My very first time in the front row. I’d been avoiding it because I worried my neck would get tired, but the seats I usually love were sold out – so I finally took the plunge! The distance was so close I could practically hear the actors breathing. The intensity was incredible 👀 And on top of that, this evening included the succession ceremony for the third-generation Onoe Tatsunosuke – a truly special performance. As always, today was the best.
What is the Dan-Kiku Festival?
Held every May at the Kabukiza in Tokyo, “Dan-Kiku Festival” (Dan-Kiku Sai / 団菊祭) is a festival-like run of performances dedicated to the great kabuki names Ichikawa Danjuro / Onoe Kikugoro. There’s a special atmosphere that only comes around at this time of year, and many regulars anticipate it.
The evening program was a double bill: “Kiichi Hogen Sanryaku no Maki: Kikubatake” plus “Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura,” a famous Kabuki Juhachiban work from the Ichikawa family tradition. The whole evening carried a celebratory mood thanks to the Tatsunosuke succession.
My First Front-Row Experience
My seat was 1st floor, Row 1, Seat 37. I’d always avoided the front row, worried about neck strain – but with no other good seats available, I figured: why not go for it? My first ever front row!
That said, I was at the far stage-right end, so I spent the whole show looking diagonally toward the stage, and I could barely see the hanamichi (the runway through the audience)…
Even so, being close enough to almost hear the actors breathe was beyond anything I imagined. Yes, you have to look up – but to my delight, it wasn’t nearly as tiring as I’d feared. That was a huge discovery! While you can’t take in the whole stage at once, you get to savor the embroidery on the costumes and every flicker of expression on the actors’ faces. A truly luxurious experience that’s only possible from the front row. Now that I know it’s not exhausting, I’d love to try the center of Row 1 next time!
“Kikubatake” and the Tatsunosuke III Succession
“Kiichi Hogen Sanryaku no Maki: Kikubatake” was the succession play for Onoe Tatsunosuke III, with a succession announcement performed within the play itself.
The story: in an effort to revive the Genji clan, the servant Torazo – secretly Minamoto no Ushiwakamaru (the young Yoshitsune) – plus the servant Chienai – secretly Yoshioka Kisanda – sneak into Kiichi Hogen’s mansion to obtain the legendary military treatise “Rikuto Sanryaku.” The role names sound complicated, but in kabuki, the “secretly someone else” twist is part of the fun. Tatsunosuke played the servant Torazo / secretly Ushiwakamaru, while his father Shoroku played the servant Chienai / secretly Yoshioka Kisanda. Seeing father and son on stage together made the celebratory atmosphere even richer.
The succession ceremony was woven into the middle of the play – a warm moment filled with congratulatory words from senior actors. I really love the staging choice of resuming the play right after the ceremony. The celebration and the story flow into each other seamlessly – something only a succession performance can offer.
“Sukeroku,” and a Surprise from Shinnosuke
The main event of the evening was “Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura,” one of the Kabuki Juhachiban. Danjuro played Hanakawado Sukeroku, a dashing man who frequents the Miuraya house in the Yoshiwara pleasure quarter. Kikugoro VIII played the courtesan Miuraya Agemaki – so beautiful, simply breathtaking.
And here’s the twist: Sukeroku is actually Soga Goro in disguise. He picks fights in Yoshiwara to inspect the swords of his opponents – because he’s searching for the lost Genji treasure sword, Tomokirimaru. He looks like just a stylish, swaggering ladies’ man on the surface, but he’s secretly on a mission. Kabuki is full of these “secretly someone else” reveals, and once you know them, the world opens up at once.
“Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura” opens with Shinnosuke’s monologue. I hadn’t seen him in person since his own succession ceremony at Minamiza in 2023, and the change in him was striking. Just two or three years and he’s transformed this much! Never underestimate that second growth spurt (laughs). And it’s not just physical growth – you can see in his bearing and voice that daily training is shaping him as an actor. Watching the next generation grow up in the kabuki world is surely one of the joys of being a long-time fan. Already looking forward to seeing what role he takes on next.
Danjuro’s Sukeroku, and the Hilarious Tsujin Satoakatsuki
Seeing Danjuro’s Sukeroku after so long – still as dashing as ever. His refined bearing, the way he nails every mie pose (the dramatic frozen poses kabuki is famous for) – pure bliss for the eyes.
But what made me laugh the most was the scene with Tsujin Satoakatsuki, played by Onoe Ukon. With Danjuro on stage along with Baigyoku as the white-sake seller Shinbei, they entered the classic “matakuguri” routine (a comedic bit with one actor crawling under another actor’s legs). Then Baigyoku, claiming to be a YOASOBI fan, asked the musicians behind the bamboo screen (misu) to play “Yoru ni Kakeru” – one of YOASOBI’s biggest hits! The audience erupted 🤣 For Danjuro it was a limbo move; for Baigyoku, YOASOBI as the background music… Ukon was so funny I’d say he was in “Ukon unstoppable mode” (laughs). He completely stole the show in an instant.
Intermission: The Succession Bento at Hanakago
This time I had the “Succession Bento” at Hanakago, the restaurant on the third floor of Kabukiza 🍱 The bento was filled with Tatsunosuke’s favorite dishes – perfect for a celebratory day.
They reserved a comfortable spot for me even as a solo diner, so I could enjoy the meal at a relaxed pace. Every dish was carefully prepared and delicious. There was only one intermission in this evening program, and I was so focused on finishing the succession bento that, once again, I couldn’t get my hands on the medetai-yaki (a celebratory fish-shaped pastry I’ve been longing to try) 😭 Not only was time short, but after a full bento, my stomach simply had no room left for medetai-yaki.
To bento, or to taiyaki – that is the question.
Final Thoughts
Tatsunosuke’s succession, Shinnosuke’s opening monologue, Danjuro’s Sukeroku, Kikugoro VIII’s Agemaki. So many generations standing on the same stage, and I felt: I’m watching the Dan-Kiku Festival at this very moment in time.
My first front-row experience. The brilliance of “Kikubatake,” the atmosphere of Yoshiwara in “Sukeroku” – the stage was so close that the amount of information was overwhelming. Close. Way too close. But I want to sit there again.
You also start having delusions like “Wait, did our eyes just meet?” (Spoiler: they absolutely did not.) Next time, I really want to try the center of Row 1. (← My goal for this year!)
As always, today was the best.
For the latest ticket release schedule → https://happy-go-solo.com/ticket-release-schedule/
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