Kichirei Kaomise Kogyo 2012

Kichirei Kaomise Kogyo(吉例顔見世興行, December Kabuki Program)　is being held from November 30th to December 26th at Kyoto Minamiza Theatre. It's an annual kabuki program with an all-star cast of east(Tokyo) and west(Osaka, Kyoto). Forty-eight actors including Sakata Tojuro IV(四代目 坂田藤十郎), Kataoka Gato V(五代目 片岡 我當), Ichikawa Danjuro XII(市川團十郎),Kataoka Nizaemon XV(十五代目 片岡仁左衛門), Nakamura Kanjaku V(五代目 中村翫雀) are performing this year.



まねき　maneki by 湖畔老 /flickr

Maneki were put up above the theatre's entrance on November 26.  Maneki are hinoki cypress signboards on which actors' names and their family crests are written in a Japanese lettering style, Kanteiryu(勘亭流). The style leaves less blank space in hopes of being filled to the rafters. Nakamura Kankuro VI and his brother Shichinosuke Ⅱ made the opening speech on this day. This program includes the performance announcing the succession of Nakamura Kankuro VI.
In this program, Kankuro made a statement of his succession to the name. His father Nakamura Kanzaburo XVIII had an operation for early esophageal cancer in July and is in the hospital with lung disease.


Maiko wear a different hair ornament(花簪,hanakanzashi) every month.

hanakanzashi for maiko:
http://www1.odn.ne.jp/maya/kanzashi.htm (Japanese version only)


made by MAYA
(Kanzashi are available on this site.)

In Kyoto, the preparations for New Year's festivities(正月事始め, Shogatsu Kotohajime) are started on December 13th when maiko in Kyoto receive a new fan for Japanese dance from her master. So hanakanzashi in December is decorated with maneki and good luck charms for New Year's festivities such as hagoita battledore, mochibana(branches with colored rice balls), manekineko(beckoning cat), dice, koban(oval gold coin), and so on.

Kagai Souken(花街総見) or Kaomise Souken(顔見世総見) is an anual event that all of maiko and geiko in the five entertainment areas in Kyoto go to see kabuki for improvement in the performing arts at the theatre in early December. Maiko and geiko of each area go there on a different day.
Each maiko gets the autograph of her favorite kabuki actor on their hair ornament's maneki in his dressing room. Male-role players write their autographs in black and female-role players do in red.



maiko wearing hanakanzashi in December:
http://geesatoharu.slmame.com/e1011027.html



Kichirei Kaomise Kogyo[December Kabuki Program]


Matinee (from 10:30 AM) includes the following performances.

1.Sasaki Takatsuna(佐々木高綱) performed by Gato and others.
2.Kajiwara Heizo Homare No Ishikiri (梶原平三誉石切, Stone-cutting Kajiwara) performed by Danjuro and others.
3.Kotobuki Soga No Taimen(寿曽我対面, The Encounter of the Soga Brothers and their Father's Killer) performed by Kankuro, Nizaemon and others.
4.Kuruwa Bunsho (廓文章, A Letter from the Pleasure Quarters) performed by Tojuro and others.

Evening Show (from 4:15 PM) includes the following performances.

1.Kanadehon Chushingura Act 5 and 6 (仮名手本忠臣蔵, The Treasury of Loyal Retainers) performed by Nizaemon and others.
2.Kojo (Stage Announcement) by Nakamura Kankuro VI and top actors.
3.Funa Benkei(船弁慶, Benkei in the Boat) performed by Kankuro, Danjuro, Tojuro and others.
4.Sekitori Senryo Nobori (関取千両幟, The Sumo Wrestler's Banner) performed by Kanjaku and others.

You can see more information about Kichirei Kaomise Kogyo on the "Kabuki Web" site from SHOCHIKU's web site.
http://www.shochiku.com/.

MIYAKO ODORI and Azuma Odori

Few people have been entertained by geiko(it's called geisha in Kanto region) or maiko(apprentice geiko) at ochaya, which literally means a tea house but it is actually a traditional restaurant, in Kyoto.

Although some ochaya provide an opportunity for ordinary people to be entertained at ochaya, most ochaya are like an exclusive club and anyone needs an introduction from a club member to gain admittance into them.

However, we have an opportunity to see many geiko and maiko once a year. It's a spring dance performance called MIYAKO ODORI, which is also known as the Cherry Dance and features all the geiko and maiko in Gion, Kyoto. It started after the capital was moved to Tokyo to liven up Kyoto.

It's being held in Gion from April 1st to the 30th. Their performances were given for an hour four times a day and the admission is between 4,000 and 2,000 yen. You can make a reservation by phone or fax for reservations. The official site of MIYAKO ODORI presents information in English and Japanese.




舞妓さん デザイン:弓岡勝美
"MAIKOSAN" designed by Katsumi Yumioka.

An apprentice geisha is called hangyoku(半玉) in Kanto region, but maiko(舞妓) and hangyoku differ from each other in appearance and many ways. Similarly, geiko(芸妓) and geisha(芸者) are different. Only maiko leaves a trail of obi(sash).


Katsumi Yumioka, Colors of Japanese Spirits (Tokyo:NIHON VOGUE-SHA.Co,Ltd.,2005),P.44.
弓岡勝美著,日本の心の色100(東京:日本ヴォーグ社,2005年),p44.


Maiko wear a hair ornament called hana kanzashi(花簪) in her hair. The ornament is created by a technique known as tsumami(つまみ). A square of silk is repeated twice to be fold in half diagonally, is shaped into a petal and is attached to backings on the base of kanzashi.

Maiko and hangyoku wear hana kanzashi in their hairs, but geiko and geisha don't it. Girls used to wear it at the Shichi-go-san festival, which is the event to celebrate children's growth and pray for their future good health.

Maiko wear different hana kanzashi every month. Its motif is associated with each month such as cherry blossoms in April, wisteria or iris in May.


an original work using tsumami.



In rivalry with the Miyako Odori, geisha in Shimbashi of Tokyo started the dance performance called the Azuma Odori(東をどり) which is being held in The Shinbashi Enbujō (新橋演舞場) from April 26th to the 29th. Their performances were given for an hour and a half three times a day and the admission is between 7,500 and 2,000 yen. you can buy its ticket via the Internet or by phone, but advance tickets are sold out this year.


Azuma manju(東饅頭):
This is a baked confection topped with pieces of walnuts and was given out as a souvenir when the Azuma Odori was premiered.

a flurry of falling cherry blossoms

Cherry blossoms have begun to fall in Tokyo. Flower maturity in cherry blossom-viewing spots throughout Japan is accessible on the Internet.

久方の　光のどけき　春の日に　しづ心なく　花の散るらむ（古今集・紀友則）
"On such a tranquil sunny day, why are cherry blossoms fluttering down in such a rush?", written by Ki no Tomonori (紀友則,850–904).


confection named Hanafubuki(花吹雪:a flurry of falling cherry blossoms)

I threw the fallen petals high in the air when I took a walk with my dog under the cherry trees. while petals drifted down like confetti, she yelped with delight in her puppyhood.

She was given less than a year to live during the cherry blossom season a few years ago. While walking with my dog under the cherry trees, I came home to my bosom that we were not abele to see cherry blossoms together in the next spring.

Can I see cherry blossoms next spring? - I often hear that in Japanese classics, movies or TVdrams.


The petal floating on the water is called Hanaikada(花筏:petal raft). Because a petal of cherry blossoms floating down the river looks like a raft.

an original work of tsumami-zaiku(つまみ細工)