First Draft

How Japanese People Prevent Kabuki from Declining?

    “Today, Kabuki is the most popular of the traditional styles of Japanese drama,” UNESCO described (United). Do you agree with the explanation? Kabuki was registered on “the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists in 2005” (“Kabuki”). It means that Kabuki was evaluated highly in the world. Nevertheless, according to one research about Kabuki, about ninety percent of people have not seen Kabuki (DIMSDRIVE). It shows that Kabuki faces a crisis to take over traditions for the future.

     Kabuki was inherited for four hundred years. In 1603, “Izumo no Okuni” started a modern performance of dance and drama, so the kanji of Kabuki means a song and a dance in Edo era (“Kabuki”). It became a popular entertainment among the general public, because it was a source of information about new trend like music, clothes and actors at the time (“Kabuki”). However, Western culture came to Japan in Meiji era (“Kabuki”). Daily lives including education and culture became westernized, so there were differences between lives shown by Kabuki and the real lives in Meiji era (International 24). Japanese people gradually preferred Western culture to Kabuki from then.

Thus, Japanese people need to acknowledge the value of Kabuki, and protect it for the future, so the quality and quantity of audiences should be improved in order to continue to exist Kabuki. The ways for this are that 1) a curriculum to learn Kabuki deeply for children, 2) a variety of publicity to attract Japanese young people.

Ⅰ. Education to Learn Kabuki for All Children

     Japanese ministry of education should include a class of learning Kabuki in a curriculum.

     According to Toshio Kawatake, the attention and the ability to understand Kabuki of Japanese young people are almost as same as that of foreigners (International 23-26). It means that a chance to learn Kabuki deeply is demanded to acknowledge the value of Kabuki. However, it is difficult to have enough time to know Kabuki except for a school, so it is a best way to get opportunities to learn it as compulsory education.When I asked some friends whether you have seen Kabuki or not, Yurika Goto, one of my section mates, answered that she had been Kabuki-za to see Kabuki without paying a fee because of a class in her high school. I was surprised at her story, because I have never taken such a class when I was a high school student. According to a committee of education in Tokyo, it makes up a curriculum of public schools in Tokyo to learn or experience Japanese traditional culture (Tokyo). It must be nice for children, but I wondered why governments do not give all children opportunities to learn it equally. This means whether children can learn Kabuki in a school or not depends on curriculums of each prefecture. This situation needs to be changed.

Moreover, the contents of a class is also important. Teachers need to teach not only good aspects but also current crises of Kabuki to students. In fact, the state of Kabuki’s supporting industries becomes worse and worse. Ichikawa Danjyuro, a Kabuki actor explained in his interview that the number of “producers of okuchibakama (a type of hakama pleated tousers)” was only one (Nakatani). He also said that other manufactures used in Kabuki faced crisis (Nakatani). Kabuki uses various items, like umbrellas and kimono. If those industries become extinct, Kabuki actors have to use other items imported from foreign countries instead of them. It means the decline of Kabuki as a Japanese traditional culture. Children need to curious the future of Kabuki, and have a sense of impending crisis to take over Japanese traditions. 

Therefore, Japanese ministry of education should oblige all of prefectures to make a curriculum which all children can learn Kabuki equally.

Ⅱ. New Fields of publicity

     A variety of publicity using latest technologies are needed for Kabuki to inform truths.

     Some people have mistaken negative images about Kabuki even though they do not see the real Kabuki. The most reason why people do not see Kabuki is the price of Kabuki ticket (DIMSDRIVE). About seventy percent of them want to see Kabuki if the price of Kabuki ticket is less than one thousand yen. However, the cheapest ticket is four hundred eighty yen for one show actually. It is cheaper than a movie ticket. Surprisingly, less than five percent of people know this fact (DIMSDRIVE).

     In addition, some young people say that Kabuki is boring, because it is for older people. Yet, new Kabuki is created even now. Young Kabuki actors create new works reflected modern times. For instance, Ichikawa Shinnosuke create new program mixed between an old type of “Sukeroku” and a new type of “The Tale of Genji” (Okura 174). Moreover, Ichikawa Ennosuke brought high-tech to classical Kabuki (Ehrlich 581). It is a new style of Kabuki called “Super Kabuki”.

     However, Japanese people do not know these facts well. It means that Kabuki’s publicity is not enough to inform these new changes of Kabuki. Now, Japan is a society of information, so people related to Kabuki should make use of this situation. Especially, propaganda using a computer is very useful. Some web pages to introduce Kabuki are already created, but it is not enough because only people who are interested in kabuki see the web pages. In other words, people who are indifferent to Kabuki will never see them. Hence, latest advertisements on the Internet are essential to call audiences. For example, advertisements on Twitter or Facebook are effective in attracting Japanese young people, because these industries will be seen regardless of people’s interest of Kabuki. If those stereotypes are deprived, Japanese people will not feel hesitant to see Kabuki.

Ⅲ. Conclusion

     In conclusion, the ways that 1) learning Kabuki in a curriculum, and 2) advertisements in new fields are useful for Japanese young people who become next generation to go to see Kabuki at ease. If a number of people who go to see Kabuki has increased, people will recognize the importance as a Japanese traditional culture and protect it from declining.

However, the change of Kabuki may have a risk. Toshio Kawatake demanded that the quality of Kabuki should be maintained even if the audiences are young people or foreigners (International 33). The role of education of Kabuki and a new style of Kabuki like “Super Kabuki” must be just a kind of hook to inherit classical Kabuki.

Thus, improving both quality and quantity of audiences is significant as a first step in order not to decline Kabuki as a Japanese traditional culture.

Works Cited

DIMSDRIVE “Kabuki ni Kansuru Chosa.” [The Research about Kabuki]. 2005. Web. 12. Oct. 2011.

Enrlich, Linda C. “Review: [Untitled].” Monumenta Nipponica. 53.4 (1998): 581. JSTOR. Web. 10 Oct. 2011.

International Symposium on the Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (1996), and Tokyo Kokuritu Bunkasai Kenkyujyo. Kabuki, Changes and Prospects. Tokyo: Tokyo National Research Institute of Cultural Properties, 1996. Print.

“Kabuki.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia, n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2011.

Nakatani, Shogo. “Interview: Kabuki star Danjyuro cries out for future.” The Nikkei Weekly. 26 Apr. 2010. Web. 10 0ct. 2011.

Okura, Shunji, et al. Kabuki Today: The Art and Tradition. 1st ed. Tokyo; New York: Kodansha International Print, 2001. 174. Print.

Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education. “Tokyo Toritu Gatukkou no Nihon no Dentou Bunka Karikyuramu.” [Curriculum of Japanese Traditional Culture of Public Schools in Tokyo].www.kyoiku.metro.tokyo.jp/index.html, Mar. 2010. Web. 10. Oct. 2011.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. “Kabuki Theatre.” UNESCO World Heritage Center, n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2011.