Noh Terminology

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O (Index List)

O-nori (大ノリ)

See "Ō-nori "...

Obeshi (大癋面)

See"ōbeshi"...

Obi (帯 )

A long, thin cloth belt worn around the waist when putting on a costume. Koshi-obi make up the majo...

Obitori-no-o (帯取の緒)

The samurai wore a sword with a leather strap attached to the metal hanging fittings of the scabbard...

Ogi (扇)

See "Ōgi"...

Oikomi (追い込み)

A style of ending a kyōgen performance, short for oikomidome. One character says “please forgive us,...

Okina-sarugaku (翁猿楽)

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

Okina (翁)

Okina has been called “Noh, yet not Noh,” as it is really more a Shinto ritual or prayer song than a...

Okinakazari (翁飾り)

Altar placed by the mirror near the curtain in performances of shikisanban (okina). While it differs...

Okinamai (翁舞)

The Shinto rituals and plays of prayer, Shiki Sanban (Okina), that must be included in a Noh play. ...

Okinanashi (翁ナシ)

A type of special performance in okinatsuki-wakinoh which leaves out the okina. As the okina is lef...

Okitsunaki (翁付)

A playlist that begins with the performance of shikisanban (okina). When Noh was designated a shikig...

Okitsuzumi (置鼓)

A special type of hayashigoto (a part within the play performed mainly by the hayashi). The okituzu...

Okuchi (大口)

See "Ōkuchi"...

Okura School (大蔵流)

See "Ōkura School"...

Okuri (オクリ)

The basic unit of the Noh music rhythm is a simple octuple measure, and the rhythm is called honji. ...

Okuribue (送り笛)

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

Okurikomi (送リ込ミ)

A sequence of actions by a leading actor and an accompanying Kyōgen actor before they make their exi...

Omi-Sarugaku (近江猿楽)

A sarugaku school which performed mainly in the middle ages in the Ōmi Province (where Shiga Prefect...

Omote (面)

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

On-matsuri-sarugaku (御祭猿楽)

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

Oni Mono (鬼物)

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

Oni-zukin (鬼頭巾)

A kind of costume used for kyōgen plays. A hood worn for the role of an ogre. The part wrapping the ...

Onna-sarugaku (女猿楽)

A term referring to sarugaku performed by female actors, or to the actors who perform sarugaku. The ...

Onna-sarugaku (女猿楽)

A kind of sarugaku performed by female actors that became popular during the Muromachi and the Edo e...

Ono (斧)

Stage prop used in Noh and Kyōgen. Ono (an axe) is a type of blade used to cut and split wood. In th...

Orihaku (織箔)

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

Osame (納メ)

It is a style of Noh and Kyōgen acting. It is a form of dancing that is used to end a dance performa...

Oshikicho (黄鐘調)

See "Ōshikichō"...

Oshikihayamai (黄鐘早舞)

See "Ōshikihayamai"...

Oshirabe (お調べ)

Oshirabe refers to the hayashikata tuning their instruments before the performance of Noh. The hayas...

Otoko Mai (男舞)

A type of dance, literally “male dance.” Danced by male characters playing actual historical figures...

Otsuzumi (大鼓)

See "Ōtsuzumi"...

Ozeimono (大勢物)

See "Ōzeimono" ...

Ō-nori (大ノリ)

A vocal style linked to tempo and rhythm. Noh vocals sometimes take the rhythm of the music, and som...

Ōbeshi (大癋面)

A type of music played when leading actors appear in the second half. The music is played dynamicall...

Ōgi (扇)

A type of fan used as a handheld prop. Ōgi are very important to both Noh and kyōgen, and all of the...

Ōkuchi (大口)

Abbreviation for ōkuchibakama, ōkuchi are characterized by extremely thick uneori, a corduroy-like f...

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...

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...

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...

Ōshikichō (黄鐘調)

Ōshikichō is a tone of the flute used in Noh. It used to be one of the six tones of gagaku, traditio...

Ōshikihayamai (黄鐘早舞)

One type of dance in Noh. The soft dance of a male spirit soothing a heart filled with bitterness a...

Ōtsuzumi (大鼓)

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

Ōzeimono (大勢物)

Tachishū is the word used when multiple similar characters such as troops, aristocracy or followers ...