I had wanted to see Somegoro Ichikawa onstage for a long time. A family member entered the ticket lottery for me, and the ticket came through. I was thrilled. The day was wonderful as always.
So What Exactly Is This Performance?
This was a one-day TOKYU ROYAL CLUB private viewing at the Cerulean Tower Noh Theatre. The title was Somegoro Ichikawa Kabuki Dance Performance: Kiwami. It marked a milestone for Somegoro after he turned twenty.
Two dance pieces were on the program: Kiyomoto Bunya in costume, plus Nagauta Yoshiwara Suzume as suodori. Suodori means dancing in formal montsuki and hakama, without stage costume or makeup. Kabuki dance in a Noh-theatre space felt special.
Cerulean Tower Noh Theatre, Nice to Meet You
It was not my first Noh theatre, but it was my first visit to the Cerulean Tower Noh Theatre. The room is compact, and each seat seems to offer its own view. That closeness was part of the fun.
The side seats called wakishomen might be interesting someday. I am not enough of a connoisseur yet, so I might not understand the difference, but the idea still tempted me.
Fully Focused on Suodori
Suodori feels very different from regular kabuki, and that alone raises my mood. Without stage costume or makeup, my eyes went straight to the movement itself. Every gesture felt clear.
And as always, Somegoro is simply good-looking. It has become my stock phrase by now.
Kikunojo also came out briefly to greet the audience. His posture, gestures, and way of speaking were beautiful.
Wrapping Up
There were people in Somegoro fan-club T-shirts in the audience, and it really felt like a gathering of people who love him.
After the performance, a staff member kindly offered to take my photo with the stage behind me. That small kindness made the memory even warmer.
On the way home I was already daydreaming about next time: “Will there be one next year? Will I be able to come again?” It was the best Somegoro day.
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