Kabuki, a form of classical theater performance, may not be as well understood in the West, but has evolved over 400 years to still maintain influence and popularity to this day.

和食や武術などは

The word Kabuki is derived from the Japanese verb kabuku, meaning out of the ordinary or bizarre.

世界中で知られている

Its history began in early 17th century Kyoto, where a shrine maiden named Izumo No Okuni would use the city's dry Kamo Riverbed as a stage to perform unusual dances for passerby,

歌舞伎は 劇場で演じられる芝居の１つで

who found her daring parodies of Buddhist prayers both entertaining and mesmerizing.

西洋ではあまり知られていない

Soon other troops began performing in the same style, and Kabuki made history as Japan's first dramatic performance form catering to the common people.

400年以上の伝統を持ち

By relying on makeup, or keshou, and facial expressions instead of masks and focusing on historical events and everyday life rather than folk tales,

今なお 影響力と人気がある

Kabuki set itself apart from the upper-class dance theater form known as Noh, and provided a unique commentary on society during the Edo period.

歌舞伎という名前は

At first, the dance was practiced only by females and commonly referred to as Onna-Kabuki.

日本語の「かぶく」が語源で

It soon evolved to an ensemble performance and became a regular attraction at tea houses, drawing audiences from all social classes.

「普通ではない」 「奇妙」という意味

At this point, Onna-Kabuki was often risque, as geishas performed not only to show off their singing and dancing abilities but also to advertise their bodies to potential clients.

歌舞伎の歴史は 17世紀の初め 京都で始まった

A ban by the conservative Tokugawa Shogunate in 1629 led to the emergence of Wakashu-Kabuki with young boys as actors.

出雲の阿国 という巫女が

But when this was also banned for similar reasons, there was a transition to Yaro-Kabuki, performed by men,

鴨川の河川敷を舞台に見立て

necessitating elaborate costumes and makeup for those playing female roles, or onnagata.

それまでにない踊りを 披露したところ

Attempts by the government to control Kabuki didn't end with bans on the gender or age of performers.

観衆は その大胆な念仏踊りを

The Tokugawa military group, or Bakufu, was fueled by Confucian ideals and often enacted sanctions on costume fabrics, stage weaponry, and the subject matter of the plot.

愉快で 魅力的だと思った

At the same time, Kabuki became closely associated with and influenced by Bunraku, an elaborate form of puppet theater.

間もなく 他の人たちも真似し始めた

Due to these influences, the once spontaneous, one-act dance evolved into a structured, five-act play often based on the tenets of Confucian philosophy.

間もなく 他の人たちも真似し始めた

Before 1868, when the Tokugawa shogunate fell and Emperor Meiji was restored to power, Japan had practiced isolation from other countries, or Sakoku.

歌舞伎は

And thus, the development of Kabuki had mostly been shaped by domestic influences.

日本で 初めて 一般庶民を楽しませる

But even before this period, European artists, such as Claude Monet had become interested in and inspired by Japanese art, such as woodblock prints, as well as live performance.

舞台演劇となった

After 1868, others such as Vincent van Gogh and composer Claude Debussy began to incorporate Kabuki influences in their work,

化粧を施して

while Kabuki itself underwent much change and experimentation to adapt to the new modern era.

仮面を使わずに顔で表現をし

Like other traditional art forms, Kabuki suffered in popularity in the wake of World War II.

昔話ではなく 歴史的な事件や

But innovation by artists such as director Tetsuji Takechi led to a resurgence shortly after.

日常の物語に特化した

Indeed, Kabuki was even considered a popular form of entertainment amongst American troops stationed in Japan, despite initial U.S. censorship of Japanese traditions.

歌舞伎は

Today, Kabuki still lives on as an integral part of Japan's rich cultural heritage, extending its influence beyond the stage to television, film, and anime.

上流階級の演劇である 能 とは

The art form pioneered by Okuni continues to delight audiences with the actors' elaborate makeup, extravagant and delicately embroidered costumes, and the unmistakable melodrama of the stories told on stage.

別の道を進み