Noh Theater: A Journey Through Japan's Classical Performing Arts

If you’ve never seen a Noh performance, you’re missing out on traditional theater at its finest. This iconic display of music, dance, and storytelling not only entertains but also opens a window into ancient Japanese culture.

Introduction:

Noh may be one of the oldest forms of classical Japanese theater but it is still practiced today. Designated as part of an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, Noh has been around since the 14th century and is integral to the traditional art scene in modern Japan. You can easily identify Noh plays as dance dramas with slow movements, rich costumes, and subtle beauty. These plays typically have deep philosophical undertones, providing insights into emotional complexities that could rival some textbooks.

Noh is one of two major theatrical art forms in Japan. The second one is called kyogen. Both Noh and kyogen are known as nogaku. One nogaku program typically contains multiple noh plays and at least one kyogen play. It is entirely optional whether or not an Okina ritual performance precedes the first play.

Today, you can see Noh performances in indoor Japanese theaters such as the National Noh Theater, the Cerulean Tower Noh Theater, and the Nagoya Noh Theatre.

Understanding Noh Theater

Noh is an important form of Japanese dance drama that has been performed in theaters since the 14th century. It is the oldest still-practiced form of classical theater in Japan. Noh plays are also a big part of nogagku, a series of several plays. 

The art is different from what you might expect if you attend Western theater regularly. Its performers are more storytellers than actors. They rely on their visual appearances and suggestive movements, showing the narrative to the audience rather than telling it outright. Watching Noh is like deciphering a simile or metaphor with your eyes.

A typical Noh play involves the use of masks, curtainless stages, traditional music, poetry, and costumes. Examples of iconic plays are Ama (The Woman Diver), Aoi no Ue (Lady Aoi), and Aya no Tsuzumi (The Twill Hand Drum). Noh is an essential part of Japanese culture, helping to portray Buddhist themes and recreate scenes from Japanese literature.

There are over 240 Noh plays currently being performed in Japan and about five different schools (troupes) are in charge of showcasing these performances. These plays have different subjects, themes, and performance styles. However, they maintain the core elements of Noh’s refined dramatic art.

The History of Noh Theater

Noh has been in existence since the 14th century. It was initially the brainchild of Kan'ami Kiyotsugu, the man who created the first ever Noh school (troupe), Yuzaki-za. He incorporated dance as a form of storytelling in Noh plays. However, his son, Zeami Motokiyo, is responsible for popularizing the art in the Muromachi Period (1336-1573). Zeami had the support of prominent shoguns, like Ashikaga Yosimitsu. Hence, he easily developed and promoted his own style of Noh. He also created 50+ plays, and one of them, titled Izutsu, remains a classic performed in theaters to this day. Zeami created the Kanze Noh school (troupe), which completely replaced his father’s Yuzaki-za.

After Zeami died in 1443, his nephew, Onami, became the new head of the school. He did his best to advance the art, even during the 10-year Onin Wars (1467-1477). At the time, prominent military commanders were big fans of Noh. During the Edo Period (1603-1868), noh became the official ceremonial art of the Tokugawa shogunate. This turned out to be a double-edged sword, as it promoted the art but kept it from innovating. There were four Noh schools at the time and the government added a fifth. All five troupes are still active today.

Key Elements of Noh Performance

Traditional Noh combines several elements in each performance. They are integral to its distinctive style. The following are the main elements that make up a Noh performance:

1. Masks: Each mask is made from the high-quality timber of Japanese cypress. Noh masks symbolize core information about characters, such as their background, status, gender, and age. Examples of common Noh mask types are hannya, ayahashi, akobujo, and shojo. 

2. Costumes: Noh performers wear shozoku (costumes made of silk), wigs, and hats. These costumes are colorful, elaborate, and intricately woven with beautiful embroidery.

3. Music: The hayashi, a group of musical performers, are an essential part of the Noh dance-drama. Actors do not sing during the play but chant in a style similar to traditional Japanese poetry.

4. Props: Noh greatly limits the use of props in plays. The fan that performers carry is the most frequently used prop. Other common props, like boats, bells, and altars, are mere outlines and nothing elaborate. 

5. Stage: The stages used for Noh plays are indoor structures. There is no curtain to prevent viewers from seeing the actors before they reach the main stage and after they exit it. Noh stages have an independent roof separate from that of the main theater house. This roof represents the sanctity of the Noh stage.

Noh Masks: The Faces of Emotion

Zeami invented the concept of using masks in Noh plays in the Muromachi period as part of yūgen (mysterious beauty). The masks allowed actors to standardize their facial expressions and engage the audience through active imagination.

Noh masks are carved to display different emotions depending on how the wearer handles them. Tilting the mask upward is called terasu, and that way, it appears to have a smiling or laughing expression. Tilting the mask downward is kumorasu, and it creates a crying or sad expression. There are about 450 different masks used in Noh, and all of them can be categorized into 60 types, which can further be subdivided into several categories. The following are the common categories of Noh masks and the types of masks that fit into each one:

1. Onryō: These are masks of ghosts and spirits. It can be male masks, like the ayakashi and kawazu, or female masks, like the hannya and yamamba.

2. Kishin: These masks portray demons, goblins, and other supernatural beings. Masks of demons and gods are called tobide, and those of other creatures are called beshimi.

3. Otoko-men: These are masks of men. Each type of mask in this category represents a different social status and character. Examples are hatachi-amari, kasshiki, doji, and chujo.

4. Onna-men: These are masks of women. They’re arguably the most popular kinds of Noh masks in the world. Each type of onna-men mask represents a different age and character. Ko-omote, magojiro, and zo are masks depicting young women. Shakumi  and fukai masks are reserved for more mature female characters.

The Music of Noh: Instruments and Chants

Along with the chanting and dancing, Noh music brings life to the play. The hayashi are responsible for providing the music of Noh. They’re a group of performers that add music to various traditional Japanese arts. Noh’s hayashi consists of four musical components collectively known as shibyoshi. The only one of these components with a melody is the fue or nohkan (flute). However, the flute has been designed to emphasize its rhythm, as that’s more important for Noh than melody.

The other three components of Noh music are a variety of drums. There is the taiko, a stick-like, barrel-type drum that performers hit with a wooden stick. Kotsuzumi is a small drum played with one hand. The third drum is the otsuzumi, another, much larger hand drum. 

Famous Noh Plays and Their Themes

Of the 2,000+ Noh plays ever created, only about 240 of them are still being performed in Japanese theaters. Most of them are based on old stories and folklore. Zeami Motokiyo created the most well-known of these plays. However, talented playwrights like Kanami, Nobumitsu Kanze, Miyamasu, and others have created other successful plays.

Created by Zeami, Izutsu (The Well Cradle) is arguably one of the most popular Noh plays. It tells the story of a priest who finds the ghost of a woman haunted by the memories of her lost love. It’s some kind of continuation of the Tsutsu-Izutsu love story about two young couples. Aoi no Ue (Lady Aoi) is another Zeami play. The plot revolves around Lady Aoi, a pregnant woman possessed by the jealous spirit of Lady Rokujo. Both Izutsu and Aoi no Ue  are examples of the 4th category of Noh plays (miscellaneous).

Kanami created another Noh masterpiece, Matsukaze. It’s a 3rd-category Noh play (woman). The play explores the theme of two women who once had an affair with a courtier but are left longing for his return.

Noh Theaters in Japan

Japan has several major Noh theaters where audiences can experience authentic performances. The most famous of them has to be the National Noh Theatre in Shibuya, Tokyo. Established in 1983, the theater can accommodate nearly 600 viewers, according to the Japan Arts Council (JAC). Another good option in Shibuya is the Cerulean Tower Noh Theater. It’s also a great place to enjoy non-Japanese arts like ballet.

Other popular Noh theaters in Japan include the Otsuki Noh Theater in Chuo, Osaka; the Kanze Noh Theater in Ginza, Tokyo; and the Nagoya Noh Theatre in Naka, Nagoya. Besides theaters, several shrines and temples display occasional Noh performances. 

Training to Become a Noh Performer

Noh actors traditionally start training at the age of three. The entire process requires immense dedication to the craft. A Noh performer can train for one of four roles, namely:

1. Shite: lead role or main protagonist.

2. Waki: supporting actor to the shite.

3. Kyogen: actors performing in-between many Noh plays.

4. Hayashi: music performers.

Every Noh drama consists of a hayashi accompanying at least a shite and a waki. 

Attending a Noh Performance: What Visitors Should Know

Tourists interested in attending a Noh performance would benefit from learning audience etiquette. It’s important to remain quiet at all times. Also, pay attention to the play if you want to appreciate the subtleties of the art form. At the end of each play, the actors file out one-by-one to a soft ovation from the audience. As each Noh actor leaves, the clapping stops, only to resume with the next actor.

Conclusion: 

As a cultural treasure, Noh remains a key part of traditional arts in Japan. It is the perfect combination of music, dance, drama, and storytelling, making it an appealing experience for tourists and visitors. In the global context of performing arts, Noh is also one of the most exciting.

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