Noh and Kyogen (Nogaku)
Noh ? No, I don’t know !
‘Nogaku’ (Noh and Kyogen) is one of the oldest theatrical arts in the world and has been passed
down from generation to generation for over 650 years. UNESCO added ‘Nogaku’ to its Intangible
Cultural Heritage list as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
When was the Nogaku born ?
Nogaku’s origin can be traced back to the Chinese ‘Sangaku’ entertainment introduced into Japan
during the 6th and 7th centuries. It was combined with the ancient Japanese folk arts and in the 8th
century became the popular performing art known as ‘Sarugaku’. The ‘Sarugaku’ plays consisting of
music, dance and song came to be called Noh, while the more dialogue-based short plays were called
Kyogen. The art of Noh was perfected by Kan’ami and his son Zeami into the mature form in the
latter half of the 14th century.
Noh, the classical symbolic theater, incorporates “Hayashi” (musical accompaniment), “Yokyoku” or
“Utai” (narrative chant) and “Shimai” (dance). Its most obvious characteristic is that the leading
actor known as “Shite” often appears wearing an elaborate mask and gorgeous costumes on an
extremely simple stage. The themes of Noh are more concerned with human destiny.
Kyogen, the classical comic theater, emphasizes dialogue. It depicts the everyday life of the common
people in feudal society. The typical main characters include a mischievous servant named Taro
Kaja, a noisy wife, a lazy husband and a hilarious Buddhist monk. Kyogen is one of the few
traditional Japanese performing arts that would be easy to understand even for elementary school
children.
Nogaku (Noh and Kyogen) has been performed alternately on the same stage in the program. This
combination enables the audience to enjoy the contrast between the solemn musical drama of Noh
and the humorous spoken-style play of Kyogen. Today, however, Noh and Kyogen have also become
popular as independent performances.
The Noh Stage of Itsukushima Shrine
Noh stages were built outdoors until the end of the Edo period (1603-1867). Currently, there are
over fifty indoor and outdoor theaters called “Nogakudo” throughout Japan. The Noh Stage at
Itsukushima Shrine is the only stage in the country that was uniquely constructed over seawater.
The feudal lord at the time, Mori Motonari, who won the battle called “Itsukushima Kassen”,
dedicated the first Noh performance to the shrine in 1568. The sixth feudal lord of Hiroshima Castle,
Asano Tsunanaga rebuilt the current Noh stage in 1680. “Shin Noh”, or Sacred Noh, is held during
the “Tokasai” (Peach Blossom Festival) for three days in April each year.