Yasukata’s ghost in Utō, a man who curses everyone in sight because his love goes unanswered, was so bewitching, so cool, that I forgot all about the plot. I was simply head over heels (haha). Even with a mishap partway through, he was still cool. As always, today was the best.
What Is the Shinshō Shunjūkai?
The Shinshō Shunjūkai is a performance series Danko Ichikawa launched in 2024 as a place to hone his craft. This year marks its third edition. The venue, Shunjuza, is a theatre inside Kyoto University of the Arts, born from the wish of his grandfather, En’ō Ichikawa II, to build “a proper kabuki theatre at a university.”
This year’s programme was a trio of dance pieces: Shōfudatsuki Kongen Kusazuri, Sagi Musume (The Heron Maiden), plus Utō. In them, Danko took on first-time roles (shoyaku) in tachiyaku (male roles) as well as onnagata (female roles).
Off to Shunjuza
I bought my ticket through the theatre’s official online store, choosing my own seat, then had it held for pickup at the ticket centre by the entrance. No carrying tickets around means no chance of forgetting them.
At the building’s entrance, a “Performing Today” signboard welcomed me. Looking up, I saw the Shunjuza banner fluttering softly in the wind. My seat was a little far from the stage, yet the view was good. I picked up an audio guide without any fuss. All set… supposedly. I had forgotten my opera glasses. Unbelievable 😭
Tracing the Three Dances
Shōfudatsuki Kongen Kusazuri
The curtain opened on a contest of strength: Soga no Gorō, about to rush off to take revenge, is held back by Maizuru (Enshi Ichikawa), who pulls on the kusazuri (the skirt panels) of his armour. Through the audio guide, I heard this was his first time in the role… I think. Danko’s Gorō was youthful, earnest, simply cool.
Sagi Musume (The Heron Maiden)
Once, watching a different actor’s Sagi Musume at another performance, I felt a chill at the moment of a hikinuki (a quick costume change done by pulling out threads). So this time, my heart was racing a little even before it began.
Danko showed the wavering heart of a heron spirit obsessed with love through earnest, straightforward dancing. Every hikinuki I had been worried about went off perfectly. Phew. I really wanted to watch the kōken (stage assistants who help the actors on stage) at work, too, but this is where the missing opera glasses hurt… (haha) I love the way they pull out the threads…
Towards the end came this production’s staging, in which the heron spirit dies at the close. Watching his ebizori (a deep backbend), with his back looking so supple, I imagined that bending further can’t always be better, so being this flexible must bring its own difficulty in holding back. Even so, what a lovely backbend 🦐
Special Video
Before Utō came a special video, about ten minutes long. It covered the costume from his grandfather’s era, still kept by Shochiku, which Danko would wear this time. It also touched on the staging, as well as rehearsals. Whenever Danko opens his mouth, his grandfather’s name comes out (haha). But he was about to dance a piece his grandfather revived, in a costume from his grandfather’s day, at a theatre born from his grandfather’s wish. No wonder.
Utō
Utō is a piece his grandfather revived together with Kanso Fujima II. Yasukata falls for Lady Onoe (Emiya Ichikawa), who is already in love with Hachiman Tarō Yoshiie (Somegoro Ichikawa). Taking her offhand promise at face value, Yasukata kills a pair of mandarin ducks bearing golden tags, for which he is sentenced to death. Later, as a ghost, he appears before the two lovers during one of their secret meetings.
Yasukata’s ghost was wonderfully bewitching, a role that makes full use of a handsome face. Partway through, there was a costume mishap, with a moment where I couldn’t help looking away… but in my heart I kept chanting “You’ve got this!” Even so, Danko in Utō was cool.
Come to think of it, isn’t Yasukata what we would now call a stalker? But if that handsome face came at me with that much “I love you, I love you,” I’d follow him straight away. Then again, I suppose Yasukata wouldn’t be all that hooked on someone like that. You want to chase whoever runs away. I can’t quite explain it, but it feels very bird-like. I watched thinking, “To be cursed, to be controlled by him… I’d die happy,” so my reading of the story was 100% wrong (haha). Wait, you’re in love with Lord Yoshiie, yet Danko’s Yasukata pursuing you is a problem? Emiya, would you mind swapping places with me? 🤣
Somegoro’s Yoshiie nearly got mixed up in my head with the comical lord I had seen him play not long before, yet he looked so dashing I wanted to call out, “Yo, handsome!” Emiya’s Lady Onoe was utterly adorable. I would have loved to see a piece with more scenes of Somegoro opposite Danko… but I’ll save that treat for the New Year in Asakusa.
Merch, the Exhibit, Gifts
I bought all three acrylic stands 💕 Even on the day itself, the queue wasn’t long. I also got the sticker set plus the programme. On top of that, I was given a sticker bearing the name “Ichikawa Danko” with his family crest, though what it came with is still a mystery… My top target, the ticket holder, was safely in hand too. I can’t wait to use it 🎫
At Galerie Aube, life-size panels of the three key visuals stood in a row, with signed posters on display at the venue too. My lesson this time: I should have checked where everything was in advance.
For gifts, I chose Malebranche’s Cha no Ka (green tea langue de chat biscuits) in special packaging (¥1,500 per box). Picking a design for each friend, this one for her, that one for him, I ended up buying a whole pile. Call it a hard sell of Danko-chan to my friends (haha).
Final Thoughts
A straight-arrow Gorō, a devoted heron spirit, then a bewitching ghost of Yasukata. If even more allure layers onto all this, what kind of stage will it become? My imagination is running wild 🫶
The Shinshō Shunjūkai is said to be a place for honing his craft, so I see it as a chance to watch his progress year by year. If it’s held again next year, I humbly intend to report for duty at Shunjuza once more 🫡
Before that, though, comes the New Year. Somegoro, Tatsunosuke Onoe, plus Danko will all appear in the 2027 New Year Asakusa Kabuki. I can’t wait to see how the trio fans call “SomeDanTatsu” plays off one another.
