jūhachiban / ohako
十八番
じゅうはちばん(おはこ)the eighteen signature plays; one's speciality
INSTANT ANSWER
The Jūhachiban are the eighteen plays chosen by the Ichikawa Sōke as its signature repertoire—the origin of the everyday word ohako, meaning "one's speciality."
The Kabuki Jūhachiban ("Eighteen Best Plays") are the signature repertoire of the Ichikawa Sōke, said to have been selected by Danjūrō VII in the Tenpō era (1830s–40s). The list centres on aragoto triumphs handed down since Danjūrō I, including Kanjinchō, Shibaraku, Sukeroku, and Narukami.
Some of the eighteen were born after the list itself. The prime example is Kanjinchō, a boldly new dance drama drawing on the Noh play Ataka, first performed by Danjūrō VII himself in 1840. Today it is among the most frequently staged of all the Jūhachiban, its taut duel of wits between Benkei and the barrier keeper Togashi as gripping as ever.
Because the family is said to have treasured these plays as if sealed in a box (hako), the word ohako—written with the same characters as jūhachiban—came to mean "one's speciality" in everyday Japanese, and it is still in daily use today.
The Kabuki Jūhachiban
- 不破
- 鳴神
- 暫
- 不動
- 嫐
- 象引
- 勧進帳
- 助六
- 外郎売
- 押戻
- 矢の根
- 関羽
- 景清
- 七つ面
- 毛抜
- 解脱
- 蛇柳
- 鎌髭
played today as a matter of coursestaged only rarely
Video & Voice
市川團十郎が語る“十八番”｜受け継がれる魂と十八番の見つけ方
Jul 5, 2025
「おはこ(十八番)」の語源が、七代目市川團十郎が初代以来の家の芸十八演目を箱に納めて「歌舞伎十八番」と制定したことにあると解説。暫・助六・勧進帳などに共通する荒事の力強さと、一演目ごとに込められた市川家の魂を語る。自分の得意なものを心の拠り所とし、迷った時に立ち戻れる自分だけの十八番を持つことを勧める。
FROM THE OFFICIAL CHANNEL
KABUKU. / Ichikawa Danjūrō.Films where this word appears
市川團十郎が語る“十八番”｜受け継がれる魂と十八番の見つけ方
Jul 5, 2025
How 'ohako' came from the seventh Danjūrō boxing up his house's eighteen plays — and how to find an ohako of your own.
Plays Where You Can See It
- KanjinchōKanjinchō — The Subscription ScrollMinamoto no Yoshitsune, estranged from his powerful brother, flees north disguised as a mountain ascetic with his loyal retainer Benkei and a handful of men.Kabuki JūhachibanView play
- ShibarakuShibaraku — Just a Moment!The tyrant Kiyohara no Takehira has seized power and is about to execute a group of innocents who refuse to bow to him.Kabuki JūhachibanView play
- Sukeroku Yukari no Edo ZakuraSukeroku, Flower of Edo (Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura)In the Yoshiwara pleasure quarter of Edo, the dashing street knight Sukeroku—lover of the great courtesan Agemaki—picks fights night after night.Kabuki JūhachibanView play
- NarukamiNarukami — The Thunder GodThe holy priest Narukami, wronged by the imperial court, has sealed the rain-bringing dragon god beneath a waterfall, plunging the land into drought.Kabuki JūhachibanView play
- Uirō-uriUirō-uri — The Medicine PeddlerA traveling peddler appears at a gathering in Ōiso, selling uirō, a famous cure-all medicine from Odawara.Kabuki JūhachibanView play
Read this next
These words meet on the same stage. Knowing one makes the next easier to see.
- 荒事aragotoAragoto is the bold, larger-than-life acting style—said to have been created by Ichikawa Danjūrō I—in which heroes express superhuman power through striking makeup, oversized costumes, and dramatic poses.Read
- 襲名shūmeiShūmei is the succession to a historic stage name—not a mere renaming, but the acceptance of an artistic lineage, its history, and its responsibilities.Read
- 屋号yagōA yagō is the hereditary "house name" of a kabuki acting family—Naritaya for the Ichikawa Danjūrō line—often shouted from the audience in appreciation.Read
- 押戻しoshimodoshiOshimodoshi is the set-piece—and hero role—in which an aragoto champion pushes a raging spirit back down the hanamichi; it is also counted among the Kabuki Jūhachiban.Read
Sources & Supervision
- Author
- KABUKI Universe Editorial Team
- Supervision
- Ichikawa Danjūrō
- Published
- Aug 15, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 9, 2026
Supervision means Ichikawa Danjūrō has reviewed this page's intent and key points. The text is the editorial team's writing, not Ichikawa Danjūrō's own statements. Editorial responsibility rests with the team, which corrects any error. Read the editorial policy