Kanjincho is one of the most famous plays of the Japanese kabuki theater. The kabuki genre is a classic dance drama; kabuki theater plots usually reveal historical events. Kanjincho story happens in the mid-to-late 12th century; the main characters are Togashi Saemon, the guardian of the gates, Yoshitsune, the emperor’s younger brother, who fell out of favor, and his servant Benkei (“Kanjincho”). This paper aims to present Kanjincho play as an outstanding example of kabuki theater. Yoshitsune and Benkei travel under the guise of wandering Yamabushi monks and come to the gates of the city to hide from the emperor’s persecution. Togashi, who was strictly warned that he must protect the entrance and look for Yoshitsune, hiding under the guise of a monk, nevertheless lets Yoshitsune and Benkei in, out of respect for them. Since Benkei was a Buddhist monk in the past, he easily goes through a formal interrogation of Togashi. Togashi realizes that he will be executed, but he still acts according to his conscience.
The performance is aimed at a wider audience, both at foreigners and Japanese. However, to follow the course of the plot, it would be useful first to read the underlying story. The main purpose of the play is to immerse viewers into heroic times of the mid-12th century and show the excellence of the kabuki actors. The actors and director achieved this goal using traditional elements of the kabuki theater – singing, dancing, playing musical instruments, wearing traditional Japanese costumes, and using the flower walk stage. The play is convincing thanks to the expressiveness of the main characters, and the masterful musical performance of supporting actors, who help to create the right mood. The strongest point of the performance is its strict compliance with the kabuki tradition. Most of all I liked the costumes and expressiveness of the actors’ speech, as well as their makeup. However, I regretted that I do not know Japanese, as this would allow me to evaluate the performance much better. The performance is recommended for all viewers who are interested in Japanese history and culture.
Thus, a Kanjincho was presented as an outstanding example of Kabuki Theater. The performance tells of the wanderings of Yoshitsune and his servant Benkei, who are trying to get through the city gates, hiding from persecution. Kanjincho is a brilliant example of the traditional art of the kabuki theater and is recommended for viewing to all fans of Japanese culture and history. It is recommended for viewing to all lovers of Japanese culture and history.
Work Cited
“Kanjincho.” YouTube, 2010. Web