Kabuki

Super Kabuki “Princess Mononoke”: Matinee (July 2026)

Super Kabuki "Princess Mononoke" at the Shinbashi Enbujo Theatre. Faithful to the film, with every one of Ashitaka's iconic moments - and Tokizo Nakamura's Lady Eboshi stole my heart. Leaf confetti drifted down to my seat, too.

2026.07.05

Kabuki

July Program at the Kabukiza Theatre: Evening Show (July 2026)

The Evening Show of the July Program at the Kabukiza Theatre from a seat right beside the hanamichi: Kamahige, Megumi no Kenka, Shunkyo Kagami Jishi, plus the Megumi Gozen and Snoopy renjishi plushes.

2026.07.05

Kabuki

Hakataza Grand Kabuki: Matinee (June 2026)

A solo trip to Fukuoka for a father-and-son name succession at the Hakataza. Banners along the Kawabata arcade, the celebratory curtain seen from straight below, 12-year-old Kikunosuke's Umeomaru, and Kikugoro's Ibaraki Doji - a matinee on closing day.

2026.06.24

Kabuki

Hakataza Grand Kabuki: Evening Show (June 2026)

My first visit to the Hakataza, for the naming-ceremony Evening Show of Kikugoro Onoe VIII and Kikunosuke Onoe VI. Wild over Hirohiko Araki's stage curtain, gasps from the house at Danjuro's otokodate, tears at the father-and-son Renjishi - a solo night full of serendipity.

2026.06.23

Kabuki

June Program at the Kabukiza Theatre: Matinee (June 2026)

The matinee of June Program at the Kabukiza Theatre, seen from a dobu seat by the hanamichi. Yukihime’s cherry-blossom snowstorm reached my hands, the new kabuki Lone Wolf and Cub was full of beauties, plus Hayato’s masking tape, a Kabukiza-only tenmusu bento and a long-awaited taiyaki.

2026.06.08

Kabuki

June Program at the Kabukiza Theatre: Evening Show (June 2026)

Shichinosuke's Koman — beautiful even as a severed head — and Matsuya's chillingly emotionless Gengobei. A solo evening at the Kabukiza, enjoyed from the famous dobu seats along the hanamichi.

2026.06.07

Kabuki

May Program at the Osaka Shochikuza Theatre: Evening Show (May 2026)

A solo evening at Osaka Shochikuza's farewell performance, just before the historic theater closes at the end of the month. A stellar lineup featuring Nizaemon, Shichinosuke, and Ganjiro delivered both belly laughs and a quiet ache of goodbye.

2026.05.23

Kabuki

Dan-Kiku Festival: May Program at the Kabukiza Theatre, Matinee (May 2026)

A front-row seat right beside the hanamichi (runway), with kabuki star Shoroku Onoe close enough to touch! With Tatsunosuke III's name-taking ceremony adding extra celebration, this matinee at Kabukiza was unforgettable.

2026.05.06

Kabuki

Kabukiza Gallery (May 2026)

Still glowing from the matinee of the May Dangiku Kabuki Festival, I dropped by Kabukiza Gallery on a whim. An elevator mishap, a refreshing rooftop garden, and a model of the second-generation Kabukiza that stole my heart — a solo outing after the show.

2026.05.06

Kabuki

Dan-Kiku Festival: May Program at the Kabukiza Theatre, Evening Show (May 2026)

My very first front-row experience at the Dan-Kiku Festival: May Program at the Kabukiza Theatre evening program! The third-generation Tatsunosuke Onoe succession play "Kikubatake," Danjuro's Sukeroku, and Ukon's hilarious Tsujin Satoakatsuki - a truly special evening up close.

2026.05.05

Kabuki