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How did Kabuki become an all-male form of theatre?
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Japanese performing arts
Bugaku, a court dance adapted to Japanese tastes from the dance and music of 8th-century China and Korea.
Kabuki became an all-male form of theatre primarily due to government intervention driven by concerns over public morality during the Tokugawa period.123
The transition occurred in stages:
- Women's Kabuki: Originally founded in 1603 by a woman named Okuni, early Kabuki featured troupes of female performers. These performances were highly popular but were often associated with prostitution, which the government viewed as disruptive to social order. In 1629, the shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu officially banned women from performing.123
- Young Men's Kabuki: Following the ban on women, young boys began performing female roles. However, this form was also suppressed in 1652, again due to moral concerns regarding the sexual availability of the performers.234
- Adult Male Kabuki: In 1653, authorities mandated that Kabuki be performed exclusively by adult males. This shift led to the development of the onnagata—specialized male actors who portray female characters—and allowed Kabuki to evolve into a more sophisticated, stylized, and serious dramatic art form.134