed when the imperial court appointed a new “shogun in charge of conquering barba...

Mae-shite (前シテ)

For the characters to change masks, costumes, etc., they often enter the curtain or go behind the pi...

Maeba (前場)

In Noh and kyōgen, the performers will often step behind the curtain or set to change masks or costu...

Mai bataraki (舞働)

A variation of hataraki goto (movements accompanied by music) performed by deities, dragon gods or g...

Maibayash (舞囃子)

One style of Noh performance danced in montsuki or hakama (or occasionally kamishimo) in which the m...

Maiginu (舞絹)

A wide-sleeved kimono worn by tennyo or female gods, made from ro, or sha fabric with patterns sewn ...

Maikyogen (舞狂言)

See "Maikyōgen"...

Maikyōgen (舞狂言)

One type of kyōgen. Maikyōgen refers to kyōgen that borrows the form of Noh, particularly mugen-noh....

Makeshura-mono (負修羅物)

Among the nan or shura-mono (niban-me-mono) performances in the Goban Date style, “shin-nan-nyo-kyō-...

Makizashi (巻ザシ)

One of the forms in Noh and kyōgen. The fan is held with the right hand over the right side of the ...

Makura no Ogi (枕ノ扇)

See "Makura no Ōgi" ...

Makura no Ōgi (枕ノ扇)

One of the forms in Noh and kyōgen. The tip of the paper of an opened fan is held with the left hand...

Manekiogi (招キ扇)

See "Manekiōgi" ...

Manekiōgi (招キ扇)

A form in Noh and kyōgen. In the manekioōgi, or “inviting fan” form, the hinge of the opened fan is ...

Matarajin (摩多羅神)

The god that protects the Buddhist temples and temples used to perform the jyōgyōzanmai, a type of m...

Mawari-kaeshi (回リ返シ)

A style of Noh and Kyōgen acting. It is about one-and-half turns to the left. The mawari-kaeshi is o...

Men ate (面当て)

Padding applied to the inside of masks to make them comfortable to wear. Also called "ura ate", or j...

Men-bukuro (面袋)

A bag for keeping Noh and Kyōgen masks. Often featuring a flap with a tying strap, its shape is desi...

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...

Men-kaban (面鞄)

A bag for carrying Noh and Kyōgen masks. A box containing masks was initially wrapped in a furoshik...

Men-uchi (面打)

Makers of Noh and kyōgen masks. The term also refers to the work of making masks. “Kamenfu” (A Genea...

Men (面)

See "Omote"...

Menbako (面箱)

The boxes that contain the masks of Noh and kyōgen. In Shikisanban (Okina), menbako may also refer t...

Menbakomochi (面箱持)

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

Meru (滅ル/メル)

Meru is used to describe the quality of both the vocals and music. It is used in contrast to haru, ...

Mete (馬手)

Refers to the right hand that takes a horse’s reins. Also refers to the right side. The antonym is “...

Michiyuki (道行)

The michiyuki, or “travel song” is the shōdan describing the character’s travels. The vocals often i...

Midare (乱)

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

Mino (蓑)

A type of costume. An outer covering that covers the body for waterproofing, preventing snow and col...

Mio-kaeru (身ヲ替エル)

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

Mio-naosu (身ヲ直ス)

A movement form in Noh and Kyōgen acting: to return a body that has turned in a specific direction. ...

MitsuJi-utai (三ツ地謡)

One variety of hiranori vocals. Relatively unrestricted by the rhythm and easily adaptable to the eb...

Mizu-oke (水桶)

Stage prop. A cylindrical wooden bucket about 15 cm (5 inches) in both height and diameter, it is ma...

Mizugoromo (水衣)

A widely used long-sleeved garment worn by male and female characters of lesser standing, yamabushi ...

Mogido (モギドウ／裳着胴)

See "Mogidō"...

Mogidō (モギドウ／裳着胴)

Mogidō is a style of costume in which only a kitsuke (the kimono with narrow cuffs worn as the botto...

Mon-okuchi (紋大口)

See "Mon-ōkuchi"...

Mon-ōkuchi (紋大口)

The abbreviated name for ōkuchi hakama (hakama trousers with broad turn-ups) is ōkuchi. These are us...

Mondo (問答)

See "Mondō"...

Mondō (問答)

Performance in which making the exchange of lines between actors audible is the focus of the perfor...

Monogi (物着)

Monogi is when the performers change costume on stage. This may be a changing of a portion of the co...

Monogise (物着せ)

The act of placing the costume on the performer. Kitsuke generally means simply means to put on clot...

Monomimado (物見窓)

The monomimado or “looking window” looks out from the kagami no ma to the stage. The window frame is...

Monpa (もんぱ)

A type of costume used in kyōgen, Monpa are stuffed animal suits for animal roles. The costume cover...

Monpuku (紋服)

A kimono made of black cloth bearing five crests dyed white. The formal Japanese style of male garme...

Morita-ryū (森田流)

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

Moshiawase (申し合わせ)

See "Mōshiawase"...

Motoyui (元結)

A thin cord used to tie up the roots of the hair in a bun. It is made by twisting Japanese paper ti...

Moyo-okuchi (模様大口)

See "Moyō-ōkuchi"...

Moyō-ōkuchi (模様大口)

The abbreviated name for ōkuchi hakama (hakama trousers with broad turn-ups) is ōkuchi. These are u...

Mugen Noh (夢幻能)

One classification of Noh. Mugen Noh refers to an entire play made up of a dream or illusion seen by...

Muku (向ク)

A movement form in Noh and Kyōgen acting: to turn from the current direction to a specific object or...

Munahaku (胸箔)

Surihaku is a short-sleeved kimono decorated with gold leaf, worn as the innermost layer for female ...

Musashino University NohgakuResearch Center (武蔵野大学能楽資料センター)

The research center was established to give an accurate portrayal of modern Noh, which now has a per...

Mushiboshi (虫干し)

This is the process of taking out masks, costumes, props, and esoteric books from the storehouse an...

Mōshiawase (申し合わせ)

Point in the performance at which the rhythm is kept with only the ōgi (hari-ōgi), no ōtsuzumi or o...