zangirimono

Japanese theater

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Last updated

July 15, 2026

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The term "zangirimono" refers to "cropped-hair plays" in Japanese theater, originating in the late 19th century during the Meiji period. These plays were characterized by actors wearing contemporary kimono or Western clothing and adopting Western hairstyles, reflecting the modernization and Westernization occurring in Japan at the time.1

This theatrical style emerged as a departure from more traditional forms like Noh and Kabuki, which were also adapting to the changing social landscape. While Bunraku, a form of puppet theater, also saw a revival during this era, zangirimono specifically represented a trend in live performance that incorporated modern elements and subject matter.12

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Kawatake Mokuami
…of domestic play known as zangirimono, which explicitly describes the modernization and Westernization of early Meiji society. When he ostensibly retired from active playwriting in 1881, he relinquished his stage name of Kawatake Shinshichi II and adopted the name Kawatake Mokuami. He continued to write dance dramas after his retirement,…
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…of domestic play known as zangirimono, which explicitly describes the modernization and Westernization of early Meiji society. When he ostensibly retired from active playwriting in 1881, he relinquished his stage name of Kawatake Shinshichi II and adopted the name Kawatake Mokuami. He continued to write dance dramas after his retirement,…
Read More

Japanese performing arts
Meiji period
…Western fashion (the origin of zangirimono, or the so-called “cropped-hair plays”), in the late 19th century. Western influence also was seen in theatre construction, with the first European-style theatre built for Kabuki in Tokyo in 1878. Released from previous government restrictions, Kabuki artists created dance dramas from the Noh play…
Read More
…Western fashion (the origin of zangirimono, or the so-called “cropped-hair plays”), in the late 19th century. Western influence also was seen in theatre construction, with the first European-style theatre built for Kabuki in Tokyo in 1878. Released from previous government restrictions, Kabuki artists created dance dramas from the Noh play…
Read More