Q1. What time does your tour
start?
We meet at 9:40am in front of the Kabuki-za theater. I will tell you
about the theater and take
picuters
for you before we walk to the Japanese-tea salon near the
theatre. The lecture of
Kabuki
and the shows you will see starts at 10:00am and ends
at
10:40am.
Matinee is a great wat to experience Kabuki in March
and April. The schedule above is the
same in
March and April.
Q2. What time does your tour
end?
After
the lecture, we come back to the Kabukiza-theatre about 10-15
minutes before the
show
starts. I also show you how to rent an audio guide
(earphone guide).
Q3. Do you think the earphone guide is needed to see
Kabuki?
The earphone guide is helpful, as a summary of the action
dialogue on stage is given
in
English. The explanation about stories, sound
effects, the actors etc. is also valuable.
The
earphone guides are also available in Japanese, and many
Japanese rent them as
Kabuki
dialogues are sometimes in very old-fashioned
Japanese, and some customs
shown
on stage are different from today's
customs.
The audio guide rental fee is about 650
yen.
(A refundable deposit of 1,000 yen is required when you rent
the earphone guide.)
Q4. Why do you give a pre-performance
lecture?
I
think that the information from the earphone guide is helpful but it
is not enough to enjoy
Kabuki,
especially for people who have not seen Kabuki before as it is
limited to the
performance you see only. Visual pre-performance
information gives you a much better
overview
and insight into
Kabuki.
I also give you historical information to understand and enjoy
Kabuki, and tell you about
highlights to look for, remarkable points and features on the
individual performances.
You
will also get a time schedule of the show, suggestions for
what to do during the
intermissions and so on. I think this information is
necessary to enjoy Kabuki as a whole
in true
Japanese style and to spend your time and money
effectively.
Q5. How many Kabuki shows have you seen so
far?
I have
seen almost 200 shows to date. I have been going to
the Kabuki-za theatre at
least
twice a month over the last 6 years. And of course, I
also go to other theaters to see
Kabuki.
Q6. When did
you go to the Kabuki-za theater for the first
time?
The
first time I went to the Kabuki-za to see Kabuki when I was 5.
My
grandmother often took me to the theatre before I entered
elementary
school.
We were
lucky to usually have box seats because an acquaintance of ours
gave us the
tickets.I
still remember the beautiful Kabuki stage and actors that I saw
with my
grandmother to this day.
Q7. Did you study Kabuki at
school?
I
didn't study Kabuki at school. However, I have studied Kabuki
in classes given by the
instructor of the theatre arts course of Waseda University, and
of course I have read many
books on the subject.
Q8. What is different in the tickets you offer and
the single show "Makumi"
tickets?
You can see the entire programs of the show if you attend my
tour, usually between 3 and 4
plays.
With "Makumi" tickets, you are only able to see a
single show. These tickets are
very
popular for people who don't have any advance tickets, or don't
have enough time
to
see a
whole
show.
"Makumi"
tickets are only available for the fourth floor, and the number
of tickets
is
limited
to 90 seating and 60 standing tickets per
show.
"Makumi" tickets can only be bought 20 to 30
minutes before each show begins.
Of
course, people are queuing up quite early, sometimes hours before
the sales start,
and tickets may become sold out
quickly.
Since the fourth floor is very high up in the theatre, the view of
the stage and
the
"hanamichi" (stage extension) is
restricted.
Kabuki-za theatre is also famous for its originality souvenir
shops and delicious sweets and
food. The
concessions for these things are only on the first,
second and third floors. Many
famous
paintings also hang on the walls of
these floors. The fourth floor, for which the
"Makumi"
tickets are valid, is accessed through a competely separate entrance
and has no
shops or
restaurants. There is also no internal connection to the lower
floors, so the
audience
of the fourth floor is completely isolated.
Q9. How long are the
intermissions?
Depending
on the show, intermissions usually are about 15 to 30
minutes. At least one
intermission is 30 minutes long, enough to have lunch or
dinner.
People bring
O-bento (boxed meals) or eat at the restaurants in the
theater.
(Booking at the
restaurants is required before the show
begins.)
Q10. Have you seen the programs
you talk about in your lectures?
I
have seen the program at least once before I give a lecture about
it.
Fortunately, I have seen many Kabuki dramas and dances over
time.
I surely haven't seen every
Kabuki play that exists as there simply are too
many.
I usually plan the dates of my tours after
seeing a new
program.
Q11.What is the National Guide
Cerfificate?
The
Guide-Interpreter Business Law (Law No. 210 of 1949) stipulates that
only persons who
have a National
Guide Certification may work as guide-interpreters for a
fee.
My registration number is EN0245 issued by Governor of Tokyo
Metropolis.
Q12.Why
did you start this tour?
Kabuki is a
very fascinating performing arts.I have enjoyed Kabuki for many
years!
I
love all peforming arts such as opera and musicals. I wish to
share my many experiences
and knowledge;
to show guests a part of the Japan I love as a Japanese
person.
I want many people to enjoy Kabuki as I do, but I think pople
can enjoy Kabuki more with
some
information before you rent the audio guide (ear phone
guide).
Fortunately,
I have already had many chances to take both Japanese and foreign
friends to
the Kabuki-za theatre. Everyone enjoyed Kabuki very much,
whether it was their first
time
or whether
they already had seen Kabuki several
times.
My profound experience in Kabuki and other stage
arts helps other people to enjoy, and that
my enthusiasm
for this kind of art is
infectuous.
Sometimes you hear people say they don't like Kabuki. I believe that
with some essential
information about the art itself and the plays on performance,
Kabuki becomes
understandable and enjoyable. I am very happy to help with
that, in finding and
conveying
the
interesting points of Kabuki theater and its
programs.
I would like to share the fascinating experience of
Kabuki with as many other people as
possible.
