Noh

Noh developed into its present form during the 14th and 15th centuries under the leadership of the distinguished performer-playwrights Kannami and his son Zeami. Zeami, in particular, wrote numerous plays which are still performed in today’s classical repertory of some 250 plays. He also wrote a number of once secret works which explain the aesthetic principles governing noh and give details on how the art should be composed, acted, directed, taught, and produced.

Noh flourished during Zeami’s time under the patronage of the military shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. Later during the Edo period (1603-1868), noh became the official performance art of the military government. Feudal military lords throughout the country supported their own troupes and many studied and performed the art themselves. With the societal reforms of the Meiji period (1868-1912), noh lost its governmental patronage and was left to fend for itself. Although it nearly died out, enough performers regrouped, found private sponsors, and began teaching the art to amateurs so that it slowly began to flourish again.

Today, like many classical performance forms throughout the world, noh cannot be described as a popular art among the average Japanese. Yet its supporters are enthusiastic and its professional performers are highly trained and extremely busy performing and teaching throughout the country. There are today approximately 1,500 professional performers who make their living largely through performing and teaching noh.

Though noh traditionally was performed by men only, in the post-WW II era, the number of female performers has increased markedly. Today, the number of professional women performers is over 250. Meanwhile, it is estimated that women make up well over two-thirds of the amateur performers.

Visit the Noh Reimagined website

NHK Documentary “日本の美” (Beauty of Japan) in  1940′