Naka no Shibai
Encyclopedia
Naka no Shibai also known as Naka-za (中座), was one of the major kabuki
theatres in Osaka, Japan
.
entertainment district, and saw the premieres of many famous plays; closely related to the nearby jōruri
theatres, Naka would often be the first to adapt puppet plays to the kabuki stage, and often also arranged the Kamigata
(Kansai) premieres of plays earlier performed in Edo
. Also tied closely to other theatres in the area, and the general theatre culture and community of Kamigata, Naka hosted a number of competitions between actors and troupes, as well as reconciliation ceremonies between actors who had been feuding, and a variety of other theatrical community events.
Some of the plays premiered at the Naka no Shibai include Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami (1745), Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura
(Aug. 1748), and Kanadehon Chūshingura
(Dec. 1748) which was first performed as a puppet play six months earlier. Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki was first performed in Osaka, at the Naka no Shibai, in 1752, as was Meiboku Sendai Hagi in 1777.
Destroyed by fire twice in the Meiji period
(1868-1912), the theatre was rebuilt almost immediately in both instances, and saw the installation of electricity when rebuilt in 1884. In 1920, the theatre was bought by production company Shōchiku
, and renamed Naka-za. In November 1927, during a performance of Honzō Shimoyashiki, actor Nakamura Jakuemon II collapsed and died on stage.
Destroyed and rebuilt in 1934, the Naka-za became the most major theatre in the city, surpassing the Naniwa-za, but was destroyed along with most of the rest of the city in the 1945 Allied
bombing of Osaka in World War II
.
The Naka-za was rebuilt once more, and reopened in 1948. Holding around 800 seats through most of its incarnations, this newest building held 1200. The theater was closed in 1999, however, by Shōchiku, on account of financial problems and the effects of the overall worsening Japanese economy. The final kabuki performance at the Naka-za was Natsu Sugata Naniwa Goyomi, featuring Kataoka Hidetarō II, Arashi Tokusaburō VII, Bandō Takesaburō V, Kataoka Ainosuke VI and Kamimura Kichiya VI. Though the theatre was not intentionally destroyed at that time, a gas explosion and the resulting fire in September 2002 burnt it to the ground. An office building now stands in its place.
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
theatres in Osaka, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
History
It was first built in 1652, in Osaka's DotonboriDotonbori
is one of the principal tourist destinations in Osaka, Japan. It is a single street, running alongside the Dōtonbori canal between the Dōtonboribashi Bridge and the Nipponbashi Bridge in the Namba ward of Osaka...
entertainment district, and saw the premieres of many famous plays; closely related to the nearby jōruri
Bunraku
, also known as Ningyō jōruri , is a form of traditional Japanese puppet theater, founded in Osaka in 1684.Three kinds of performers take part in a bunraku performance:* Ningyōtsukai or Ningyōzukai—puppeteers* Tayū—the chanters* Shamisen players...
theatres, Naka would often be the first to adapt puppet plays to the kabuki stage, and often also arranged the Kamigata
Kamigata
Kamigata is a region of Japan referring to the cities of Kyoto and Osaka; the term is used particularly when discussing elements of Edo period urban culture such as ukiyo-e and kabuki, and when making a comparison to the urban culture of the Edo/Tokyo region.Kabuki, ukiyo-e, and many of the other...
(Kansai) premieres of plays earlier performed in Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
. Also tied closely to other theatres in the area, and the general theatre culture and community of Kamigata, Naka hosted a number of competitions between actors and troupes, as well as reconciliation ceremonies between actors who had been feuding, and a variety of other theatrical community events.
Some of the plays premiered at the Naka no Shibai include Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami (1745), Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura
Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura
Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura , or Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees, is a Japanese play, one of the three most popular and famous in the Kabuki repertoire...
(Aug. 1748), and Kanadehon Chūshingura
Kanadehon Chūshingura
Chūshingura is an 11-act bunraku puppet play composed in 1748. It is one of the most popular Japanese plays, ranked with Zeami's Matsukaze, although the vivid action of Chūshingura differs dramatically from Matsukaze...
(Dec. 1748) which was first performed as a puppet play six months earlier. Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki was first performed in Osaka, at the Naka no Shibai, in 1752, as was Meiboku Sendai Hagi in 1777.
Destroyed by fire twice in the Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
(1868-1912), the theatre was rebuilt almost immediately in both instances, and saw the installation of electricity when rebuilt in 1884. In 1920, the theatre was bought by production company Shōchiku
Shochiku
is a Japanese movie studio and production company for kabuki. It also produces and distributes anime films. Its best remembered directors include Yasujirō Ozu, Kenji Mizoguchi, Mikio Naruse, Keisuke Kinoshita and Yōji Yamada...
, and renamed Naka-za. In November 1927, during a performance of Honzō Shimoyashiki, actor Nakamura Jakuemon II collapsed and died on stage.
Destroyed and rebuilt in 1934, the Naka-za became the most major theatre in the city, surpassing the Naniwa-za, but was destroyed along with most of the rest of the city in the 1945 Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
bombing of Osaka in World War II
Bombing of Osaka in World War II
The U.S. bombing of Osaka during World War II first took place from the middle of the night on March 13th, 1945, to the early morning of the next day. There were also bomb raids on June 6th, 7th, 15th, 26th, July 10th, 24th, and August 14th, the last day of the war...
.
The Naka-za was rebuilt once more, and reopened in 1948. Holding around 800 seats through most of its incarnations, this newest building held 1200. The theater was closed in 1999, however, by Shōchiku, on account of financial problems and the effects of the overall worsening Japanese economy. The final kabuki performance at the Naka-za was Natsu Sugata Naniwa Goyomi, featuring Kataoka Hidetarō II, Arashi Tokusaburō VII, Bandō Takesaburō V, Kataoka Ainosuke VI and Kamimura Kichiya VI. Though the theatre was not intentionally destroyed at that time, a gas explosion and the resulting fire in September 2002 burnt it to the ground. An office building now stands in its place.