House Arts of Kabuki

Shin Kabuki Jūhachiban

Established

Danjūrō VII conceived a sequel to the Kabuki Jūhachiban and fixed two plays, Tora no Maki and Renshō Monogatari; Danjūrō IX took up the plan and completed it. Most are dance-dramas drawn from noh and modern 'living history' plays. By then jūhachiban was understood to mean 'speciality', so the set is not eighteen plays.

The Kabuki Play Guide lists thirty-two plays and notes 'some say forty'; the Naritaya official site likewise leaves the count open.

Plays — 32

Titles are given in Japanese as the sources list them; plays with a page on this site are linked.

1. 01虎の巻
2. 02蓮生物語
3. 03地震加藤
4. 04真田張抜筒
5. 05釣狐
6. 06仲光
7. 07高時
8. 08船弁慶
9. 09山伏摂待
10. 10高野物狂
11. 11仲国
12. 12素襖落
13. 13女楠
14. 14鏡獅子
15. 15腰越状
16. 16酒井の太鼓
17. 17敷皮問答
18. 18吉備大臣
19. 19重盛諫言
20. 20荏柄問答
21. 21静法楽舞
22. 22伊勢三郎
23. 23紅葉狩
24. 24凧の為朝
25. 25文覚勧進帳
26. 26左小刀
27. 27新七つ面
28. 28二人袴
29. 29向井将監
30. 30吹取妻
31. 31時平の七笑
32. 32大森彦七

• 新歌舞伎十八番|歌舞伎演目案内(歌舞伎 on the web)
• 家の芸|歌舞伎事典(文化デジタルライブラリー)

Shinko Engeki Jisshu

Established

The house art of the Onoe Kikugorō family, established by Kikugorō V. Rather than roles inherited over generations, it consists of dance-dramas of spirits and apparitions that Kikugorō V created and premiered; only Migawari Zazen, added last by Kikugorō VI, has a different theme (Kabuki Play Guide). The Kabuki Encyclopedia describes it as a collection of the family's signature roles.

Plays — 10

Titles are given in Japanese as the sources list them; plays with a page on this site are linked.

1. 01土蜘
2. 02一つ家
3. 03羅漢
4. 04刑部姫
5. 05古寺の猫
6. 06茨木
7. 07戻橋
8. 08菊慈童
9. 09羽衣
10. 10身替座禅

• 新古演劇十種|歌舞伎演目案内(歌舞伎 on the web)
• 尾上家|歌舞伎事典(文化デジタルライブラリー)

Kataoka Jūnishū

Established

Plays that Kataoka Nizaemon XI performed with his own innovations around the 1900s, originally called the 'Shinko Engeki Jūnishū'. Chikagoro Kawara no Tatehiki is still often staged; Domo no Matahei and Ichijō Ōkura-kyō differ greatly from the productions current today (Kabuki Play Guide).

Plays — 12

Titles are given in Japanese as the sources list them; plays with a page on this site are linked.

1. 01馬切り
2. 02石田局
3. 03赤垣源蔵
4. 04菅公
5. 05清水清玄
6. 06吃の又平
7. 07一条大蔵卿
8. 08桜鍔恨鮫鞘〜鰻谷
9. 09近頃河原の達引
10. 10紙子仕立両面鑑〜大文字屋
11. 11木村長門守〜血判取
12. 12和気清麿

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• 片岡家|歌舞伎事典(文化デジタルライブラリー)

Yodogimi-shū

Established

The house art of Nakamura Utaemon V. He won acclaim as Yodogimi in Tsubouchi Shōyō's Kiri Hitoha and Hototogisu Kojō no Rakugetsu, and the name 'the Yodogimi actor' stuck to him (Kabuki Play Guide). Built around a single role in which one actor excelled, it differs in nature from both a set of aragoto roles and a set of dance creations.

The Kabuki Play Guide does not record the year of establishment.

Plays — 6

Titles are given in Japanese as the sources list them; plays with a page on this site are linked.

1. 01桐一葉
2. 02沓手鳥孤城落月
3. 03淀君
4. 04醍醐の春
5. 05大坂城
6. 06淀君小田原陣

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• 家の芸|歌舞伎事典(文化デジタルライブラリー)

Kae-shū

Established

'Kae' was the haiku name of Ichimura Uzaemon XV (1874–1945). The Kabuki Play Guide observes that it reads less like a house art than a line-up of Uzaemon's signature roles, listing the shironuri leading-man, nimaime and wakashu parts in which the handsome and celebrated Uzaemon XV excelled.

Uniquely among these sets, it is handed down as pairs of play and role rather than as plays. The Kabuki Play Guide lists four jidaimono roles and eight sewamono and jidai-sewa roles, and records no year of establishment.

Plays — 12

Titles are given in Japanese as the sources list them; plays with a page on this site are linked.

1. 01近江源氏先陣館
2. 02石切梶原
3. 03源平布引滝
4. 04Kanjinchō — The Subscription Scroll (勧進帳)
5. 05曽我綉侠御所染〜御所五郎蔵
6. 06Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees (Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura) (義経千本桜〜すし屋)
7. 07江戸育お祭佐七
8. 08Sukeroku, Flower of Edo (Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura) (助六由縁江戸桜)
9. 09The Treasury of Loyal Retainers (Kanadehon Chūshingura) (仮名手本忠臣蔵)
10. 10雪暮夜入谷畦道
11. 11Scarred Yosaburō (Yowa Nasake Ukina no Yokogushi) (与話情浮名横櫛)
12. 12其小唄夢廓

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Kyōka Gikyoku Jisshu

Established

'Kyōka' was the haiku name of Ichikawa Sadanji II, who earlier used 'Shōen'; the set is therefore also written as the Shōen Gikyoku Jisshu (Kabuki Play Guide). Its character lies in being made up of new plays by contemporary writers — Okamoto Kidō, Oka Onitarō, Matsui Shōō. Not a set of classical forms but modern drama taken as a house art.

Though called 'ten', the Kabuki Play Guide lists eight plays, and records no year of establishment.

Plays — 8

Titles are given in Japanese as the sources list them; plays with a page on this site are linked.

1. 01修禅寺物語
2. 02佐々木高綱
3. 03鳥辺山心中
4. 04番町皿屋敷
5. 05尾上伊太八
6. 06新宿夜話
7. 07今様薩摩歌
8. 08文覚

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Ganjirō Jūnikyoku

Established

A selection of the signature roles of Nakamura Ganjirō I, established around 1921; 'Ganjirō' was playfully rewritten as 'Ganjirō' (玩辞楼) for the name (Kabuki Play Guide). It centres on the wagoto of Kamigata — Kawashō, Fūinkiri, Kuruwa Bunshō and the like.

The Kabuki Play Guide notes that across all house arts, roles commonly performed by other actors are generally excluded, even when they are signature roles.

Plays — 12

Titles are given in Japanese as the sources list them; plays with a page on this site are linked.

1. 01河庄
2. 02時雨の炬燵
3. 03封印切
4. 04恋の湖
5. 05敵討襤褸錦
6. 06あかね染
7. 07碁盤太平記
8. 08土屋主税
9. 09椀久末松山
10. 10藤十郎の恋
11. 11廓文章
12. 12引窓

• 玩辞楼十二曲|歌舞伎演目案内(歌舞伎 on the web)
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Kōga Jisshu

Established

'Kōga' was the haiku name of Sawamura Sōjūrō VII. Established around 1947, the set is described by the Kabuki Play Guide as carrying the flavour handed down since Sōjūrō V, who excelled in the wagoto of Edo. Its character lies there — not in aragoto, but in the Edo wagoto line.

Though called 'ten', the Kabuki Play Guide lists nine plays.

Plays — 9

Titles are given in Japanese as the sources list them; plays with a page on this site are linked.

1. 01苅萱道心
2. 02伊勢音頭
3. 03神霊矢口渡
4. 04鈴木主水
5. 05鶯塚
6. 06八重桐廓話
7. 07忠節女夫松
8. 08蘭蝶
9. 09紀国文左大尽舞

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En'ō Jisshu

Established

Dances and dance-dramas created or revived by Ichikawa En'ō I (Ennosuke II), established as a house art in 1964, on the first anniversary of his death, by his grandson Ennosuke III (Kabuki Play Guide). The same house's Omodaka Jisshu is a separate set, established in 1975 on the thirteenth anniversary.

Plays — 10

Titles are given in Japanese as the sources list them; plays with a page on this site are linked.

1. 01悪太郎
2. 02黒塚
3. 03高野物狂
4. 04小鍛冶
5. 05独楽
6. 06二人三番叟
7. 07蚤取男
8. 08花見奴
9. 09酔奴
10. 10吉野山

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Omodaka Jisshu

Established

Dances created or newly staged by Ichikawa En'ō I (Ennosuke II), established by Ennosuke III in 1975 to mark the thirteenth anniversary of his death (Kabuki Play Guide), which also notes a separate 'En'ō Jisshu'. A collection of one generation's dance creations — different in nature from the aragoto set of the Kabuki Jūhachiban.

Plays — 10

Titles are given in Japanese as the sources list them; plays with a page on this site are linked.

1. 01浮世風呂
2. 02武悪
3. 03釣狐
4. 04夕顔棚
5. 05三人片輪
6. 06連獅子
7. 07檜垣
8. 08二人知盛
9. 09すみだ川
10. 10猪八戒

• 澤瀉十種|歌舞伎演目案内(歌舞伎 on the web)
• 市川家(段四郎・猿之助系)|歌舞伎事典(文化デジタルライブラリー)

Shūzan Jisshu

Established

'Shūzan' was the haiku name of Nakamura Kichiemon I. A house art gathering his specialities, many of them plays about Katō Kiyomasa — the role for which he was known as 'the Kiyomasa actor' (Kabuki Play Guide).

Though called 'ten', only six plays were ever fixed (Kabuki Play Guide).

Plays — 6

Titles are given in Japanese as the sources list them; plays with a page on this site are linked.

1. 01二条城の清正
2. 02蔚山城の清正
3. 03熊本城の清正
4. 04弥作の鎌腹
5. 05清正誠忠録
6. 06松浦の太鼓

• 秀山十種|歌舞伎演目案内(歌舞伎 on the web)
• 中村家(歌六・吉右衛門系)|歌舞伎事典(文化デジタルライブラリー)