Words Born from Kabuki | KABUKI PLUS+

In breakup plays, the woman coldly rejects the man she loves to secretly help him.

When an actor's performance fits naturally on the stage (ita = boards). A compliment for a seasoned performer.

The star actor whose name appears largest on the theater's billboard.

Backstage crew handling sets, props, costumes, and lighting — the unseen workers.

Signature plays and styles passed down through each acting family — aragoto for Naritaya, sewamono for Otowaya, etc.

The final act of a kabuki play, where the climax unfolds.

A performance so superb it impresses even the discerning regulars in the uppermost gallery seats.

The heir of a kabuki acting family, closely watched as the next generation of a prestigious lineage.

A derogatory term for a bad actor. Daikon radish never causes food poisoning ('ataru'), so 'doesn't hit' = 'never a hit / no talent.'

On the banzuke (cast listing), the name of the zamoto (theater manager) was written at the 'shoulder' (upper right) of each actor's name — literally 'shoulder writing.'

From kaomise performances where actors promoted their name and face.

A female-role actor's emotional plea or lament — a highlight of grief scenes.

A stage assistant dressed entirely in black, invisible by kabuki convention.

A black curtain used for night scenes or scene changes, controlling the stage from behind.

Spectacular staging like flying through the air or quick costume changes. Originally meaning 'trickery,' in kabuki it's a positive term for crowd-pleasing spectacle.

The inaugural performance at a newly built theater. 'Kokera' means wood shavings brushed off at construction completion.

A prop — a bamboo rod with a butterfly or bird attached, manipulated from behind by a stage assistant.

A scene where two samurai's scabbards collide as they pass, sparking a fight — often depicting romantic rivalry.

The actor whose name appeared third from the right on the theater billboard — the comic role player.

From 'shura-mono' (battle plays) in noh and kabuki, depicting the fierce world of the Buddhist Ashura.

The crucial scene where an actor must show their true skill — also written 性根場, revealing the character's essence.

The 18 signature plays of the Ichikawa family, selected by Danjuro VII. Scripts were stored in paulownia boxes ('hako'), hence 'ohako.'

Named after characters in the kabuki play Sukeroku. 'Agemaki' (the courtesan's name) splits into 'age' (fried tofu sushi) and 'maki' (rolled sushi).

Lines not in the script — improvised dialogue to fill gaps or ad-libbed exchanges between actors. 'Sute' (discarded) refers to lines outside the written script.

A devoted wife character in sewamono plays, diligently caring for her husband.

An actor earning a staggering annual salary of 1,000 ryo — an enormous sum in the Edo period.

A stylized scene where characters silently grope in the dark, vying for a treasure.

When an actor flubs their lines or makes a mistake on stage. At Kabukiza, the seats where mistakes are least noticeable (around rows 7-8) are called 'tochiri-seki' — prized by connoisseurs as excellent seats.

A troupe's touring of rural areas — a performing arts term expressing the hardship of traveling troupes.

A scene of thieves fighting, exposing each other's secrets in an ugly quarrel.

A dramatic scene change where the entire set piece is flipped over, accompanied by booming drums — 'donden.'

The drum sound effect — 'doro doro' — played when ghosts or spirits vanish.

From the gesture of mouthing 'naa, naa' to each other when acting out a whispered conversation on stage.

The dark space beneath the stage housing seri lift mechanisms, named after the Buddhist hell 'naraka.'

The actor listed second from the right on the billboard — playing the handsome romantic lead.

Performing continuously without the curtain ever coming down — no intermissions between acts.

An actor matching their dialogue and movement to the rhythm of the musical ensemble.

A popular young star actor who blooms like a flower on stage.

A raised walkway through the audience to the stage — kabuki's unique staging element for entries, exits, and dramatic moments.

The closing of the draw curtain, ending an act.

Originally made for eating during intermissions (makuai). Features many small dishes packed together.

To draw the curtain, ending an act.

Kabuki's iconic pose — freezing in position, swinging the head, and opening the eyes wide.

The most impressive scene in a play — the showpiece where actors display their greatest skill.

In gidayu and nagauta music, the contrast of pitch and volume — combining 'meri' (lowering) and 'hari' (projecting).

A stage made of premium hinoki cypress — used for the finest theaters and noh stages.

From the hakama pattern worn on stage by the popular Edo-era actor Sanogawa Ichimatsu I, which became a huge trend.

Inside jokes that only those in the dressing room (gakuya) would understand.

Frantic dancing to the small drum rhythm 'tenteko,' used in festival and theater music.

From 'ogiri,' the final play of a kabuki program — the entertaining send-off for the audience.