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KABUKI
MACMILLAN AND CO., Limited
LONDON • BOMBAY • CALCUTTA • MADRAS
MELBOURNE
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
NEW YORK • BOSTON • CHICAGO
DALLAS • SAN FRANCISCO
THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, Ltd.
TORONTO
KABUKI
THE POPULAR STAGE OF JAPAN
BY
ZOË KINCAID
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED
ST. MARTIN’S STREET, LONDON
1925
COPYRIGHT
PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN
[v]
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In my study of Kabuki I am deeply indebted to Mr. Seiseiin Ihara, theauthor of several volumes on the history of the popular stage of Japan.No progress toward an understanding of the development of Kabuki canbe made without extensive reference to this valuable work. I wishparticularly to acknowledge Mr. Ihara’s investigations into the massof chronicles of the theatre, his lives of the actors, his painstakingresearches into drama, also his collection of facts relating to theinterference of the officials with the theatre and persecution of theactors. His Generations of the Ichikawa Family has also proved arecord of great assistance.
Mr. Ihara has not only furnished me with data for study, but has beenan indefatigable friend. A true lover of the theatre, he is one of theleading dramatic critics of Tokyo, and has not only given generouslyof his knowledge as a recognised authority on Kabuki, but acted on mybehalf to smooth away a misunderstanding or straighten out a difficultythat sometimes arose concerning my attendance at the theatre.
To the late Mr. E. Motono, brother of the late Viscount Motono, I owemany of the first translations that opened up before me a new theatreworld. Mr. Eishiro Hori, Professor of English at Keio University,rendered the greatest assistance in translations that gave me aninsight into the history and technique of the Nō and Doll-theatre.
I also acknowledge my indebtedness to Mr. Mokuan Sekine for his EngekiTaizen, or Complete Drama, relating ...