Editing Culture of Japan (section)

==Performing arts==
{{Main|Theatre of Japan}}
[[File:春日神社ー篠山ー翁奉納P1011774.jpg|thumb|[[Noh]] play at traditional Noh theatre]]
The four traditional theatres from Japan are [[noh]] (or {{transliteration|ja|nō}}), {{transliteration|ja|[[kyōgen]]}}, [[kabuki]], and {{transliteration|ja|[[bunraku]]}}. Noh had its origins in the union of the {{transliteration|ja|[[sarugaku]]}}, with music and dance made by [[Kan'ami]] and [[Zeami Motokiyo]].<ref name="noh">{{cite web| last =Web| first = Japan| title = Japan Fact Sheet| work = Noh and Kyogen: The world's oldest living theater| url = http://web-japan.org/factsheet/pdf/NOANDKYO.pdf| access-date = 1 March 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080409123933/http://web-japan.org/factsheet/pdf/NOANDKYO.pdf <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 9 April 2008}}</ref> Among the characteristic aspects of it are the masks, costumes, and the stylized gestures, sometimes accompanied by a [[Hand fan|fan]] that can represent other objects. The Noh programs are presented in alternation with the ones of {{transliteration|ja|kyōgen}}, traditionally in numbers of five, but currently in groups of three.

The {{transliteration|ja|kyōgen}}, of a humorous character, had an older origin, in 8th century entertainment brought from China, developing itself in {{transliteration|ja|sarugaku}}. In {{transliteration|ja|kyōgen}}, masks are rarely used and even if the plays can be associated with the ones of noh, currently many are not.<ref name="noh" />

Kabuki appears in the beginning of the Edo period from the representations and dances of [[Izumo no Okuni]] in Kyoto.<ref name="kabuki">{{cite web| last =Web| first = Japan| title = Japan Fact Sheet| work = Kabuki: A vibrant and exciting traditional theater| url = http://web-japan.org/factsheet/pdf/KABUKI.pdf| access-date = 1 March 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080409123948/http://web-japan.org/factsheet/pdf/KABUKI.pdf <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 9 April 2008}}</ref> Due to concerns over the number of actresses engaged in selling sex, the participation of women in the plays was forbidden by the government in 1629, and the feminine characters had passed to be represented only by men ({{transliteration|ja|[[onnagata]]}}). Recent attempts to reintroduce actresses in kabuki had not been well accepted.<ref name="kabuki" /> Another characteristic of kabuki is the use of makeup for the actors in historical plays ({{transliteration|ja|[[kumadori]]}}) and the performance of {{transliteration|ja|[[nagauta]]}} ballads.

Japanese puppet theater ({{transliteration|ja|bunraku}}) developed in the same period as kabuki, in both competition with and collaboration with its actors and authors. The origin of {{transliteration|ja|bunraku}}, however, is older, beginning in the Heian period.<ref>{{cite web| last =Web| first = Japan| title = Japan Fact Sheet| work = Bunraku: Puppet theater brings old Japan to life| url = http://web-japan.org/factsheet/pdf/BUNRAKU.pdf| access-date = 1 March 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080409123942/http://web-japan.org/factsheet/pdf/BUNRAKU.pdf <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 9 April 2008}}</ref> In 1914, the [[Takarazuka Revue]] was founded, a company solely composed by women who introduced the [[revue]] to Japan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kageki.hankyu.co.jp/english/history.html |title=Takarazuka History |publisher=[[Takarazuka Revue]] |access-date=1 March 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225043432/http://kageki.hankyu.co.jp/english/history.html |archive-date=25 February 2008 }}</ref>