Costumes+in+Kabuki+by+Alicia+Corts

Kabuki Costumes by Alicia Corts

The actor is the central focus of the Kabuki theater, and for that reason, the costumes in Kabuki highlight the actor's performance and enhance the spectacle surrounding them. The rich, extravagant nature of the costumes frames the expressiveness of the play and the actor's abilities. While Kabuki is known for the richness of fabric and design, not all of the costumes in this theatre form are extravagant. The various costumes in the Kabuki theatre add to the rich symbolism of the stories and the emotional quality of the acting (Alter 1990). A study of Kabuki costumes leads to a clearer understanding of these symbols and adds to the enjoyment of the audience.

Kabuki costume falls into four categories: costumes for plays written in the last 100 years which focus on historical accuracy; the Jidaimono, or Genroku, Kabuki plays, written from 1673-1735, which use costumes which were contemporary at the time, but which are historical now; the Sewamono and Kizewamono plays of the 1600-1800s, which use contemporary, everyday clothes of the period in contrast with the elegant court clothes of the Genroku plays; and finally, the costumes needs for special dances (Halford and Halford 1955). Because Kabuki is a popular theatre form, the fashion of the day would often influence the costumes onstage. The use of court costumes was a special treat for the common people who crowded the Kabuki theatre during its nineteenth century heyday (Shaver 1966), since most were not exposed on a regular basis to the rich silks and embroidery of court. Kabuki became a way for the commoners to experience life at court as well.

The type of costume worn by both female and male characters changes with the historical period of the play. By the Heian period, kimonos were standard attire for men and women (Halford and Halford 1955). This same period gives us the hakama, or long court pants which trailed behind the wearer. These pants created more dramatic presence for the actor as well as giving emphasis to fighting scenes. The long pants were considered more manly and indicative of the power of the samurai warriors (Shaver 1966). The characters were placed in finery to give the audience the ability to recognize them at a glance (Invitation to Kabuki website), and the symbols within the patterns and colors of the costumes also indicated to the audience what the play would be about as well as what role the character would play within the performance (Alter 1990).

During the Jidaimono period, the costumes continued to become more and more elaborate (Shaver 1966). The spirit of the era demanded elaborate costumes, but the shogunate was displeased with the excesses and, therefore, imposed restrictions on the creation of the costumes for the Kabuki. Actors and their dressers would get around these restrictions by following the letter rather than the spirit of the law; for example, a restriction on the use of patterned silks would lead to extensive use of embroidery to mimic the patterned silk (Kabuki Story: Costume website).

A number of important costumes were developed by actors during this period, specifically the costumes created by Danjuro I. His costumes for //Shibaraku// are still in use today, handed down to each costumer in ish-no-tsukecho, costumer's notebooks (Shaver 1966). These guidelines are carefully guarded by the isho (costumers) of today, and very little information is disseminated outside of the theatre.



Following the Genroku period, the Banraku puppet theatre claimed dominance over the Kabuki in an era known as the Horeki Kabuki era (1736-1764) (Shaver 1966). From this era, the jidaimono and sewamono plays developed, which feature common, everyday clothes (Halford and Halford 1955). Just as the music and movement began to be influenced by the Banraku, the costumes were heavily influenced by the puppet theatre as well (Shaver 1966). It is during this period that the hikinuki, or quick change, was first introduced by the actor Otani Hiroji I. The restrictions on costumes was intense during this period, so much so that when Segawa Kikunojo II appeared onstage in a white damask kimono, there was talk that he might be severely punished. While he only received a public warning, the battle lines between Kabuki actors and the shogunate were drawn.

In the following period, the Kansei (1789-1800), the restrictions on costume which had been flagrantly disregaded by the actors as brought under strict review by Matsudaira Sadanobu, a roju, or highest ranking offical, in the shogunate (Shaver 1966). Costume regulations had been in place since 1723, when cotton was ruled to be the most important fabric for the stage (Earnst 1974). He instituted a regulation system known as isho-kembun in which all choices in Kabuki had to be approved by an official (Shaver 1966). Before the opening of a new performance, a shita-kembun, or preliminary inspection, was done and a list was made of the acceptable costumes. Four policemen from the province carried out the inital inspection, and officials from other provinces were occasionally called in for random inspections. During the first performance, government officials were sent to check the official list of costumes to ensure that nothing had been substituted.

While the restrictions were intense during the Kansei period, the costumes still managed to slip by the rules. The roju in charge of the regulations had very little knowledge of costume construction, and so he didn't make allowances for all types of extravagace. For example, some forms of cotton imported from the Dutch West Indies were as expensive and rare as banned satins, but because Matsudaira Sadanobu didn't understand fabric, these luxurious cloths made their way into the Kabuki. Eventually, in 1789, the roju convinced the shogun to ban all fabrics except hemp and two types of rough, raw silk: tsumugi (thickly woven from the heavy yarn of silkworms) and mawata (cloth woven from the waste of the silkworms). In fact, the ban on fabrics was so strict that in March of 1789 Segawa Kikunojo III was arrested after walking down the street in a silk kimono.

//Kanjincho,// also known as the //Subscription List//, belongs to the era of costumes known as Bunka-Bunsei Kabuki fromthe years 1804-1830 (Shaver 1966). Japan was experiencing an era of peace under the eleventh shogun, Tokugawa Ienari, and the extravagant costumes put away during the preceeding eras were returned to the stage. The ban was intended to help the samurai adjust to a peaceful life, but the strict regulations gradually were lifted after pressure from the people and merchants of Japan. During this period, the expense of the costumes skyrocketed. In some cases, a single ornament for a costume cost as much as a full year's salary for a merchant.


 * Stage Assistants**

One of the key components of the Kabuki theatre is the use of stage assistants to assist the actors in their performance (Earnst 1974). These assistants fall into two categories: kurumbo and koken. Kurumbo means “black fellow.” These stage assistants are dressed fully in black with veils on their faces. Kurumbo are used specifically when the costumes are elaborate to allow for the actors to shine rather than the stage assistants (Shaver 1966). Koken, the other type of stage assistant, has all the same responsibilities of the Kurumbo, but they are dressed in kimonos which blend with the general picture of the stage.

These stage assistants have been called property men, prompters, stage assistants, but no word for their role occurs in English (Shaver 1966). There are often stage assistants assigned to each actor, but their assignments completely depend on the complexity of the production and costumes (Earnst 1974). Because the kimonos can weigh between fifty and sixty pounds, the stage assistants assist the actors in arranging the heavy material to perfect the look of each moment. When not working with the actors, the stage assistants sit with their back to the audience or angled in such a way that they don't draw focus from the actors.

Another important function of the stage assistant is prompting (Earnst 1974). Productions often have only three days of rehearsal before opening, and the stage assistant acts as a prompter to the actor at the beginning of a show's run. During the production, their function also includes bringing the actor water, tea, and handkerchiefs to wipe the sweat off their brow. They also bring small wooden seats for the actors; though the actors are trained to sit on their knees for long periods of time, stage assistants bring the chairs when the actor will be sitting for a period that could cause the legs to go to sleep.

The most spectacular of the kurumbo and koken duties is the assistance with the hikinuki, quick changes done onstage (Earnst 1974). Hikinuki means pulling out, and the change of costume is done by the stage assistants by pulling out basted threads in the outer kimono until the top layer can be torn away. The stage assistant joins in the dance motion with the actor, choreographing every pull so that the dance remains the focus of attention. After pulling the strings and pulling away the outer kimono, the stage assistant quickly gathers the costume in such a way that it disappears from sight. These hikinuki are designed to indicate change of mood rather than change of character, and while the color changes, the pattern of the costume remains the same.''

Stage assistants also work to help actors with partial costume changes which are more fluid with assistance. In //Kanjincho//, Togashi removes his right sleeve to indicate that he's ready to fight if necessary with Benkei. The stage assistants step forward to help with that sleeve removal

media type="youtube" key="4q1MPwD7zCI" height="344" width="425" The video shows a hikinuki in progress at 9:17 into the film.


 * Kanjincho**

The costumes in //The Subscription List// follow the historical patterns described above. Coming from an era of extreme frugality, the courtly costume of Togashi would have seemed particularly spectacular. The long, trailing hakama pants demonstrated Togashi's importance, his place at court, as well as his ferocity in battle (Shaver 1966). The blue of his costume indicates his virility.

Benkei's costume makes up part of the legend of //Kanjinch//o. When Danjuro VII was ready to use the Noh version of Kanjincho for the Kabuki theatre, he went to the Noh costumer, Sekioka, to ask for advice (Shaver 1966). Sekioka looked down on the perfomers of the Kabuki, and as a result, turned Danjuro away. However, Danjuro continued to hound Sekioka until finally the costumer showed him the plainest of costumes: a shiroguchi with stiff white pants and a flat back. In the pictures below, Benkei wears the stiff, plain, white hakama and the flat back Sekioka first showed Danjuro.

Yotsitsune is dressed in a plain kimono with basic hakama. The intention of the costume is to illustrate the disguise by accenting the plainness of the character while the actor's motions indicate the dignity of this important historical figure (Shaver 1966). The specific type of costume worn by Yotsitsune is called ajiro-gasa, which is what baggage carriers, or goriki, wear in scrolls of the time period. The hat is modeled after Mount Fuji, with a black lacquered top with brown edges.




 * Aesthetic Principles**

A number of unique aesthetic principles guides the creation of Kabuki costumes. While theatre forms such as Kathakali and Beijing Opera portray evil women with makeup, Segawa Kikunojo I, a famous onnagata actor of the Horeki period, insisted in his writings that evil should be portrayed simply with costume or makeup, but with expressiveness of acting (Shaver 1966). He insisted that small, simple changes, such as the wearing of long hair or a slight shift in the kimono, should be enough to produce the desired effect in the audience. In one such example of this principle, the actor Bando Tamasaburo V, playing the Orochi serpent, is seen wearing long hair, the only outward indication besides the movement that this character is evil.

Another principle governing the costumes in Kabuki is the accentuating of the actor's movements and expression. The colors and patterns of the costumes are designed to symbolize not only the actor's abilities, but the overall impression and feeling of the production (Alter 1990; Earnst 1974). The length of the kimono sleeve, for example, has grown and developed through historical eras to continually accent and highlight the actors, their movements, and specifically the mei.

Costumes in Kabuki Today


Kabuki actors today continue to have large numbers of assistants working to create unique costumes for their performances. Bando Tamusaburo, one of the most famous Kabuki actors alive today, is assisted by a costumer named Taizou and his crew (Taizou blog). Each costume, according to Taizou, must fit the purpose of the production and the needs of the dance Tamusaburo will be performing. For example, the kimono pictured above is slightly larger than the normal kimono. It is made of a common kimono satin, but the addition of the weighted band at the bottom of the kimono shapes the fabric as Tamusaburo moves. The embroidery on the kimono was done by hand with the lightest silk thread; because the kimono silk is very light, there were fears it wouldn't be able to hold the heavy embroidery. The team of stitchers and tailors worked on this kimono for over three months, and despite the latest technologies available, the traditional methods are still being used to create one of a kind looks for the Kabuki stage.

When viewing a Kabuki performance, the audience is drawn into a world where expressiveness is prized above all else. The costumes in this art form contribute to the enjoyment of the audience and the performance of the actor as few other theatrical forms allow.

Pictures: Children's Kabuki: http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/archives/news/01-07/kabukikids.html 1982 Kabuki: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/adv/wol/dy/culture/okuma_080416.htm 1899 Kabuki: http://www2.ntj.jac.go.jp/unesco/kabuki/en/2/2_12.html Benkei Photo: http://qualiajournal.blogspot.com/2009/09/visually-stunning-drama.html

Bibliography Alter, J. 1990. //A Sociosemiotic Theory of Theatre.// Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. Earnst, E. 1974. //The Kabuki Theatre//. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. Halford, A. and Halford, G. 1955. //The Kabuki Handbook.// Rutland, VT: Tuttle. Invitation to Kabuki. http://www2.ntj.jac.go.jp/unesco/kabuki/en/4/4_05.html. Accessed on Nov. 1, 2009 Kabuki Story: Costume. http://www.creative-arts.net/kabuki/Breakdown/Costume.htm. Accessed on Nov. 1, 2009 Shaver, Ruth. 1966. //Kabuki Costume//. Rutland, VT: Tuttle. Taizou Blog, [], Accessed December 16, 2009.