Abstract
This essay will introduce the biography and works of Tsumura Kimiko (1902-1975), one of the first female professional Noh actors, who threw herself into the male-dominated world and fought against the biased conventions of traditional Noh theater. Not only has she successfully opened the gates to many other female Noh actors, but more importantly, she has reevaluated the artistic value of Noh through her original Noh plays. Precisely, she highlighted the role of natural environment created by the dance accompanied with simple and familiar poetic phrases on the Noh sage. In addition, she redefined the categories of Woman Play (Kazura Mono) and of Warrior Play (Shura Mono) with the main characters in the modern context. Her biography will help us learn how Noh has come to earn its current status of a traditional art form, and explorations of her plays will broaden the canon of Noh plays.
Highlights
Noh, a form of traditional Japanese theater, is one of the most mysterious and exclusive art forms today
Has she successfully opened the gates to many other female Noh actors, but more importantly, she has reevaluated the artistic value of Noh through her original Noh plays
She highlighted the role of natural environment created by the dance accompanied with simple and familiar poetic phrases on the Noh sage. She redefined the categories of Woman Play (Kazura Mono) and of Warrior Play (Shura Mono) with the main characters in the modern context. Her biography will help us learn how Noh has come to earn its current status of a traditional art form, and explorations of her plays will broaden the canon of Noh plays
Summary
A form of traditional Japanese theater, is one of the most mysterious and exclusive art forms today. We cannot come to know how early Noh actors used to perform, their performances must have been accessible with a sense of hospitality despite the lack of elaborate kimonos or elegant masks. Similar to what Eric Hobsbawm explains as “the invented tradition,” today’s traditional Noh theater may mislead its audience by disobeying its original or historical purpose Since Meiji Restoration, more than three hundred Noh plays have been produced as proof of the true value of traditional art form, which does exist in the works of the originator and in the efforts of continuation and progress
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