Kabuki - True Japanese Traditional Entertainment!

Perhaps I may be minority here, but many Japanese people have never seen Kabuki or Sumo live. Until today, I couldn't care less, honestly.

But, boy was I wrong! I went to the latest one at Meiji-za (not Kabuki-za) with my mother where Ichikawa Somegoro did a very interesting and entertaining play.

As you see in the photo on the right, he did TEN roles in one play in which he changed the costume more than 40 times, most of them in the matter of seconds! Even I could not figure out how at one occasion where he switched the costume at the moment when he passes someone and struggled a little and voila, he had become the opposite. The play had funny scenes, lines, and it really opened my eyes to Kabuki. I am born and raised in Japan Japanese, mind you :-)

Also noteworthy is "earphone-guide" service (the photo on the right). Surely there is English version. I rent it, too. It explains the scene and background, etc. and a "must have" for the newbies like me, or you. JPY700, and requires JPY1000 as deposite which will be returned when you return it when you leave.

Anyway, the ticket is not cheap (there is no TKTS in Japan), but worth every penny. These guys are so trained and stand firm to entertain you.

Hope this helps.

Ken