Kabuki Exhibition at Meguro Gajoen: ‘Attractive Kabuki Exhibition for Ennosuke’

The Kabuki Exhibition at Meguro Gajoen: Attractive Kabuki Exhibition for Ennosuke is set to open at the Hyakudan Kaidan (100 steps staircase, formerly the Sango-kan), a Tokyo Designated Tangible Cultural Asset inside Meguro Gajoen. The exhibit will feature around sixty items of theatrical clothing and props from the world of Kabuki star Ennosuke Ichikawa III. Ennosuske is well known not just as a performer of the classical arts, but for making Kabuki accessible to modern audiences through his fascinating full-play revivals (fukkatsu tooshi kyogen) and Super Kabuki productions which have given the art an entirely new appeal and fan base. The dazzling yama (mountain) and umi (sea) costumes from the Super Kabuki production 'Yamatotakeru' are displayed together for comparison, as well as a range of other costumes from Ennosuke’s Kabuki, with unique motifs like animal patterns. Around eighty percent of the items are on public display for the first time, and the sheer number of variations in the gorgeous outfits is truly astounding.