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The origins of kabuki are typically attributed to a woman known as [[Izumo no Okuni]], whose troupe's performances, on temporary stages set up in the Kawaramachi dry riverbed of the [[Kamo River]] in [[Kyoto]], beginning in [[1603]], are said to have been the very first "kabuki" performances. However, some scholars point out that these performances, often referred to today as "Okuni kabuki," were likely not radically different from those performed by other women's groups at the time, and drew heavily upon recent performance trends of the [[Azuchi-Momoyama period]].<ref>McQueen Tokita. p230.</ref> These earliest "kabuki" performances consisted chiefly of showy dances, with a minimum of plot or characterization, and were much more similar to today's ''[[taishu engeki|taishû engeki]]'' than the more fully staged and heavily narrative form that kabuki has since evolved into. The musical accompaniment for Okuni kabuki is believed to have consisted of the standard Noh ensemble - chiefly flutes and drums - with only a few other instruments, such as the ''shinobue'' flute and ''[[surigane]]'' hand-gong added in; ''kouta'' was the dominant style of music. The shamisen would not become standard until around [[1650]], bringing with it a dramatic shift in kabuki music; it may have been used prior to that time, but it has also been suggested that Okuni kabuki may have only used the shamisen as a stage prop, rather than as an instrument incorporated into the musical accompaniment.<ref>Tsubaki, 304-305.</ref>

The origins of kabuki are typically attributed to a woman known as [[Izumo no Okuni]], whose troupe's performances, on temporary stages set up in the Kawaramachi dry riverbed of the [[Kamo River]] in [[Kyoto]], beginning in [[1603]], are said to have been the very first "kabuki" performances. However, some scholars point out that these performances, often referred to today as "Okuni kabuki," were likely not radically different from those performed by other women's groups at the time, and drew heavily upon recent performance trends of the [[Azuchi-Momoyama period]].<ref>McQueen Tokita. p230.</ref> These earliest "kabuki" performances consisted chiefly of showy dances, with a minimum of plot or characterization, and were much more similar to today's ''[[taishu engeki|taishû engeki]]'' than the more fully staged and heavily narrative form that kabuki has since evolved into. The musical accompaniment for Okuni kabuki is believed to have consisted of the standard Noh ensemble - chiefly flutes and drums - with only a few other instruments, such as the ''shinobue'' flute and ''[[surigane]]'' hand-gong added in; ''kouta'' was the dominant style of music. The shamisen would not become standard until around [[1650]], bringing with it a dramatic shift in kabuki music; it may have been used prior to that time, but it has also been suggested that Okuni kabuki may have only used the shamisen as a stage prop, rather than as an instrument incorporated into the musical accompaniment.<ref>Tsubaki, 304-305.</ref>

The word "kabuki" (歌舞伎) is today written with three [[kanji|characters]] meaning song (歌), dance (舞), and technique or skill (伎). However, the name of the art form is said to derive from, or be related to, the term ''[[kabukimono]]'' (傾奇者), which referred to eccentric types seen on the streets of Kyoto and Edo around that time, who dressed and behaved unusually, and in general were described as leaning (傾) towards the bizarre and unconventional (奇). Okuni herself is said to have been a ''kabukimono'', along with [[Nagoya Sansaburo|Nagoya Sansaburô]], a figure often said to have been Okuni's onstage partner and off-stage lover, and worthy of credit as co-founder of kabuki theater, but who might in reality have never met Okuni, or might not even have existed at all.

The word "kabuki" (歌舞伎) is today written with three [[kanji|characters]] meaning song (歌), dance (舞), and technique or skill (伎). However, the name of the art form is said to derive from, or be related to, the term ''[[kabukimono]]'' (傾奇者), which referred to eccentric types seen on the streets of Kyoto and Edo around that time, who dressed and behaved unusually, and in general were described as leaning (傾) towards the bizarre and unconventional (奇). Many could likely be validly characterized as ruffians or street toughs; many were likely also involved in gambling or other unsavory or even violent activities.<ref name=shively>Donald Shively, "Bakufu Versus Kabuki," in Leiter (ed.), ''A Kabuki Reader'', 33-59.</ref> Okuni herself is said to have been a ''kabukimono'', along with [[Nagoya Sansaburo|Nagoya Sansaburô]], a figure often said to have been Okuni's onstage partner and off-stage lover, and worthy of credit as co-founder of kabuki theater, but who might in reality have never met Okuni, or might not even have existed at all. The riverbeds were very much lower-class areas, filled with people and activities the authorities considered undesirables. At least in the earliest days of kabuki, if not once formal theatre buildings were erected, violence often erupted among the crowds, as one audience member accidentally brushed up against another's scabbard, or stepped on someone's foot. These violent clashes contributed to [[Tokugawa Ieyasu|Tokugawa Ieyasu's]] decision to ban kabuki from his castle-town of [[Sunpu]] as early as [[1608]] (this also indicates that kabuki had spread fairly quickly, as far as Sunpu in only five years). Still, even in these early years, kabuki was already popular not only among commoners, but among samurai and courtiers as well, to such an extent that it is said to have had some impact on court ladies' fashions or behavior.<ref name=shively/>

The so-called ''onna kabuki'' ("women kabuki") performances also served as advertising for the women themselves, as prostitutes. As a result, in [[1629]], the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] banned women from appearing onstage. Professional kabuki<ref>''Jishibai'' rural/regional amateur performances, as well as those performed by universities and other amateur contexts, often feature both men and women on-stage; in addition, there are a limited number of women-only troupes officially endorsed by the [[Ichikawa family]] or other segments of the professional kabuki establishment.</ref> remains today a male-only theater form.

The so-called ''onna kabuki'' ("women kabuki") performances also served as advertising for the young men and women themselves, as prostitutes. Skits often had brothels as the settings, and involved lewd dialogue and movements; very often, the young men and women of the troupe each played the opposite gender, enhancing the humor of the performances.<ref name=shively/> As a result of their association with prostitution, in [[1629]], the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] banned women from appearing onstage. This came after an incident the previous year in which a performance by a kabuki dancer named Azuma was believed to have caused a fight, leading to all female kabuki performers, dancers, and ''[[joruri|jôruri]]'' chanters being banned. The 1629 edict is the standard date cited as marking the ban on women's kabuki, though in fact the fact that the ban was reissued several times over the course of the 1630s-40s suggests that women continued to appear onstage, in violation of the ban, until at least 1647.<ref name=shively/> Professional kabuki<ref>''[[Jishibai]]'' rural/regional amateur performances, as well as those performed by universities and other amateur contexts, often feature both men and women on-stage; in addition, there are a limited number of women-only troupes officially endorsed by the [[Ichikawa family]] or other segments of the professional kabuki establishment.</ref> remains a male-only theater form today.

''Onna kabuki'' was thus replaced by so-called ''wakashû kabuki'' ("young men kabuki"), in which beautiful young men played all the roles. This marked the beginnings of the tradition of the ''[[onnagata]]'', though ''wakashû kabuki'' contained even less narrative content than ''onna kabuki'', consisting more fully of dance pieces. ''[[Koto]]'' was sometimes incorporated into the musical ensembles in ''wakashû kabuki'', the only string instrument used in Japanese theater prior to the introduction of the shamisen. ''Kouta'' remained the dominant style of music, ''nagauta'' having not yet replaced it.

''Onna kabuki'' was thus replaced by so-called ''wakashû kabuki'' ("young men kabuki"), which had been active since at least 1612,<ref name=shively/> and in which beautiful young men played all the roles. This marked the beginnings of the tradition of the ''[[onnagata]]'', though ''wakashû kabuki'' contained even less narrative content than ''onna kabuki'', consisting more fully of dance pieces. ''[[Koto]]'' was sometimes incorporated into the musical ensembles in ''wakashû kabuki'', the only string instrument used in Japanese theater prior to the introduction of the shamisen. ''Kouta'' remained the dominant style of music, ''nagauta'' having not yet replaced it.

The young men in ''wakashû kabuki'', however, like their female predecessors, performed as prostitutes, and it was not long before ''wakashû kabuki'' came to an end as well, due to the same shogunate concerns about public propriety and morality. ''Wakashû kabuki'' was followed by ''yarô kabuki'' in [[1652]], when laws were changed again, now allowing only older men to perform onstage. This eliminated the element of prostitution from kabuki, and marks the beginning of kabuki's shift towards becoming a more purely theatrical form. Younger actors would eventually be permitted back onto the stage, however.

The young men in ''wakashû kabuki'', however, like their female predecessors, performed as prostitutes, and it was not long before ''wakashû kabuki'' came to an end as well, due to the same shogunate concerns about public propriety and morality. ''Wakashû kabuki'' was followed by ''yarô kabuki'' in [[1652]], when laws were changed again, now allowing only older men to perform onstage. This eliminated the element of prostitution from kabuki, and marks the beginning of kabuki's shift towards becoming a more purely theatrical form. Younger actors would eventually be permitted back onto the stage, however.

==References==

==References==

*McQueen Tokita, Alison. "Music in kabuki: more than meets the eye." ''The Ashgate Research Companion to Japanese Music''. Surrey: Ashgate Publishing, 2008. pp229-260.

*Alison McQueen Tokita, "Music in kabuki: more than meets the eye." ''The Ashgate Research Companion to Japanese Music''. Surrey: Ashgate Publishing, 2008. pp229-260.

*Samuel Leiter (ed.), ''A Kabuki Reader'', M.E. Sharpe (2002).

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