page_title: Izumo no Okuni
hierarchical_section_title: Izumo no Okuni
caption_attribution_description: Okuni as Samurai
context_page_description: Okuni was a Japanese shrine maiden who is believed to have invented the theatrical art form of kabuki. Thought to have begun performing her new art style of "kabuki" theatre in the dry riverbed of the Kamo River in Kyoto, Okuni's performances gained immense popularity, and were known for their performances, who were often lower-class women Okuni had recruited to act in her all-female troupe.
  Few concrete details are known about her life; born around 1572 near Izumo province, Okuni worked as a miko for several years at the Izumo-taisha until gaining popularity for her dramatised dance performances, which onlookers gave the name of kabuki. Okuni continued to perform kabuki with her troupe until her retirement and disappearance sometime around 1610. She is believed to have died sometime around 1613.
context_section_description: Okuni (出雲阿国, Izumo no Okuni, born ca. 1572; died ca. 1613) was a Japanese shrine maiden who is believed to have invented the theatrical art form of kabuki. Thought to have begun performing her new art style of "kabuki" (lit., "the art of singing and dancing") theatre in the dry riverbed of the Kamo River in Kyoto, Okuni's performances gained immense popularity, and were known for their performances, who were often lower-class women Okuni had recruited to act in her all-female troupe.
  Few concrete details are known about her life; born around 1572 near Izumo province, Okuni worked as a miko (shrine maiden) for several years at the Izumo-taisha (the Grand Shrine of Izumo) until gaining popularity for her dramatised dance performances, which onlookers gave the name of kabuki. Okuni continued to perform kabuki with her troupe until her retirement and disappearance sometime around 1610. She is believed to have died sometime around 1613.
caption: Okuni dressed as a samurai
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