The Art
What youngsters go through to master a traditional craft or art.
The kids in Ogano perform three times a year. The script they use is the same one as that used by the pros and is written in classical Japanese. "It's easy memorizing the lines because they're so rhythmic," the kids say, but coordinating the unique delivery with movement can be a challenge.
Performances by youngsters in Ogano are supervised by Mr. Yoshiichi Shibasaki and Mr. Hisao Imai. In 1999, 10 kids took part, ranging from fifth to eighth grade, including two sixth-grade girls. Most kid actors in Ogano start studying when they're in the third or fourth grade and "retire" after eighth grade. This is because ninth graders have to buckle down and study for their high school entrance exams.
One of the child actors is Tsutomu Takahashi, a seventh grader and the youngest of three brothers. He grew up in a family of kabuki enthusiasts; his two older brothers and his father have also been involved in the local theater. Tsutomu has been performing since he was in the second grade. "Having watched my brothers perform, I always wanted a chance to get on stage myself," Tsutomu explains.
Fellow seventh grader Yohei Yamazaki, who lives near Tsutomu, has been performing kabuki since he was in the third grade, when Mr. Shibazaki invited him to join. His mother encouraged him, saying he can quit after a year if he didn't like it. "I gave it a try since I was friends with Tsutomu and wanted to see what he was up to. But I really grew to like it myself."
The kids in Ogano perform three times a year. Rehearsal for the spring performance starts around November, and the same piece is staged two more times during the year. The script isn't changed to make it easier for kids; they use the same difficult script written in classical Japanese as the adults.
Mr. Shibasaki admits that teaching delivery and movements present the biggest challenges. "An hour-long play can take about three or four hours to rehearse in the beginning," he notes. The kids, though, don't seem to mind. "It's easy memorizing the lines because they're so rhythmic," one of them says. "I wish I had more of them."
"I've got all the speaking parts memorized, including those of the other characters," claims another.
One of the two girls in the production, sixth-grader Masami Shibasaki, says that it's a bit embarrassing reciting the lines, but that on the whole performing kabuki is a lot of fun. "I play the part of Shizuka Gozen, the lover of a famous warrior," Masami explains. "It's a woman's role, and so I don't get to raise my voice much. Next time I want to play a general or something so I can speak my line louder."
One of the best thing about being involved in Ogano's kabuki tradition is the knowledge you gain about history, Masami adds. "I wanted to know more about kabuki, and so I did some research. When I asked a friend at school--a history whiz--about it, she didn't know a thing. Wow, I knew more than she did!"
Most kids say the most enjoyable part of performing is touring other cities with local kabuki traditions of their own. "It's a lot of fun seeing other kids put on plays," one of the children said. "You also make a lot of friends."

Photos (from top): Mr. Shibasaki, left, and Mr. Imai serve as instructors; Tsutomu Takahashi comes from a family of kabuki devotees; Yohei Yamazaki, left, found kabuki to be "a lot more interesting than I expected."; The 10 performers in Ogano's kids kabuki; Masami Shibasaki concentrates during practice.