I take this opportunity to thank the friends who so often accompanied me to the theatre, and who were unfailing in their help, Mrs. Koto-ko Kuroda, Miss Shige Takenaka, Miss Chiyo-ko Hiraiwa, Mr. Hisashi Fujisawa, and Mr. M. Kinai. Nor can I fail to acknowledge the kindness of the three leading managers of Tokyo who allowed me free access to their theatres, Mr. K. Yamamoto of the Imperial, the late Nariyoshi Tamura of the Ichimura-za, and later his son and successor, and Mr. Otani, head of the Matsutake Company, which now controls the greatest number of playhouses in Japan. For twelve years I sat among the critics of the Tokyo stage at the regular performances, and cannot forget the unfailing courtesy of my journalistic associates. To my good friends among the actors, Nakamura Utayemon of the Kabuki-za; Onoe Baiko and Matsumoto Koshiro of the Imperial; Onoe Kikugoro, the sixth, of the Ichimura-za; Nakamura Kichiyemon of the Kabuki-za, and Nakamura Ganjiro of Osaka; to Mr. Y. Ninomiya, stage producer and playwright of the Imperial; Miss Ritsu-ko Mori, leading actress of the Tokyo stage; Mr. Kiyotada Torii, the theatre artist; Mr. Beisai Kubota, stage designer,—to all the friends of long standing in the theatre, I take this opportunity to express my gratitude for the privilege of their friendship and kind assistance. ZOË KINCAID. London, _March_ 2, 1925. CONTENTS PAGE Acknowledgement v Introduction xv KABUKI CHAPTER I Kabuki 3 CHAPTER II Kabuki Audiences 9 CHAPTER III Conventions of Kabuki 17 CHAPTER IV Craftsmanship of Kabuki 28 CHAPTER V Kabuki’s School of Acting 35 CHAPTER VI Actor Ceremonials 40 ORIGIN OF KABUKI CHAPTER VII O-Kuni of Izumo 49 CHAPTER VIII Onna Kabuki: The Woman’s Stage 58 CHAPTER IX Wakashu Kabuki: The Young Men’s Stage 64 CHAPTER X Theatres of the Three Towns 74 YAKUSHA CHAPTER XI Danjuro and Tojuro 87