INVITATION TO KABUKI Guide to Japanese Traditional Performing Arts KabukiINVITATION TO KABUKI Guide to Japanese Traditional Performing Arts Kabuki

Production and MusicDistinctive Expressions

Hikinuki (onstage costume change)

Hikinuki is a production technique for instantly changing a costume onstage. For the technique, the actor wears two costumes that have been kept in position with basting thread. The koken (stage assistant) pulls the basting thread and synchronizes the timing with the actor to remove the top costume, thus revealing the lower costume. It is primarily conducted during Kabuki dance as a production technique of transformation before the audience’s eyes.

March 1990
National Theatre, Large Theatre
“Kyoganoko Musume Dojoji”
Hanako: Nakamura Shikan VII

Bukkaeri

Among hikinuki, there is a technique known as bukkaeri. The upper part of the external costume is kept in place with thread, and by pulling the thread, the external costume falls to hang from the waist. The technique visually expresses that the character has revealed his true self or a change in character. This scene shows that Sekibei, a barrier guard who has concealed his true self, is actually Otomo no Kuronushi, an evil court noble who aims to rule the entire country. By revealing the court lord costume from underneath the barrier guard costume, his change in character, including his social status, is clearly revealed.

January 1991
National Theatre, Large Theatre
“Tsumoru Koi Yuki no Sekinoto” ‘Osakayama Sekisho’ scene
Sekibei (Otomo no Kuronushi): Ichikawa Danjuro XII