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112-648: The school is known for its strictness and unique set of rules that students must abide to both at school and during private life. During its over 100 years of history, it has produced over 4,500 performers for the Takarazuka stage. Takarazuka Music School was established in July 1913 as Takarazuka Shōkatai (Takarazuka Chorus). In 1939, it was divided into the Takarazuka Revue and Takarazuka Music School. All Takarazuka Revue members have since been graduates of

224-585: A Grand Theater performance is 3500 yen, and the most expensive is 12,500 yen. All tickets for Bow Hall performances are 6500 yen, regardless of seat assignment. Part of the novelty of Takarazuka is that all the parts are played by women, based on the original model of kabuki before 1629 when women were banned from the theater in Japan. The women who play male parts are referred to as otokoyaku ( 男 役 , "male role") and those who play female parts are called musumeyaku ( 娘 役 , "girl role") . Collectively,

336-420: A Musumeyaku holds a similar event, it is referred to as a Music Salon. Many actresses continue to do dinner shows even after they have left the company. Every year (with some exceptions) a Takarazuka Special is held, usually for one day only. Members from all five troupes come together for skits, dance and song numbers, as well as lengthy MC portions featuring current and former top-stars. From 1961 to 1982 this

448-418: A culture where pederasty was pervasive among samurai, her decision didn't significantly harm the theater's popularity. In fact, it may have even benefited Kabuki, as it caught the attention of the third shogun , Iemitsu , known for his interest in pederasty. He even arranged special performances. However, after Iemitsu's death in 1651 and with samurai now fighting for the attention of boys rather than girls,

560-479: A difficult time for kabuki; besides the war's physical impact and devastation upon the country, some schools of thought chose to reject both the styles and artforms of pre-war Japan, kabuki amongst them. Director Tetsuji Takechi 's popular and innovative productions of kabuki classics at this time are credited with sparking new interest in kabuki in the Kansai region. Of the many popular young stars who performed with

672-472: A goodbye performance (さよならショー, sayonara shō ), where they are able to perform several numbers from their most cherished and memorable roles. This tradition began in 1963 with the graduation of Akashi Teruko. Once the performances have concluded, the troupe leader (組長, kumi-cho ), will read letters or remarks from the graduating actresses in front of the closed curtain, allowing the graduates to change into their graduation attire, usually hakama , but sometimes

784-580: A kabuki drama each year since 1976, the longest regular kabuki performance outside Japan. In November 2002, a statue was erected in honor of kabuki's founder, Izumo no Okuni and to commemorate 400 years of kabuki's existence. Diagonally across from the Minami-za, the last remaining kabuki theater in Kyoto, it stands at the east end of a bridge (Shijō Ōhashi) crossing the Kamo River in Kyoto. Kabuki

896-433: A key aspect of kabuki tradition, such as conventional character tropes. Kabuki theater and ningyō jōruri , an elaborate form of puppet theater later known as bunraku , became closely associated with each other, mutually influencing the other's further development. The famous playwright Chikamatsu Monzaemon , one of the first professional kabuki playwrights, produced several influential works during this time, though

1008-479: A number of shops selling kabuki souvenirs. After performances, women performers would offer sexual services for those who could afford it. Since fights would usually erupt among the young samurai patrons, shogunal authorities, who wanted to maintain order, banned women from performing on stage. Following this ban, Okuni replaced the women with boys in Kabuki performances. During the early seventeenth century, within

1120-500: A performance as a way to feature the fashion trends. As an art-form, kabuki also provided inventive new forms of entertainment, featuring new musical styles played on the shamisen , clothes and fashion often dramatic in appearance, famous actors and stories often intended to mirror current events. Performances typically lasted from morning until sunset, with surrounding teahouses providing meals, refreshments and place to socialise. The area surrounding kabuki theatres also featured

1232-551: A regular troupe who still wish to maintain their association with the revue and perform from time to time. Flower and Moon are the original troupes, founded in 1921. The Snow Troupe was founded in 1924, followed by the Star Troupe in 1931 (it was disbanded in 1939 and was later reestablished in 1948). Cosmos, founded in 1998, is the newest troupe. Though Takarazuka Revue gives the appearance of having been created to grant Japanese women freedom from social oppression, ironically, it

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1344-416: A serious issue, in 2020, the school made a statement saying that outdated rules would be abolished over time. The school uniform is a gray uniform with a school emblem with the name "TMS" (abbreviation of Takarazuka Music School) on the chest, a red ribbon tie, and white tri-fold socks. The current design was created in 1956. Preparatory students in the male role wear a pompadour hairstyle, and students in

1456-402: A tuxedo for the otokoyaku who favors it. When preparations have finished, the curtain will rise to reveal the entire troupe standing on stage. The troupe leader will then call each member to the stage, where they will descend the grand staircase, before being given flowers from a classmate (同期生, doukisei ), as well as from the troupe. For those most senior, it is not uncommon for someone outside

1568-499: A verb that was used to describe young samurai patrons, meaning "being weird" or "offbeat." Kabuki is thought to have originated in the early Edo period , when the art's founder, Izumo no Okuni , formed a female dance troupe that performed dances and light sketches in Kyoto . The art form later developed into its present all-male theatrical form after women were banned from performing in kabuki theatre in 1629. Kabuki developed throughout

1680-402: A wheeled platform. Also common are stagehands rushing onto the stage adding and removing props, backdrops and other scenery; these kuroko ( 黒子 ) are always dressed entirely in black and are traditionally considered invisible. Stagehands also assist in a variety of quick costume changes known as hayagawari ("quick change technique"). When a character's true nature is suddenly revealed,

1792-598: Is Gerald Vizenor 's Hiroshima Bugi (2004). Writer Yukio Mishima pioneered and popularised the use of kabuki in modern settings and revived other traditional arts, such as Noh , adapting them to modern contexts. There have even been kabuki troupes established in countries outside Japan. For instance, in Australia, the Za Kabuki troupe at the Australian National University has performed

1904-529: Is a division of the Hankyu Railway company; all members of the troupe are employed by Hankyu. The Takarazuka Revue was founded by Ichizō Kobayashi , an industrialist-turned-politician and president of Hankyu Railways , in Takarazuka , Japan in 1913. The city was the terminus of a Hankyu line from Osaka and already a popular tourist destination because of its hot springs. Kobayashi believed that it

2016-420: Is a technique, which appeared toward the middle of the 19th century, by which an actor's costume is attached to wires and he is made to "fly" over the stage or certain parts of the auditorium. This is similar to the wire trick in the stage musical Peter Pan , in which Peter launches himself into the air. It is still one of the most popular keren (visual tricks) in kabuki today; major kabuki theaters, such as

2128-464: Is considered the upholder of traditional dance and opera for the whole company, being the vanguard of traditional Japanese drama in a company that tends towards Western material. They were the first troupe to perform Elisabeth in Japan. The troupe has been moving towards the opera and drama style of the Moon and Flower troupes. The Star Troupe tends to be the home of Takarazuka's stars. They, along with

2240-579: Is not uncommon, however, in Takarazuka for a mostly male orchestra to be led by a female conductor. The five troupes ( 組 , kumi ) of the Takarazuka Revue have certain differences of style and material which make each unique. The Flower Troupe is considered the "treasure chest" of otokoyaku . Many of the most popular former and current top stars of the company originated in the Flower Troupe; these include Miki Maya (who held

2352-555: Is often referred to as the "Saruwaka-machi period", and is well known for having produced some of the most exaggerated kabuki in Japanese history. Saruwaka-machi became the new theatre district for the Nakamura-za, Ichimura-za and Kawarazaki-za theatres. The district was located on the main street of Asakusa, which ran through the middle of the small city. The street was renamed after Saruwaka Kanzaburo, who initiated Edo kabuki in

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2464-464: Is often translated into English as 'strange things' or 'the crazy ones', and referred to the style of dress worn by gangs of samurai . The history of kabuki began in 1603 during the Edo period when former shrine maiden Izumo no Okuni , possibly a miko of Izumo-taisha , began performing with a troupe of young female dancers a new, simple style of dance drama in pantomime , on a makeshift stage in

2576-481: Is pulled back to one side by a staff member by hand. An additional outer curtain called doncho was not introduced until the Meiji era following the introduction of western influence. These are more ornate in their appearance and are woven. They depict the season in which the performance is taking place, often designed by renowned Nihonga artists. Since feudal laws in 17th century Japan prohibited replicating

2688-401: Is relaxed for costumes during extravagant finales which include scores of glittering performers parading down an enormous stage-wide staircase, known as the ōkaidan , and a Rockette -style kick line. Lead performers portraying both male and female roles appear in the finale wearing huge, circular, feathered back-pieces reminiscent of Las Vegas or Paris costuming. Before becoming a member of

2800-408: Is that the female audience of Takarazuka is drawn not exclusively by lesbian overtones, but rather by the subversion of stereotypical gender roles. Japan is a society notorious for its rigid conception of gender roles. While the original goal of the show may have been to create the ideal good wife and wise mother off stage, on-stage gender roles are, by necessity, subverted. The otokoyaku must act

2912-568: Is therefore sometimes translated as 'the art of singing and dancing'. These are, however, ateji characters which do not reflect actual etymology , being used for pronunciation. The kanji of 'skill' generally refers to a performer in kabuki theatre. Since the word kabuki is believed to derive from the verb kabuku , meaning 'to lean' or 'to be out of the ordinary', the word kabuki can also be interpreted as 'avant-garde' or 'bizarre' theatre. The expression kabukimono ( 歌舞伎者 ) referred originally to those who were bizarrely dressed. It

3024-403: Is typically fleeting and is seen in Japanese society as more of a phase in growing up rather than "true" homosexuality. Robertson sums up her theory thus: "Many [women] are attracted to the Takarazuka otokoyaku because she represents an exemplary female who can negotiate successfully both genders and their attendant roles and domains." The other theory, supported by Canadian Erica Abbitt ,

3136-405: The otokoyaku represents the woman's idealized man, free from the roughness or need to dominate found in real life. It is these male roles that offer an escape from the strict, gender-bound real roles lauded in Japanese society. In a sense, the otokoyaku provides the female audience with a "dream" of what they desire in reality. In addition to their claim to "sell dreams", the actresses of

3248-596: The Meiji era to follow. Kawatake Mokuami commonly wrote plays that depicted the common lives of the people of Edo. He introduced shichigo-cho (seven-and-five syllable meter) dialogue and music such as kiyomoto . His kabuki performances became quite popular once the Saruwaka-machi period ended and theatre returned to Edo; many of his works are still performed. In 1868, the Tokugawa ceased to exist, with

3360-472: The National Theatre , Kabuki-za and Minami-za , are all equipped with chūnori installations. Scenery changes are sometimes made mid-scene, while the actors remain on stage and the curtain stays open. This is sometimes accomplished by using a Hiki Dōgu , or "small wagon stage". This technique originated at the beginning of the 18th century, where scenery or actors move on or off stage on

3472-572: The restoration of the Emperor . Emperor Meiji was restored to power and moved from Kyoto to the new capital of Edo, or Tokyo, beginning the Meiji period. Kabuki once again returned to the pleasure quarters of Edo, and throughout the Meiji period became increasingly more radical, as modern styles of kabuki plays and performances emerged. Playwrights experimented with the introduction of new genres to kabuki, and introduced twists on traditional stories. Beginning in 1868, enormous cultural changes, such as

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3584-604: The Bow Hall Theater was opened within the same complex as the Grand Theater. Seating 500, the Bow Hall features smaller shows that run for just over a week, and which often lack the grandiosity of Grand Theater shows. Currently, Takarazuka performs for 2 million people each year. Tickets are famously difficult to acquire, though are not considered to be incredibly expensive - the cheapest ticket available for

3696-556: The Emperor sponsoring a kabuki performance on 21 April 1887. After World War II , the occupying forces briefly banned kabuki, which had formed a strong base of support for Japan's war efforts since 1931. This ban was in conjunction with broader restrictions on media and art forms that the American military occupation instituted after WWII. However, by 1947 the ban on kabuki was rescinded, but censorship rules lingered. The ensuing period of occupation following World War II posited

3808-679: The Flower Troupe also performed a stage adaptation of the shōjo manga series Boys Over Flowers . In August 2022, the Cosmos Troupe performed a stage adaptation of the series High&Low in collaboration with LDH . Among works adapted from other Asian sources is the Beijing opera The Hegemon-King Bids His Lady Farewell , detailing the romance between General Xiang Yu and his lover, Madam Yu. Takarazuka has also performed original musicals written "in house" based upon people and events in American, European, and Asian history. Among

3920-427: The Flower Troupe, have very strong otokoyaku players. In recent years, many of the company's prominent musumeyaku have also originated from the Star Troupe, such as Hana Hizuki, Shizuku Hazakura, and Yuki Aono. Cosmos, the newest troupe, is less traditional and more experimental. When it was first formed, it culled talent from the other troupes. The Cosmos style is influenced by performers like Asato Shizuki ,

4032-553: The Flower Troupe. High ranking Otokoyaku often perform dinner shows towards the middle or end of their careers. Typically held as hotels like the Takarazuka Hotel, Hotel Hankyu International, or the Palace Hotel , dinner shows showcase an actresses popular songs, as well as covers of other non-Takarazuka songs. Attendees pay a premium for food and beverage, as well as a chance to see their star in closer quarters. When

4144-484: The Genroku period was the development of the mie style of posing, credited to kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjūrō I , alongside the development of the mask-like kumadori makeup worn by kabuki actors in some plays. In the mid-18th century, kabuki fell out of favor for a time, with bunraku taking its place as the premier form of stage entertainment among the lower social classes. This occurred partly because of

4256-512: The IHI Stage Around Tokyo from March 4 to April 12, 2023. The kabuki stage features a projection called a hanamichi ( 花道 , "flower path") , a walkway which extends into the audience and via which dramatic entrances and exits are made. Okuni also performed on a hanamichi stage with her entourage. The stage is used not only as a walkway or path to get to and from the main stage, but important scenes are also played on

4368-651: The Moon Troupe, said that she conceived male impersonation as just a "role" that she wore like the makeup and costume that helped create her otokoyaku image. She said she reverts to her nonperforming "feminine" self after performance. Other otokoyaku feel uncomfortable switching to female roles. Otokoyaku Matsu Akira, who retired in 1982, stated: "Even though I am a female, the thing called 'female' just won't emerge at all." Most actresses refer to otokoyaku as an "image", which they learn to create on stage. Although traditionally an all-female troupe, in 1946

4480-438: The Nakamura-za in 1624. European artists began noticing Japanese theatrical performances and artwork, and many artists, such as Claude Monet , were inspired by Japanese woodblock prints. This Western interest prompted Japanese artists to increase their depictions of daily life, including the depiction of theatres, brothels, main streets and so on. One artist, Utagawa Hiroshige , produced a series of prints based on Saruwaka from

4592-411: The Nakamura-za was completely destroyed in 1841, the shōgun refused to allow the theatre to be rebuilt, saying that it was against fire code. The shogunate, mostly disapproving of the socialisation and trade that occurred in kabuki theatres between merchants, actors and prostitutes, took advantage of the fire crisis in the following year, forcing the Nakamura-za, Ichimura-za and Kawarazaki-za out of

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4704-677: The Nakamura-za, Ichimura-za and Kawarazaki-za theatres became the most widely known and popular kabuki theatres, where some of the most successful kabuki performances were and still are held. During the time period of 1628–1673, the modern version of all-male kabuki actors, a style of kabuki known as yarō-kabuki (lit., "young man kabuki"), was established, following the ban on women and young boys. Cross-dressing male actors, known as " onnagata " (lit., "woman role") or " oyama " took over previously female- or wakashu -acted roles. Young (adolescent) men were still preferred for women's roles due to their less obviously masculine appearance and

4816-533: The Revue would debut at Tokyo's Tokyu Theatre Orb an adaptation of another Capcom video game, Sengoku Basara , done by the Flower Troupe. This focused on character Yukimura Sanada , played by Tomu Ranju , the same actress who had taken the role of Phoenix Wright prior to becoming a top star. In 2017, the Flower Troupe performed a stage adaptation of the shōjo (girls') manga series Haikara-San: Here Comes Miss Modern , and performed it again in 2020. In 2019,

4928-505: The Saruwaka-machi period in Asakusa. Despite the revival of kabuki in another location, the relocation diminished the tradition's most abundant inspirations for costuming, make-up, and storylines. Ichikawa Kodanji   IV was considered one of the most active and successful actors during the Saruwaka-machi period. Deemed unattractive, he mainly performed buyō , or dancing, in dramas written by Kawatake Mokuami , who also wrote during

5040-635: The Takarazuka Music School. Since 1989, all students have received basic training at the Ground Self-Defense Force Camp Itami every year. In the past, the strictness of the school was so famous that the school was called "Women's Military Academy". During the Shōwa period , a large number of students were enrolled compared to the present, but at the same time, a large number of failed students were issued. At

5152-450: The Takarazuka Revue take on another role, empowering themselves as women in a male-dominated culture. Kobayashi's desire to make his actresses into good wives and mothers has often been hindered by their own will to pursue careers in the entertainment business. It is becoming increasingly more common for women to stay in the company well into their thirties, beyond the perceived conventional limits of marriageable age. The actresses' role within

5264-404: The Takarazuka Revue thus overlaps into the culture surrounding it, adding to their appeal to the female-dominant audience. "In fact, it is the carrying over of this 'boyishness' into everyday life and the freedom that this implies that captures the attention of some fans." The otokoyaku , however, is not bound to her assigned male role in the theater. Tsurugi Miyuki, top otokoyaku star of

5376-510: The Takarazuka employed male performers who were trained separately from the female members of the troupes. Ultimately, however, the female members opposed these new male counterparts, and the department was dissolved, the last male department terminating in 1954. A 2007 Japanese musical, Takarazuka Boys , was based on this chapter of the company's history. While the casts are all-female, the staff (writers, directors, choreographers, designers, etc.) and orchestra musicians are predominantly male. It

5488-475: The Takarazuka performers are called "Takarasiennes" ( Takarajennu ). This name derives from the revue's fondness of the French revues and the word "Parisienne." The costumes, set designs, and lighting are lavish and the performances melodramatic . Side pathways extend the already-wide proscenium accommodating elaborate processions and choreography. Regardless of the era of the musical presented, period accuracy

5600-612: The Takechi Kabuki, Nakamura Ganjiro III (b. 1931) was the leading figure, first known as Nakamura Senjaku before taking his current name. It was this period of kabuki in Osaka that became known as the "Age of Senjaku" in his honor. Today, kabuki is the most popular of the traditional styles of Japanese drama, with its star actors often appearing in television or film roles. Well-known onnagata actor Bandō Tamasaburō V has appeared in several non-kabuki plays and movies, often in

5712-466: The appeal of kabuki in this era was due to the ribald, suggestive themes featured by many troupes; this appeal was further augmented by the fact that many performers were also involved in prostitution . For this reason, kabuki was also known as 'prostitute kabuki' ( 遊女歌舞妓 ) during this period. Kabuki became a common form of entertainment in the red-light districts of Japan, especially in Yoshiwara ,

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5824-455: The art form. Rice powder is used to create the white oshiroi base for the characteristic stage makeup, and kumadori enhances or exaggerates facial lines to produce dramatic animal or supernatural masks . The colour of the kumadori is an expression of the character's nature: red lines are used to indicate passion, heroism, righteousness, and other positive traits; blue or black, villainy, jealousy, and other negative traits; green,

5936-406: The city limits and into Asakusa , a northern suburb of Edo. This was part of the larger Tenpō Reforms that the shogunate instituted starting in 1842 to restrict the overindulgence of pleasures. Actors, stagehands, and others associated with the performances were also forced to move as a result of the death of their livelihood; despite the move of everyone involved in kabuki performance, and many in

6048-683: The company had become popular enough to obtain its own theater in Takarazuka, called the Dai Gekijō , meaning " Grand Theater ." In 1934, the company opened the Tokyo Takarazuka Theater, which then underwent a renewal in 2001. Each Grand Theater show will typically perform for one month in the Takarazuka Grand Theater before a three week break, followed by a one month run in the Tokyo Theater. In 1978,

6160-495: The company since she joined in 1997 until her retirement in 2013). While it had a troupe-born actress become musumeyaku top back in 2006 with Asuka Toono , it was not until 2014 that an actress originating from this troupe became an otokoyaku top star: Seina Sagiri , the former top star of the Snow Troupe (2014–2017). While not necessarily being a troupe, members of the Takarazuka Revue who do not take part in any of

6272-408: The context of a gender-sex political discourse. Kabuki Kabuki ( 歌舞伎, かぶき ) is a classical form of Japanese theatre , mixing dramatic performance with traditional dance . Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily stylised performances, its glamorous, highly decorated costumes, and for the elaborate kumadori make-up worn by some of its performers. The term kabuki originates from

6384-421: The country, including anime-based productions such as Naruto or One Piece starting from 2014. Super Kabuki has sparked controversy within the Japanese population regarding the extent of modification of the traditional art form. Some say that it has lost its 400-year history, while others consider the adaptations necessary for contemporary relevance. Regardless, since incorporating more advanced technology in

6496-551: The curtain closing, there is typically an announcement declaring the end of the performance. However, the standing ovation will often continue until the top star slips out in front of the curtain for one final goodbye. Upon the second announcement declaring the end of the performance, audience members begin to disperse. It is customary for audience members wear white to final performances. The current top stars of each group are: Takarazuka roster members who went on to work in stage , movies , and television include: Women make up

6608-420: The devices of hikinuki and bukkaeri are often used. This involves layering one costume over another and having a stagehand pull the outer one off in front of the audience. The curtain that shields the stage before the performance and during the breaks is in the traditional colours of black, red and green, in various order, or white instead of green, vertical stripes. The curtain consists of one piece and

6720-590: The dry bed of the Kamo River in Kyoto In the earliest forms of kabuki, female performers played both men and women in comic playlets about ordinary life. It did not take long for the style to become popular, and Okuni was asked to perform before the Imperial Court. In the wake of such success, rival troupes quickly formed, and kabuki was born as ensemble dance and drama performed by women. Much of

6832-417: The emergence of several skilled bunraku playwrights in that time. Little of note would occur in the further development of kabuki until the end of the century, when it began to reemerge in popularity. In the 1840s, repeated periods of drought led to a series of fires affecting Edo, with kabuki theatres—traditionally made of wood—frequently burning down, forcing many to relocate. When the area that housed

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6944-420: The end of a show, they will participate in two graduation ceremonies; one at the end of the final performance at the Grand Theater, and one at the end of the final performance at the Tokyo Takarazuka Theater. Towards the end of the second act of these performances, it is common to see graduating members with flowers pinned to their dress or lapel. Top stars or prominent second-in-line (二番手, nibante ) will often get

7056-517: The faculty and the current troupe members into otokoyaku and musumeyaku at the end of the year. Those playing otokoyaku cut their hair short, take on a more masculine role in the classroom, and speak in the masculine form . The company has five main troupes: Flower ( 花 , hana ) , Moon ( 月 , tsuki ) , Snow ( 雪 , yuki ) , Star ( 星 , hoshi ) and Cosmos ( 宙 , sora ) , as well as Superior ( 専科 , senka ) , an emeritus troupe for senior actresses no longer part of

7168-450: The fall of the Tokugawa shogunate, the elimination of the samurai class, and the opening of Japan to the West, helped to spark kabuki's re-emergence. Both actors and playwrights strove to improve the reputation of kabuki in the face of new foreign influence and amongst the upper classes, partially through adapting traditional styles to modern tastes. This endeavour would prove successful, with

7280-463: The favors of a particularly popular or handsome actor, leading the shogunate to ban first onnagata and then wakashū roles for a short period of time; both bans were rescinded by 1652. During the Genroku period, kabuki thrived, with the structure of kabuki plays formalising into the structure they are performed in today, alongside many other elements which eventually came to be recognised as

7392-511: The female audience is on account of the perceived link to freedom from traditional Japanese society's imposed ideas of gender and sexuality. Brau states that while the Takarazuka Revue "reinforces the status quo and sublimates women's desires through its dreamy narratives, there remains some possibility that certain spectators find it empowering simply to watch women play men." Some Takarasienne shows, such as The Rose of Versailles and Elisabeth , feature androgynous characters. In Brau's view,

7504-444: The female role wear braided pigtails that are tightly woven to the ends of the hair. The shoes are black loafers for preparatory students and black pumps for college students. The wristwatches have a black leather belt. Since 2000, the maximum number of students was 50, but the number of successful applicants since 2008 has been about 40. The entrance examination is held at the end of March every year. The number of examinees in 2016

7616-412: The first Budokan solo concert in Takarazuka's history), Sumire Haruno and Tomu Ranju of Flower, Jun Shibuki , Jun Sena and Kiriya Hiromu of Moon, and Hikaru Asami of Snow. Their performances tend to have larger budgets, with lavish stage and costume designs, and are often derived from operatic material. While tending to be a home for young performers (with Yūki Amami in her sixth year reaching

7728-405: The first graders are called "preparatory students", who must follow a unique set of rules when making contact with their seniors. The preparatory students must: All rules are created by students themselves, and students review and discuss the rules with the school every year. The rules reflect the school spirit based on the school motto "Purely, correctly, beautifully". Regarding the strict rules,

7840-468: The first theory, American Jennifer Robertson observes that lesbian themes occur in every Takarazuka performance, simply by virtue of the fact that women play every role. The audience clearly picks up on it and responds. Within the first ten years of Takarazuka's founding, the audience was vocally responding to the apparent lesbianism. Female fans wrote love letters to the otokoyaku . In 1921 these letters were published and several years later newspapers and

7952-410: The founding otokoyaku top star; Yōka Wao and Mari Hanafusa , the "Golden Combi" who headed the troupe for six of its first eight years. Cosmos was the first troupe to perform Phantom and to have a Broadway composer ( Frank Wildhorn ) write their musical score. Most of the otokoyaku in this troupe are above 170 centimetres (5.6 ft) tall (the most notable is Hiro Yuumi , the tallest in

8064-459: The gallery", is sometimes used as a catch-all for these tricks. The hanamichi , and several innovations including revolving stage, seri and chunori have all contributed to kabuki. The hanamichi creates depth and both seri and chunori provide a vertical dimension. Mawari-butai (revolving stage) developed in the Kyōhō era (1716–1735). The trick was originally accomplished by

8176-579: The higher pitch of their voices. The roles of adolescent men in kabuki, known as wakashu , were also played by young men, often selected for their attractiveness; this became a common practice, and wakashu were often presented in an erotic context. The focus of kabuki performances also increasingly began to emphasise drama alongside dance. However, the ribald nature of kabuki performances continued, with male actors also engaging in sex work for both female and male customers. Audiences frequently became rowdy, and brawls occasionally broke out, sometimes over

8288-428: The kabuki industry for generations. The kimono the actors wear for their costumes are typically made with vibrant colours and multiple layers. Both otoko and onnagata wear hakama - pleated trousers – in some plays, and both use padding underneath their costumes to create the correct body shape for the outfit. Kabuki makeup provides an element of style easily recognizable even by those unfamiliar with

8400-595: The late 17th century and reached its zenith in the mid-18th century. In 2005, kabuki theatre was proclaimed by UNESCO as an intangible heritage possessing outstanding universal value. In 2008, it was inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity . The individual kanji that make up the word kabuki can be read as 'sing' ( 歌 ) , 'dance' ( 舞 ) , and 'skill' ( 伎 ) . Kabuki

8512-428: The looks of samurai or nobility and the use of luxurious fabrics, the kabuki costumes were groundbreaking new designs to the general public, even setting trends that still exist today. Although the earliest kabuki costumes have not been preserved, separate otoko and onnagata kabuki costumes today are made based on written records called ukiyo-e and in collaboration with those whose families have been in

8624-414: The majority of Takarazuka works are written "in house" by members of the creative staff, they are often adapted from Western classic musicals, operas, plays, novels or films: Novels: Films: Operas: Musicals: Plays: Stories based in Japan and modeled on historical accounts or traditional tales are often referred to as nihonmono ( 日本物 ) or, less frequently, wamono ( 和物 ) . Among

8736-662: The majority of kabuki troupes have remained entirely-male. The introduction of earphone guides in 1975, including an English version in 1982, helped broaden the artform's appeal. As a result, in 1991 the Kabuki-za, one of Tokyo's best known kabuki theaters, began year-round performances and, in 2005, began marketing kabuki cinema films. Kabuki troupes regularly tour Asia, Europe and America, and there have been several kabuki-themed productions of Western plays such as those of Shakespeare . Western playwrights and novelists have also experimented with kabuki themes, an example of which

8848-475: The moment they enter the music school to the moment of their graduation. The gender-neutral terms senpai (upperclassmen) and kōhai (lowerclassmen) are used to distinguish senior and junior members of Takarazuka. Lowerclassmen are the actresses who have been performers in Takarazuka for less than seven years. They are employees of the company, and usually work as background dancers and in shinjin kōen (performances exclusively for underclassmen). After

8960-499: The more recognizable of these biographical adaptations are Last Party: S. Fitzgerald's Last Day , about F. Scott Fitzgerald ; Valentino , about Rudolph Valentino ; Dean , about James Dean ; and Saint-Exupéry: The Pilot Who Became "The Little Prince" , about Antoine de Saint-Exupéry . They created a piece Wind in the Dawn: The Challenge of Shirasu Jirō, Samurai Gentleman about U.S. Occupations of Japan focusing on

9072-500: The most common of these adapted to the Takarazuka stage is The Tale of Genji . Popular manga series have often shaped Takarazuka, such as in the case of Riyoko Ikeda 's The Rose of Versailles . Other manga adaptations include The Window of Orpheus , also by Ikeda, Osamu Tezuka 's Black Jack and Phoenix , and Yasuko Aoike 's El Halcón . Recent examples of works adapted from Japanese novels or short stories include Moon Troupe's Osaka Samurai ( 大阪侍 ) , based upon

9184-490: The new stage sets, costumes, and lighting, Super Kabuki has regained interest from the young demographic. In addition, Square Enix announced a Super Kabuki adaptation of Final Fantasy X collaborating with Tokyo Broadcasting System in 2022. Entitled Kinoshita Group presents New Kabuki Final Fantasy X and part of celebrations of the Final Fantasy franchise's 35th anniversary, it is scheduled to be performed at

9296-422: The on-stage pushing of a round, wheeled platform. Later a circular platform was embedded in the stage with wheels beneath it facilitating movement. The kuraten ("darkened revolve") technique involves lowering the stage lights during this transition. More commonly the lights are left on for akaten ("lighted revolve"), sometimes simultaneously performing the transitioning scenes for dramatic effect. This stage

9408-418: The piece usually acknowledged as his most significant, Sonezaki Shinjū ( The Love Suicides at Sonezaki ), was originally written for bunraku . Like many bunraku plays, it was adapted for kabuki, eventually becoming popular enough to reportedly inspire a number of real-life "copycat" suicides, and leading to a government ban on shinju mono (plays about love suicides) in 1723. Also during

9520-401: The primary audience of Takarazuka, with some estimates showing that the audience is 90 percent female. There exist two primary theories as to what draws these women to Takarazuka. These theories, put forward by Western scholars, complement each other, drawing on the traditional homoerotic elements of Japanese performing arts, and the ancient subversive nature of the feminine in Japan. One is that

9632-515: The public rallied a cry against Takarazuka, claiming it was quickly becoming a "symbol of abnormal love". In order to combat this, the producers kept its actresses in strict living conditions; they were no longer allowed to associate with their fans. Robertson mentions a phenomenon of "S" or " Class S " love, a particular style of love wherein women who have been influenced by Takarazuka return to their daily lives feeling free to develop crushes on their female classmates or coworkers. This type of romance

9744-497: The registered red-light district in Edo. The widespread appeal of kabuki often meant that a diverse crowd of different social classes gathered to watch performances, a unique occurrence that happened nowhere else in the city of Edo. Kabuki theatres became well known as a place to both see and be seen in terms of fashion and style, as the audience—commonly comprising a number of socially low but economically wealthy merchants —typically used

9856-479: The regular troupes for one Grand Theater run before being receiving individual troupe assignments. Before performances featuring the newly graduated class, all class members will appear sitting seiza on stage, wearing hakama . Three of their classmates will then make introductory remarks, before the main show begins. The line dance portion of these shows will be comprised only members of the newly graduated class. Actresses are referred to as students (生徒, seito ) from

9968-511: The revue. In 1993, Tommy Tune wrote, directed and choreographed the revue Broadway Boys to accompany the Moon Troupe's rendition of Grand Hotel . In 2006, Takarazuka worked with Frank Wildhorn , musical writer and composer of Jekyll & Hyde and The Scarlet Pimpernel , to create Never Say Goodbye for the Cosmos Troupe. In 2019, Takarazuka worked with Dove Attia , music producer of 1789: Les Amants de la Bastille and La Légende du roi Arthur , to compose Casanova for

10080-687: The rivalry between Shirasu Jirō and General Douglas MacArthur , Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. Finally, other original stories round out Takarazuka fare, including musicals such as Boxman by the Cosmos Troupe, Too Short a Time to Fall in Love  [ ja ] performed by the Star and Moon Troupes, and Silver Wolf  [ ja ] by the Moon and Snow Troupes. Takarazuka has occasionally worked with notable writers, composers, and choreographers to create original content for

10192-414: The role of otokoyaku presents a type of androgynous freedom that embraces slippage and a non-constrained continuum of gender. While the actual female otokoyaku performer's masculine persona or "secondary gender" was disapproved of outside of the theatrical purposes of Takarazuka, female fans were able to embrace the full gender-fluid continuum otokoyaku provided, as well as engage with Takarazuka in

10304-616: The role of a woman. Kabuki also appears in works of Japanese popular culture such as anime . In addition to the handful of major theatres in Tokyo and Kyoto, there are many smaller theatres in Osaka and throughout the countryside. The Ōshika Kabuki ( 大鹿歌舞伎 ) troupe, based in Ōshika , Nagano Prefecture, is one example. Some local kabuki troupes today use female actors in onnagata roles. The Ichikawa Shōjo Kabuki Gekidan, an all-female troupe, debuted in 1953 to significant acclaim, though

10416-426: The seventh year they become upperclassmen, and negotiate contracts with the company instead of being employed by it. When an actress decides to leave the company, its often referred to as retirement (退団, taidan ), or graduation (卒業, sotsugyō ). Actresses will often choose to graduate at the end of a Grand Theater run, but can also announce immediate retirement and forgo any ceremony. In the case of those graduating at

10528-405: The shogunate imposed further restrictions, allowing only males over 15 to perform on stage. Kabuki switched to adult male actors, called yaro-kabuki , in the mid-1600s. Adult male actors, however, continued to play both female and male characters, and kabuki retained its popularity, remaining a key element of the Edo period urban life-style. Although kabuki was performed widely across Japan,

10640-555: The short story by Ryōtarō Shiba and Flower Troupe's Black Lizard ( 黒蜥蜴 , Kurotokage ) , based upon the Kogoro Akechi story by Edogawa Rampo . In 2009, Takarazuka Revue performed two shows based on an adaptation of Capcom 's video game series Ace Attorney . They took the stage in January 2013 to represent the courtroom game again with the production titled Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth: Ace Attorney 3 . In June 2013,

10752-511: The stage. Kabuki stages and theaters have steadily become more technologically sophisticated, and innovations including revolving stages and trap doors were introduced during the 18th century. A driving force has been the desire to manifest one frequent theme of kabuki theater, that of the sudden, dramatic revelation or transformation. A number of stage tricks, including actors' rapid appearance and disappearance, employ these innovations. The term keren ( 外連 ) , often translated as "playing to

10864-484: The status of top star in the 1990s), the members of the Moon Troupe are also strong singers. The term "Musical Research Department" is occasionally used in articles about the troupe, underscoring the troupe's focus on music. Their material tends toward drama, Western musicals, and modern settings, such as Guys and Dolls and Me and My Girl . During the era of Makoto Tsubasa as top star, they had at least two musicals adopted from classic western novels. The Snow Troupe

10976-512: The students have explained that, "As a student at Takarazuka Music School, one must take actions that are not embarrassing." The mysterious tradition of rules unique to Takarazuka Music School has attracted a lot of attention. There are about 50 fanclubs dedicated to the school's tradition, and it is a common sight to see dozens of people waiting for students to pass by near the Takarazuka Theater. However, since harassment has become

11088-409: The surrounding areas, to the new location of the theatres, the inconvenience of the distance led to a reduction in attendance. These factors, along with strict regulations, pushed much of kabuki "underground" in Edo, with performances changing locations to avoid the authorities. The theatres' new location was called Saruwaka-chō, or Saruwaka-machi; the last thirty years of the Tokugawa shogunate's rule

11200-403: The time, all students were sent home during the long summer vacation, and only the students who were notified at a later date proceeded to the second half of the school year. There are still some dropouts at the school, but some of them have returned to school or graduated after voluntarily dropping out. The school has a two year system, and the second graders are called "main course students" and

11312-558: The troupe, a young woman must train for two years in the Takarazuka Music School , one of the most competitive of its kind in the world. Each year, thousands from all over Japan audition. The 40 to 50 who are accepted are trained in music, dance, and acting, and are given seven-year contracts. The school is famous for its strict discipline and its custom of having first-year students clean the premises each morning. All first-year women train together before being divided by

11424-421: The troupe, or someone already graduated, to be called to the stage to give them their doukisei flowers. A song is then sung with troupe members holding each other arm in arm. What follows is a series of remarks from both the graduating actresses and the top star, interspersed with the opening and closing of the curtain as well as the calling of troupe members to and from the stage. Following the fourth iteration of

11536-506: The troupes mentioned above are called "Superior Members (Senka)." These members usually have one of a few roles in the troupe: playing a fukeyaku (role of old person) , playing a supporting role , playing the role of elderly guys, etc. There can also be cases of playing the main role as an otokoyaku, in a play alongside other troupes such as former top stars Yachiyo Kusagano and Yu Todoroki as well as plays where all partaking members are superior members, such as Hanakuyō , in 1984. While

11648-479: The way men are supposed to act. Abbitt insists that a large portion of the appeal of Takarazuka comes from something she calls "slippage", referring to the enjoyment derived from a character portraying something they are not, in this case a woman portraying a man. While not denying the presence of lesbian overtones within Takarazuka, Abbitt proposes the cause for the largely female audience has more to do with this subversion of societal norms than sexual ones. In essence,

11760-423: The women are drawn to its inherent lesbian overtones. One author states, "It was not masculine sexuality which attracted the Japanese girl audience but it was feminine eroticism". Another theory is that the girls are not drawn to the implicit sexuality of Takarazuka, but instead are fascinated by the otokoyaku (the women who play male roles) "getting away with a male performance of power and freedom". Favoring

11872-400: The year in which they graduate the music school. For instance, those graduating the music school in 2024 will be referred to as the 110th class. Before performing for the first time on the Grand Theater stage, the graduating class will perform what they have learned in their time at the school in the Bow Hall, through something called bunkasai (文化祭). Then will then go on to perform with one of

11984-522: Was 1,079, with 40 successful applicants. The competition was 27.0 times higher than that of other schools. Takarazuka Revue The Takarazuka Revue ( Japanese : 宝塚歌劇団 , Hepburn : Takarazuka Kagekidan ) is a Japanese all-female musical theatre troupe based in Takarazuka , Hyōgo Prefecture , Japan. Women play all roles in lavish, Broadway -style productions of Western-style musicals and stories adapted from films, novels, shōjo manga, and Japanese folktales . The Takarazuka Revue Company

12096-435: Was created with the opposite intention, with Takarazuka scholar Lorie Brau stating that "The production office and corporate structure that control Takarazuka are overwhelmingly patriarchal." However, although Takarazuka embodies Shiraishi's idea that the actresses become " good wives and wise mothers " upon leaving the company, it also simultaneously represents progressive feminist points of view. Some believe that its appeal to

12208-447: Was first built in Japan in the early 18th century. Seri refers to the stage "traps" that have been commonly employed in kabuki since the middle of the 18th century. These traps raise and lower actors or sets to the stage. Seridashi or seriage refers to trap(s) moving upward and serisage or serioroshi to traps descending. This technique is often used to lift an entire scene at once. Chūnori (riding in mid-air)

12320-587: Was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists in 2005. While still maintaining most of the historical practices of kabuki, Ichikawa En-ō ( 市川猿翁 ) aimed to broaden its appeal by creating a new genre of kabuki productions called "Super Kabuki" ( スーパー歌舞伎 ) . With Yamato Takeru ( ヤマトタケル ) as the first Super Kabuki production to premiere in 1986, remakes of traditional plays and new contemporary creations have been brought to local theaters throughout

12432-465: Was referred to as "Takarazuka Festival". From 1984 to 1994 this was referred to as "Takarazuka Music Publication (TMP) Special". In 1995, TMP was renamed to "Takarazuka Creative Arts (TCA)", and thus specials from 1995 to 2007 were referred to as "TCA Specials". From 2008 to present, this has been simply referred to as "Takarazuka Special". Each actor is referred to as being part of a Takarazuka Musical School class year, or ki (期), which corresponds with

12544-416: Was the ideal spot to open an attraction of some kind that would boost train ticket sales and draw more business to Takarazuka. Since Western song and dance shows were becoming more popular and Kobayashi considered the kabuki theater to be old and elitist, he decided that an all-female theater group might be well received by the general public. The Revue had its first performance in 1914. Ten years later,

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