Children’s Kabuki Class
Taught by the Yokozen Kabuki Preservation Society, the Children’s Kabuki Class,open for elementary and middle school students, began in 1996 for the purposeof raising a new generation to inherit Yokozen Kabuki.
These kids had gained popularity, outshining the adults with their performances,
and are the stars of the kabuki performances nowadays.

Matsugami Shrine Stage
Performing arts flourished in this area since the late Edo Period, with every area ineastern Tsuyama having its own kabuki stage.
Only a few of these stages remain completely intact to this day, one of which being
the kabuki stage at Matsugami Shrine in the Nakashima-higashi Area of Nagi Town.
The elaborate rotating stage from when the stage was first built has been preserved,
and the stage was designated as an Okayama Prefectural Important Tangible Cultural
Property in 1963. It is currently
still used every spring for
performances held by locals
from the Nakashima-higashi
Area. Every year, many visitors
come to experience the showon shrine grounds, just as they
were held in the past.

Performance by the local Nakashima-higashi
Matsugami-kai
Side View of Pulleys (3)Matsugami Shrine Stage, Nagi Town
Rotating Stage Structural Drawing
Dressing
Room

Main Axis
GroundFloor Plan (2)TayuzaFloor Plan (1)Main Axis

Pulley System Diagram (4)32 Pulleys

Rotating
StageYokozen Kabuki Menshibai

Genkurou-kitsune toHatsune-no-tsuzumi

Menshibai - or masked theater - is a performance that is rarely found throughout thecountry, and the origins of it are unknown.
One performer takes on the omotezukai role and performs in time with the joruri
music. They expose only their upper body from behind a curtain called a kekomimaku;
the inside of the curtain is lined with masks for the performer to play many roles,
creating a type of theater with a unique visual style.
These simple performances gained popularity andwere performed at home, on balconies and as a side
show at banquets and parties.

Naki-warai Koukou-kagami

Kotobukishiki Sanbasou
by Nagi Town Office
Employees

Yokozen Kabuki
Preservation Society

Founded in 1966 by volunteers from Nagi Town, the Yokozen Kabuki Preservation
Society holds their regular “Shiki no Kouen” (Performances of the Four Seasons) fourtimes a year. They also hold kabuki classes in order to pass on the unique plays andgestures of Yokozen Kabuki - as well as the effects of acting - to the next generation,
instructing students about various areas such as makeup, costuming and hairdressing.
In addition to holding visiting performances, members from the Yokozen Kabuki
Preservation Society provide instruction and backstage support to other prefectures
and to all active kabuki preservation groups in Okayama Prefecture. They are an
important organization even outside of Nagi Town, earning many accolades and agreat reputation from their activities.
Yokozen Kabuki Shiki no Kouen
Spring Performance - Late April
Summer Performance - Mid AugustAutumn Grand Performance Mid November
Winter Performance - Late February

Yokozen Kabuki History
1966
Genichi Takamori designated as Okayama Prefectural Important
Intangible Cultural Property as a Yokozen Kabuki Skilled Expert
Yokozen Kabuki Preservation Society founded by volunteers in Nagi
1969
Received Miki Memorial Award
1974
Death of Genichi Takamori (Age 78)
1975“Yokozen Menshibai“ performed at Tokyo National Theater’s 24th
Traditional Arts Show
1976
Yokozen Kabuki designated as Okayama Prefectural Important
Intangible Cultural Property
1989
1st Higashi Sakushu Nouson Kabuki Performance
1996

Winter Performance(Koinyoubou Somewake-tazuna Shige-no-iko-wakare-no-dan)

Kabuki Specialist Employee hiredChildren’s Kabuki Class started
1999
Start of regular “Shiki no Kouen” seasonal performances
2000
Kabuki Specialist Employee hired
Received 1st Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award
Acknowledged by Minister of Culture for Cultural Property Protection
Act 50th Anniversary
2001
Mainichi Chihou Jichi Prize Encouragement Award
Nihon Zenkoukai Award (Children’s Kabuki Class)
2004
Received Sanyo Shimbun Award
2009
Received Sanyo Shimbun Momotaro Award (Children’s Kabuki Class)18 Plays of Yokozen Kabuki

Ehon Taikouki Juudanme Amagasaki-no-ba
Tamamo-no-mae Asahi-no-tamoto SandanmeMichiharu-yakata-no-ba
Koibikyaku Yamato-ourai Ni-no-kuchimura-no-danKeisei-awa-no-naruto Junrei-uta-no-dan
Roubensugi-no-yurai Nigatsudou-no-dan
Oushuu-adachigahara Sandanme Sodehagisaimon-nodan
Meibokusendaihagi Masaoka-chuugi-no-dan
Yoshitsune-senbonzakura Yoshi-no-yama Michiyukino-dan
Genpei-sakiwake-botan Shigetada-yakata-no-dan
Kiichi-hougen Sanryaku-no-maki Kikubatake-no-dan
Goshozakura Horikawayauchi Benkei-shoushi-no-dan
Koinyoubou Somewake-tazuna Shige-no-iko-wakareno-dan
Genkuroukitsune to Hatsune-no-tsuzumi
Sugawara-denju-tenarai-kagami Yondanme Terakoyano-dan
Kamakura Sandaiki Miuranosuke-haha-wakare-nodan
Kana-tehon Chuushingura Godanme Yamasaki-kaidou
Kana-tehon Chuushingura Rokudanme Kanpeiseppuku
Kana-tehon Chuushingura Nanadanme Ichiriki-jaya

Yokozen Kabuki
Yokozen Kabuki is a form a kabuki theater that originated in Nagi Town in Katsuta
District. Kabuki was widespread throughout Okayama Prefecture in the late Edo
Period but disappeared during the period of cultural enlightenment. Despite this,Yokozen Kabuki is carried on to this day thanks to those passionate about kabuki.
Much of this is thanks to Mr. Genichi Takamori (stage name, Baichou Yamashita),
who performed in every area of Nagi and actively went out to work in Shodoshima
and Hiroshima. He also worked hard to develop and expand kabuki, evenpurchasing the costumes and equipment needed for kabuki with his own money inorder to lend them out.
Takamori gained a reputation through his efforts to preserve and carry on
Yokozen Kabuki and was designated as an “Okayama Prefectural Important
Intangible Cultural Asset” as a Skilled Expert in 1966. That same year, “Yokozen
Kabuki Preservation Society” was found by volunteers; their organizaton wasdesignated as an “Okayama Prefectural Important Intangible Cultural Property” in
1976.
In order to preserve and continue Yokozen Kabuki into future generations, Nagi
Town hired two Kabuki Specialist employees (one in 1996 and one in 2000) whowork toward the continuation of kabuki. As part of their work, they hold lecture forelementary students and established the Children’s Kabuki Class, gaining attention
from throughout the country.

Class by SpecialistEmployees
Many plays are able to be performed even today thanks to the many
costumes, equipment and scripts (nehon) left behind by predecessors.

Late Mr. Genichi Takamori

Jige-shibai in Mimasaka Area

YonagoExpwy

Nagi Town Culture CenterTsuyama
City

Chugoku Expwy

The form of kabuki theater that the general public was most familiar with since
the Edo Period spread throughout the country from Kamigata (present-day KyotoOsaka-Kobe). Most villages in Okayama Prefecture performed it even at the end of
the Edo Period. The type of theater in this area is also said to have originated fromlocals trying to replicate the performances of theater professionals.
At the time, performances started in the evening during the off-season forfarmers and were held at stages on shrine grounds with seating split up into
boxed spaces. People of all ages and genders brought boxes of food and alcohol,
then ate, drank and had fun late into the night.
“Jige-shibai“ shows served as important social gathering places, with some young
people even traveling from village to village looking for love at the performances.

Directions

Mount Nagi

Tsuyama IC
Mimasaka IC

Ochiai JCT
TsuyamaLine

Hokubou JCT
HakubiLine

OkayamaExpwy

Okayama
AirportTakahashi
City
Kurashiki JCT

OkayamaJCT

YunogoOnsen

San’yo Expwy
OkayamaIC

Kishin Line

San’yo Main
Line
Wake IC

Okayama Airport -> Tsuyama Station (Bus, Taxi) -> Nagi Town Culture Center
4 Highway Bus (~2hr 50min from Osaka Station)
From Osaka Station via Shin-Osaka Station (Chugoku Expwy Highway Bus) ->Mimasaka IC Bus Stop (Taxi) -> Nagi Town Culture Center
Tsuyama IC Bus Stop (Bus, Taxi) -> Nagi Town Culture CenterBizen
CityOkayama
City
San’yoShinkansen Kurashiki
City

SetoChuoExpwy

OkayamaPort
TamanoCity

Seto-Chuo Expwy

1 JR Tsuyama Line (~1hr 40min from Okayama Station)
JR Okayama Station (Tsuyama Line) ->Tsuyama Station (Bus, Taxi) -> Nagi Town Culture Center
2 Chizu Express/Chizu Line (~2hr 40min from Shin-Osaka Station)
JR Shin-Osaka Station (Ltd. Exp. Super Hakuto) ->Chizu Station (Taxi) -> Nagi Town Culture Center
3 Airplane (~1hr 40min from Okayama Airport)

Seto-Ohashi Line

To Tottori

Nagi Sanroku
Yama-no-Eki
Narimatsu
Nagi River
RiverYodoRiver

Nagi Pond
Shosha
Pond

Nagi
MOCA

Culture CenterTown Hall

To Tsuyama
Tsuyama IC(190yo)
Chrysanthemum
CherryB&G BoatHouseO PondIwakura
River

Great
Cedar (300yo)

Noda Tombstone Ruins
Matsugami
ShrineKabuki Stage

MaguwaRiver

Vicarya Museum

To Katsuta

Taki River

To Mimasaka
Mimasaka IC

Nagi
TunnelNishibara
DamGreat Holly
Tree(300yo)

Takadono River
To ShooUmewakaCamellia(400yo)

Witch Hazel
Native Forest(3,000 trees)Okayama Prefectural Important Intangible
Folk Cultural Property

Yokozen Kabuki

Nagi Town, Okayama

Toyosawa 327-1, Nagi-cho, Katsuta-gun, Okayama-ken 708-1323
Contact: (0868) 36-3034, Nagi Town Culture Center
URL: http://www.town.nagi.okayama.jp/Yokozen Kabuki Preservation Society

Nagi Town, Okayama Prefecture
Nagi Town Board of Education