Changes

The kabuki calendar moved in tune with the seasons, with particular plays or categories of plays, as well as annual events, tied to particular times of year.

The kabuki calendar moved in tune with the seasons, with particular plays or categories of plays, as well as annual events, tied to particular times of year.

At the beginning of each year, each theater held ''kaomise'' ("face-showing") performances, which showed off the company (often with some new actors, i.e. new faces, beginning that year) to audiences. These programs included regular plays, but often began with beginning-of-the-year announcements, introductions by or of the new actors, and auspicious dances to open the new theater season. These were events held onstage for audiences, but they were also often preceded by private ceremonies held by the actors, called ''yorizome'', in which they met within the theater or the attached teahouse, and then also on the street outside, to formally greet the theater managers.<ref>Timothy Clark, "Edo Kabuki in the 1780s," ''The Actor's Image'', Art Institute of Chicago (1994), 27.</ref>

At the beginning of each year, each theater held ''kaomise'' ("face-showing") performances, which showed off the company (often with some new actors, i.e. new faces, beginning that year) to audiences. These programs included regular plays, but often began with beginning-of-the-year announcements, introductions by or of the new actors, and auspicious dances to open the new theater season. These were events held onstage for audiences, but they were also often preceded by private ceremonies held by the actors, called ''yorizome'', in which they met within the theater or the attached teahouse, and then also on the street outside, to formally greet the theater managers.<ref name=clark27>Timothy Clark, "Edo Kabuki in the 1780s," ''The Actor's Image'', Art Institute of Chicago (1994), 27.</ref>

These and other auspicious occasions often involve the entire troupe clapping their hands in a particular pattern, in unison. Such a hand-clapping ceremony was also held, for example, during the closing ceremonies of the post-war [[Kabuki-za]], before it was closed in 2010 (to be rebuilt and reopened in 2013).

These and other auspicious occasions often involve the entire troupe clapping their hands in a particular pattern, in unison. Such a hand-clapping ceremony was also held, for example, during the closing ceremonies of the post-war [[Kabuki-za]], before it was closed in 2010 (to be rebuilt and reopened in 2013).

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. 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/> Kabuki actors were also required to live within these districts.<ref>Ikegami, 270.</ref> 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. The [[Nakamura-za]] made its home in Sakai-chô, the [[Ichimura-za]] in Fukiya-chô, and the [[Morita-za]] in Kobiki-chô,<ref name=clark27/> until all were relocated to Saruwaka-chô in [[1841]]. Meanwhile, 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/> Kabuki actors were also required to live within these districts.<ref>Ikegami, 270.</ref> 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).