This way, the drafts inserted into scheduled posts keep appearing later, causing the flower calendar of the real world and the blog world to drift further and further apart… No, I’ll stop worrying about it.
Adding furigana to a title you can’t read without knowing it even if you are Japanese. The meaning of it as follows:
“Lupin III, Emerald Beauty Castle”
Yes, I saw a new kabuki play at the Shimbashi Enbujo Theatre in mid-month. It was a truly entertaining performance, full of spirit, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The leading actors, including Ainosuke Kataoka as Lupin III and Chusha Ichikawa as Inspector Zenigata, gave passionate performances. However, my primary focus this time was almost entirely on Yonekichi Nakamura, who played the heroine, Princess Seori.
While the contemporary kabuki world boasts many masterful onnnagata(male actor in female roles), I’ll boldly declare—with admittedly biased eyes—that none currently rival his beauty and grace. Even someone as clueless about the art as I am could tell at a glance: he is, simply put, a “beautiful” actor.
On this stage, whether viewed from the immediate proximity of the hanamichi or from a distance, I was able to fully savor the sight and performance of a beautiful heroine who was utterly flawless—no, who leapt right into my eyes.
To my delight, just when I thought the play had reached its grand dancing finale. And then, probably special for that day, we got a greeting from Ainosuke and a “Take photos! Post them all over SNS!!” time with the leading cast members.
All I had in my bag was my GF10 with a 15mm lens, so this is the kind of photo I got…
I did trim this a bit, but hmm. Maybe I should’ve just used my phone.
Though smaller than the Kabukiza, here are a few snaps I took before the show at the Shinbashi Enbujo to liven things up.
The play is an entertaining adaptation that captures the essence of the beloved “Lupin III” while reimagining it as an Edo-period family feud story presented in kabuki style. It’s thoroughly enjoyable even if you’re not particularly familiar with kabuki. That said, if you’re less acquainted with “Lupin III,” it might be a bit challenging. Especially if you haven’t seen the movie “Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro,” it’s probably best to watch that first.
For those who saw the film “National Treasure” and suddenly got interest about kabuki (like me), starting with an accessible production like this isn’t a bad idea.
The Shinbashi Enbujo run ends in a few days, but as the poster above shows, it continues on a national tour to Nagoya’s Misono-za, Kyoto’s Minami-za, and Fukuoka’s Hakata-za. I highly recommend it to anyone whose schedule aligns with these regional performances.
Being repetitive, don’t miss Yonekichi’s Seorihime.
