When Kabuki Shows Its Own Making

A conversation with Ichikawa Danjūrō XIII

Woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi of actor Nakamura Shikan II (Wikimedia Commons | Public Domain)

Recently, Ichikawa Danjūrō XIII joined us on Substack! You might not be familiar with his name, but he is one of the most famous living Kabuki actors, known both to specialists and to the general public. That is, for all of us, an excellent occasion to become more familiar with his art, its history, and its secrets!

First, when I saw his account, I wondered if it was one of those fake accounts that appear sometimes online before being suppressed by moderators. It was not the case. I read his first letters, published bilingually in English and Japanese. The explanations were precise, with honesty and simplicity.

Kabuki is one of the rare topics I do not know what to say about beyond platitudes and personal impressions. I have no theory to add, no clear philosophical insights. That is more or less how my question to Danjūrō XIII started: with unclear impressions and thoughts that I had for a while. I wrote my question as follows:

One thing I always wonder when watching Kabuki is how it could be understood philosophically: not only as something that expresses Japanese aesthetics, Japanese culture, and the Japanese way of life, but also as something that has a universal meaning and value, especially today. The actors’ performance, as you know far…