For the first section of the dance, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q1MPwD7zCI Tamasaburo performed his signature dance "Sagi Musume (Heron Maiden)" at the Kabuki-za, Tokyo. This is the last part of the dance. Here, on the stage, Tamasaburo morphed from a maiden into a heron spirit by means of a quick.... more

The dance "Fuji Musume" (Wisteria Maiden)

For the first section of the dance, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q1MPwD7zCI Tamasaburo performed his signature dance "Sagi Musume (Heron Maiden)" at the Kabuki-za, Tokyo. This is the middle part of the dance, in which Tamasaburo portraited a machi musume (town girl).

This is the story of Kiyohime, who met a travelling priest Anchin. Kiyohime fell for Anchin but the priest left for the Dojoji temple. Kiyohime was furious and transformed into a serpent to pursue him. This video shows Kiyohime crossing the Hidakagawa river as a serpent to pursue her lover. This is a very famous.... more

Lyrics can be found at http://www.sagimusume.com/2006/01/2.html This is the trailer of an one-hour film shot in digital format in 2005. The goal is to make kabuki more accessible to the general public. Currently it is only shown in selected movie theaters across Japan. I hope they will one day show it overseas. See.... more

坂東玉三郎 「鉤廉の戸」

This clip is from the beginning section of the play "Kagotsurube Sato no Eizame (籠釣瓶花街酔醒)". Tamasaburo played a top courtesan called Yatsuhashi (八ツ橋). His stage partner is Matsumoto Koshiro (松本幸四郎). Quoted from Kabuki-za's website description, "the play shows a humble,.... more

Bando Tamasaburo in the kabuki dance "Inabune"

For background information of this dance, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orochi and http://kikuko.web.infoseek.co.jp/english/yamatanoorochi.html

interview with Tamasaburo, scenes of him applying makeup, plus clips from the dance "Musume Dojoji - The maiden at Dojo Temple" (京鹿子娘道成寺)