Izumo no Okuni

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Okuni, wearing a Katana and a Christian cross.
Okuni, wearing a Katana and a Christian cross.

Izumo no Okuni (出雲の阿国 Izumo no Okuni?) (1572?-1613) was the main founder of kabuki theater. She was a miko at the Grand Shrine of Izumo[citation needed] who began a new style of dance in the dry riverbeds of Kyoto.

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[edit] History

[edit] Early years

Okuni grew up in the vicinity of the Izumo shrine, where her father worked as a blacksmith, and where several other family members served. Eventually Okuni joined as a miko[citation needed], where she was known for her skill in dancing and acting, as well as her beauty. As it was a custom of the time to send priests, miko and others to solicit contributions for the shrine, she was sent to Kyoto to perform sacred dances and songs.

It was during her performances in Kyoto that she also became known for her innovation: her nembutsu dance, in honor of the Amida Buddha, tended to be known for its sultriness and sexual innuendo. Between this and other dances and acts, she garnered much attention and began to draw large crowds wherever she performed. Eventually she was summoned to return to the shrine, a call she ignored, though she continued to send money back.

[edit] The founding of Kabuki

Around 1603, Okuni set up a theatre on the dry riverbed of the Shijōgawa (now the Kamo River). Gathering up the outcasts and misfits of society, who had been dubbed kabukimono (from kabuku "to lean in a certain direction", and mono, "people"), she gave them direction, teaching them acting, dancing and singing skills; naturally, she called her troupe's performances kabuki. The earliest performances of kabuki were dancing and song with no significant plot, often disdained as gaudy and cacophonous, but equally lauded as colorful and beautiful.

Though she required her male actors to play female roles and her female actors to play that of the males, she was known for playing roles of either gender. In particular, she was best known for her roles as samurai and Christian priests.

Eventually, with the aid of Ujisato Sanzaburō, who supported Okuni financially as well as artistically, kabuki evolved into drama. On a more personal level, Sanzaburō was also said to be Okuni's lover, though they did not marry. After his death she continued without him, continuing to merge the drama with the music and dance. Eventually, her fame and that of her kabuki troupe spread throughout Japan, possibly making her one of the earliest examples of a Japanese idol.

the statue of Izumo no Okuni.
the statue of Izumo no Okuni.

[edit] Later years

Okuni retired around 1610, and by that time, there were many imitators of kabuki theatre. In particular, brothels offered such shows to amuse wealthy clients, as well as to gain prostitutes who had acting and singing skills. Eventually, due to public outcry of morals, after her death three years later, the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu forbade women from performing in kabuki, a standing practice in the official theatres even today.

In 2003 a statue was erected in her honor, located at the side of the Kamo River in the Pontochō district of Kyoto.

[edit] Cultural impact

In addition to her supposed founding of kabuki, Okuni contributed to Japanese theatre in general. She is said to have introduced the forerunner of the hanamichi (path of flowers), a runway leading from the rear of the theatre and crossing between the audience to the stage. This has been incorporated in several Japanese theatre arts beyond that of kabuki.

[edit] Okuni in fiction

Okuni as a character in the Koei video game Samurai Warriors.
Okuni as a character in the Koei video game Samurai Warriors.

Unlike her role in history, Okuni's appearances in fiction often portray her as a betsushikime, a capable fighter skilled with weapons and magic.

  • She is a playable character in the Koei videogame Samurai Warriors series. She fights with a parasol. During the course of her plot in the first game, she has ongoing romances with Ishikawa Goemon and Maeda Keiji. She is voiced by Wakana Yamazaki; in the English dub she is played by Monica Rial.
  • In the manga and anime Samurai Deeper Kyo, she is initially a foil for the main character, Mibu Kyoshiro, but later becomes a spy for Oda Nobunaga. In the series her voice actor is Yumi Kakazu.
  • Okuni is a playable character in the Capcom videogame Onimusha Tactics. She fights with a bow and can use healing magic.
  • Okuni is mentioned as a close friend to Jubei Yagyu in the video game Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams. She is also described as being a great dancer and fighter.
  • Okuni also appears as a character in the NHK drama Musashi; however, in this series she remains a performer and does not have any fighting skills.
  • Okuni makes a small appearance as a little girl in Okami singing about the Water Dragon.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links