Kan'ami

Kan'ami Kiyotsugu (観阿弥 清次); 1333 – June 8, 1384, was a Japanese Noh actor, author, and musician during the Muromachi period. Born Kiyotsugu Yūzaki (結崎 清次, Yūzaki Kiyotsugu) in Iga Province, Kan'ami also went by the names Miyomaru (観世丸) and Kanze Kiyotsugu (観世 清次).

Theater

Kan'ami's career began in Obata when he founded a Sarugaku theater group. The troupe moved to Yamato and formed the Yuzaki theater company, which would eventually become the school of Noh theater. He grew in popularity, and began making trips to Kyoto to give performances. In 1374, the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was in the audience of a performance and was so impressed by it that he became Kan'ami's patron.

Kan'ami was the first playwright to incorporate the Kusemai song and dance style and Dengaku dances from rustic harvest celebrations. He trained his son Zeami Motokiyo in his style, who eventually succeeded him as director of the Kanze school of Noh. Kan'ami died in Suruga Province.

Notable works

• Sotoba Komachi
• Ji'nen koji
• Shiino shōshō
• Matsukaze
• Eguchi

Further reading

Encyclopædia Britannica 2005 Ultimate Reference Suite DVD, article- "Kan'ami"