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TOKYO (AP) — Handing down a name over generations is a central part of the Japanese traditional theater art of Kabuki, and that ceremony gets celebrated at theaters and special events every few years.
Now, the ritual is taking place with the eighth Kikugoro, who is having that honor passed down from his 83-year-old father, the seventh Kikugoro, who in turn got that name from his father.
“Taking on the name is about taking on the spirit and responsibility that’s created and getting passed down over generations by those who came before us,” the younger Kikugoro, Kazuyasu Terajima, told reporters recently.
“The job of the Kabuki actor is to carry on and develop in the present what we have inherited from our predecessors and make sure it gets passed on to those who come after us.”
Another famous family name in Kabuki is Danjuro, whose name succession for the 13th Danjuro happened in 2022.
A Japanese theatrical tradition that’s vibrant today
Kabuki, dating to the 1600s, is still very much alive in modern-day Japan. The hit film “Kokuho,” nominated for this year’s Oscars in makeup and hairstyling, is one proof of Kabuki’s continuing popularity, becoming the biggest grossing live-action movie for the home market in Japanese filmmaking history.
Kabuki showcases gut-wrenching stories about brave samurai who assume a hidden identity to avenge an injustice, or a beautiful maiden who turns into a serpent, combining live music, dance and song with stylized acting — with all the roles played by men, wearing colorful costumes and plastered makeup.
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