700 Years of Noh: Preservation and Change

このページを日本語で読む

Noh, often considered the world's oldest existing form of theater, has a rich history spanning nearly 700 years. The Kanze school traces its lineage back to Kan'ami and Zeami, two pioneers who perfected Noh during the 14th century.

Today, Kiyokazu is the 26th-generation head of the Kanze family, leading the largest school of Noh. In an interview with The Sankei Shimbun, he highlights the meticulous care Noh costumes demand and the profound impact of the Meiji Restoration on the art form.

Climate Change's Impact on Noh

Obon is a traditional Japanese Buddhist festival observed annually to honor and welcome the spirits of deceased ancestors. It is typically celebrated from August 13 to 16 across most of Japan. However, in some regions, including parts of Tokyo and northern Japan, it is observed earlier, from July 13 to 15.

Typically, during this period, when performances were fewer, we would take out Noh costumes and masks from storage to air them in a practice called mushiboshi (dry airing). This was an important process allowing the inspection of unused tools and repair of damaged costumes.

However, in recent years, Japan's summers have become intensely hot and humid. If we air them out in this season, it could actually damage these precious costumes.

Additionally, Noh theaters now have air conditioning, and summer performances have increased.

*Kiyokazu Kanze, the 26th head of the Kanze school of Noh. Chuo, Tokyo (©Sankei by Takumi Kamoshida)*

At the Kanze Bunko archive, we consulted with the Agency for Cultural Affairs and commissioned specialists experienced in constructing treasure halls for shrines and temples. They renovated the walls of the Kanze Bunko with diatomaceous earth, ensuring climate control throughout the year. As a result, we now carry out inspections and repairs at staggered times.

Caring for Costumes

Kanze Bunko carefully preserves over 200 elaborate Noh costumes, each showcasing the pinnacle of craftsmanship.

After performances, we hang costumes on clothing racks or string them on ropes inside the storehouse for a full day. They are never washed. Older costumes, if hung by their own weight, can deteriorate, so they are laid flat instead. There are other cautions as well. Stitching damaged areas with new thread risks tearing the fabric elsewhere, making repairs particularly delicate.

Notably, we cannot treat these precious costumes and masks as mere "artifacts" — they must remain functional items for use on stage. Thus, we handle them with the utmost care.

For the sake of durability, we also create replicas of invaluable costumes. Preserving something that has been safeguarded for 700 years and passing it on for another 700 years is a duty I feel as someone born into the Kanze lineage.

A Test of Time

When commissioning new Noh costumes, we rely on Sasaki Noh Robes in Kyoto. Even when crafted with modern techniques, the gold threads often appear overly brilliant at first, and the fabric is fluffy. Older costumes, by contrast, are lighter and thinner — not due to differences in craftsmanship but because the quality of raw silk itself has changed over time. To address this, we place weights on the new costumes, much like pressing pickles, to refine them.

Years later, when we deem the costume ready, we unseal it from the pressing process. A new costume is never worn immediately after completion — it requires at least two or three years, sometimes as long as five, before it is stage-ready. Thus, we must always plan performances five years ahead, ensuring costumes will be prepared in time.

The Kanze family also preserves several costumes bestowed by predecessors who supported Noh through difficult times.

The Meiji Crisis

Noh's greatest crisis emerged during the Meiji Restoration. During the Edo period, Noh was protected as an official performing art of the shogunate. However, the new Meiji government pushed for Westernization in the arts, and many Noh performers were forced to abandon their craft. Some schools even disappeared.

Recognizing this decline, key figures such as Iwakura Tomomi, a major architect of the Meiji Restoration, and Hisoka Maejima, who introduced Japan's postal system, stepped in to support Noh.

After visiting Europe and the United States, Iwakura observed how theaters were used to host distinguished guests and preserve national traditions. He then encouraged Japan's aristocracy to promote Noh as a performance art to entertain foreign dignitaries.

This led to the founding of the Nohgaku-sha organization in 1881 and the establishment of a Noh theater in Tokyo's Shiba district, later relocated to Yasukuni Shrine.

The Kanze family possesses a hunting robe bestowed upon us by Iwakura himself. In April 2012, I wore it in gratitude when performing Akoya no Matsu (The Akoya Pine in English), a play revived for the first time in about 580 years.

Author/Interviewer: Tomoko Iizuka, The Sankei Shimbun

このページを日本語で読む