When Sakata Tojuro's popularity began to wane, Chikamatsu Monzaemon returned to Ningyo-joruri writing. He has left us many fine works. In particular, his "Sonezaki shinju," "Shinju ten no amijima," "Onna koroshi abura no jigoku," "Kokusenya kassen," "Heike nyogonoshima" and other works rewritten later, were taken into Kabuki, and are still performed even now.

> History of Kabuki: Establishment of Wagoto

Following this, he was active for 25 years as the greatest writer in Kabuki. The distinctive features of his literary style were his realistic depictions of the common people of the time, called Kizewa, and his striking Shuko (plot plans) in which ghosts had active roles. Even at present, "Tokaido yotsuya kaidan," "Sakurahime azuma bunsho" and "Toki mo kikyo shusse no ukejo" [generally performed under the title "Toki wa ima kikyo no hataage"] are performed. "Tokaido yotsuya kaidan" is particularly famous as his most important work.

> History of Kabuki: Tsuruya Namboku era

The distinctive feature of Mokuami's literary style is its superiority from the musical viewpoint. He effectively interwove Kiyomoto music with poetic speech in shichigo-cho (7-and-5 syllable meter) while realistically depicting the lives of common people in the Edo period. Mokuami left over 350 works including dance dramas from approximately 50-year career as a writer, and his works still form a large percentage of the Kabuki repertoire. His most important works are the Shiranamimono, "Aotozoshi hana no nishikie" [Common name "Shiranami gonin otoko"], "Sannin kichisa kuruwa no hatsugai," "Kumo ni magou ueno no hatsuhana" and the Buyogeki (dance drama) "Tsuchigumo."

> History of Kabuki: Remarkable activity of Kawatake Mokuami