Changes

At some point in the 17th century, the center of gravity of kabuki shifted from Kyoto ([[Kamigata]]) to Edo, and most edicts regarding kabuki issued by the shogunate were only applied directly in Edo, with the shogunate authorities in Kyoto and Osaka often implementing policies only many months later, or not at all.

At some point in the 17th century, the center of gravity of kabuki shifted from Kyoto ([[Kamigata]]) to Edo, and most edicts regarding kabuki issued by the shogunate were only applied directly in Edo, with the shogunate authorities in Kyoto and Osaka often implementing policies only many months later, or not at all.

''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.

''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 were permitted back onto the stage, however, the following year, so long as they shaved their heads so as to appear as adult men.<ref name=matsuba42>Ryoko Matsuba, "Fleurs du mal: Onnagata (Female-role Specialists) and Nanshoku (Male-Male Sex) in Edo-Period Kabuki," in Joshua Mostow and Asato Ikeda (eds.), ''A Third Gender'', Royal Ontario Museum (2016), 42.</ref>

Despite the shogunate's concerns about kabuki as a negative moral influence, the shogunate never sought to ban kabuki entirely, seeing it, like prostitution, as a necessary evil and believing that an outright ban would only bring further trouble. Not only would a ban run the risk of inspiring protest or even riots, but banning it only in Edo would lead to numerous wealthy patrons, commercial businesses, and the like leaving the city and weakening its economy. As a result, the authorities merely aimed to control kabuki, restricting it to particular areas of the city, and to particular style and content. At times, the shogunate even patronized the art form. Troupes performed at [[Edo castle]] four times in [[1650]]-[[1651]]. Some ''[[Daimyo|daimyô]]'' are also known to have patronized the art, though in sharp contrast to Noh, kabuki would continue to always be primarily a commoner/popular art.

Despite the shogunate's concerns about kabuki as a negative moral influence, the shogunate never sought to ban kabuki entirely, seeing it, like prostitution, as a necessary evil and believing that an outright ban would only bring further trouble. Not only would a ban run the risk of inspiring protest or even riots, but banning it only in Edo would lead to numerous wealthy patrons, commercial businesses, and the like leaving the city and weakening its economy. As a result, the authorities merely aimed to control kabuki, restricting it to particular areas of the city, and to particular style and content. At times, the shogunate even patronized the art form. Troupes performed at [[Edo castle]] four times in [[1650]]-[[1651]]. Some ''[[Daimyo|daimyô]]'' are also known to have patronized the art, though in sharp contrast to Noh, kabuki would continue to always be primarily a commoner/popular art.

The restriction of the theaters in Edo to only designated areas of the city began in [[1661]], in the aftermath of the [[1657]] [[Meireki Fire]], which leveled much of the city, thus creating an opportunity for district reorganization. At that time, kabuki theaters were officially restricted to the neighborhoods of Sakai-chô and Fukiya-chô to the northeast of [[Nihonbashi]], and to Kobiki-chô, to the south of [[Kyobashi|Kyôbashi]], while the licensed prostitution quarters, destroyed in the fire, were rebuilt as the Shin-Yoshiwara, or "New [[Yoshiwara]]," further out from the city center. The rebuilding of the theaters in the designated districts at this time marks the beginning of kabuki being housed in more substantial buildings; prior to this, kabuki theaters more closely resembled Noh stages, in which the stage alone stands as a separate structure, with its own roof. The audience was enclosed within simple bamboo fencing, and protected from precipitation by simple bamboo blinds hung overhead. The new buildings, by contrast, by 1700, came to be multi-story structures, with often three levels of box seats, three levels of dressing rooms, and a lavish attached teahouse (''shibai jaya'').

The restriction of the theaters in Edo to only designated areas of the city began in [[1661]], in the aftermath of the [[1657]] [[Meireki Fire]], which leveled much of the city, thus creating an opportunity for district reorganization. At that time, kabuki theaters were officially restricted to the neighborhoods of Sakai-chô and Fukiya-chô to the northeast of [[Nihonbashi]], and to Kobiki-chô, to the south of [[Kyobashi|Kyôbashi]], while the licensed prostitution quarters, destroyed in the fire, were rebuilt as the Shin-Yoshiwara, or "New [[Yoshiwara]]," further out from the city center. In Kyoto, theatres were restricted to the left bank of Shijô-Kawaramachi; and then in [[1670]], to the east bank. In Osaka, they were restricted to the Dôtonbori area.<ref name=matsuba42/> The rebuilding of the theaters in the designated districts at this time marks the beginning of kabuki being housed in more substantial buildings; prior to this, kabuki theaters more closely resembled Noh stages, in which the stage alone stands as a separate structure, with its own roof. The audience was enclosed within simple bamboo fencing, and protected from precipitation by simple bamboo blinds hung overhead. The new buildings, by contrast, by 1700, came to be multi-story structures, with often three levels of box seats, three levels of dressing rooms, and a lavish attached teahouse (''shibai jaya'').

Beginning in 1661 with the establishment of more permanent theater buildings within designated districts, the number of theaters that could operate legally in the city was limited to four large theaters (''ôshibai'') and eight small ones (''koshibai''); Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines also occasionally staged performances, with the authorization of the ''[[machi bugyo|machi bugyô]]''. In Kyoto, the large theaters were gradually reduced to three, and in Osaka, four. In conjunction with this, of course, unlicensed theaters and unauthorized performances were, nominally at least, strictly forbidden (with certain exceptions, e.g. for performances at certain festivals).

Beginning in 1661 with the establishment of more permanent theater buildings within designated districts, the number of theaters that could operate legally in the city was limited to four large theaters (''ôshibai'') and eight small ones (''koshibai''); Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines also occasionally staged performances, with the authorization of the ''[[machi bugyo|machi bugyô]]''. In Kyoto, the large theaters were gradually reduced to three, and in Osaka, four. In conjunction with this, of course, unlicensed theaters and unauthorized performances were, nominally at least, strictly forbidden (with certain exceptions, e.g. for performances at certain festivals).