Kabuki A to Z:Fujiwara no Shihei｜文化デジタルライブラリー

Fujiwara no Shihei

【藤原時平】

【FUJIWARANOSHIHEI】

Shihei, large- scale Katakiyaku role of higher status, in “Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami”. Nakamura Ganjiro 2nd as Shihei. November, 1966 at the National Theatre. （Y_E0100001000022）

According to historical facts, it reads “Tokihira”, but the character in Kabuki is called “Shihei”. As a family member of the Fujiwara clan that wielded great power in the Heian period, he is known to have been involved in a conspiracy causing Sugawara no Michizane to be demoted to Dazaifu. In “Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami”, he is described as a court noble of higher status aiming for the imperial throne. A court noble villain character like Shihei is called “Kugeaku”.
He wears a type of Kumadori makeup called “Kugeare”, a wig of “Oji”, a costume with decorations that boldly exaggerate the real clothes for court nobles, all of which symbolize his large-scale evil power.