Noh vs. Kabuki: How Are They Different?

▼Learn more about this topic▼
What are the 3 main differences between Noh theatre & Kabuki play? The 600 years of history!
• The 3 Differences Betw...
*The content is based on personal studies and experience
There is no intention of denying other theories and cultural aspects
Noh and Kabuki are the two most famous Japanese traditional stage arts and they might seem similar but are actually very different.
Noh theater was born during the Muromachi period about 600 years ago, when ancient street performances and rituals for good harvest were combined. It was loved by many of the powerful samurai warlords in history such as Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu, and it was even called the “武士の式学 Samurai Code of Etiquette” in the Edo period.
Kabuki on the other hand, was born in the beginning of the Edo period about 400 years ago, as the most popular form of entertainment for the commoners to enjoy. While Noh plays have strong ceremonial and religious aspects, Kabuki was simply an enjoyment like movies and drama today.
So the length of each art’s history (about 200 years of difference) and who enjoyed them were completely different. However today, anyone can
enjoy both of the stage arts freely at theaters in Japan.
An easy way to distinguish the two, is that Noh actors wear masks, but Kabuki actors have makeup to play their roles.
▼Who is Shogo? What is this channel about?▼
• Shogo’s Self Introduct...
▼Related videos in this channel▼
-Why Are NOH Masks So Scary? The Reason They Are Often Used in Horror Scenes of Anime/Video Games
• Why Are NOH Masks So S...
-The Complex Relationship of Shintoism & Buddhism! The Answer to "Are Japanese Really Non-religious?"
• Why Do Japanese Insist...
-The stories of 5 most famous men who committed seppuku! Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Oda Nobunaga, etc.
• The Stories of 5 Most ...
▼MY DREAM▼
• The "TRUE REASON" why ...
“To make every Japan lovers’ dream come true, by making Japan a more secure, comfortable, and safer place for everyone to visit, study, and live in”
I will be using the profit I gain from this channel at restaurants, hotels, and cultural facilities in Kyoto to introduce them. The more you watch the videos on this channel, Kyoto and Japan will become a more exciting place, and you can support your own and others’ dreams in the future even more.
▼Join our Membership▼
/ @letsaskshogo
●Membership benefits
-Limited behind-the-scene videos
• Members-only videos
-Weekly live stream
-Priority reply to comments
Every single yen we earn from this membership, we will be donating to groups of people who are fighting to solve social problems in Japan, the Japanese schools where foreign students can study, or use it to spread the works of people working with traditional culture in Japan to preserve the arts they are doing.
▼[Sub-channel] “Shogo’s Podcast”▼
/ @shogospodcast
Please subscribe!!
The perfect channel to learn about Japanese culture and history in your spare time, during your walk to school or work, and when you are cooking or doing house chores.
Not only will I be covering the topics in this main channel, but also some topics that you will only be able to enjoy in the sub-channel, like answering questions I receive, and my opinions towards some of the comments.
▼[Listen to the real voices of the Japanese] "Voices from Japan series"▼
• [Shogo] Japanese Tradi...
▼[For YOU traveling to Kyoto] "Kyoto Hidden Gems" series▼
• Playlist
▼Instagram▼
/ lets_ask_shogo
*Please ask me questions through the DM here!（⚠️I do not use e-mail）
▼Shogo’s profile▼
Hello everyone, and thank you for watching my videos!
I’m Shogo, a Kyoto born & Hiroshima raised Japanese, that grew up in Michigan USA for 6 years, and studied Mandarin in Beijing university for a year! I live in Kyoto now, as I train in Iaido(katana), Sado(tea ceremony), and Noh theatre(traditional stage art).
In this channel, you can take a closer look at Japanese traditional culture, tips on traveling to Kyoto, and social problems in Japan. So learners and lovers of Japanese language and culture, be sure to subscribe to enjoy more content!
If you enjoyed this video, please hit the LIKE button, and share with your friends and family! My goal is “to achieve 1,000,000 subscribers by January 2023”, so your help would mean a lot!
♪Music♪
おとわび
otowabi.com/ca...
トーマス大森音楽工房
/ @fm_thomasoomori
ぽるぽるMusic
/ @music-qx3gy
♪Sound effects♪
効果音ラボ
soundeffect-la...
♪Pictures♪
かわいいフリー素材屋 いらすとや
www.irasutoya....
#nohtheatre #nohplay #japanesenoh #kabukitheatre #kabukiplay

[@wareforcoin5780]

I haven't watched a lot of Noh yet, but I'm pretty sure I have watched all the Kabuki available in English on KZbin.

[@gabrielabatista6016]

Wait, there's Kabuki available in english on KZbin? Ooooh, I'm going to search it then! Any recommendations from where to start?

[@wareforcoin5780]

@@gabrielabatista6016 All subtitles. Just search it, once you watch one, the rabbit hole becomes endless.

[@othellotyrant3152]

Let us not forget the craftsmen who carved the wooden Noh masks. Remarkable skills and traditions.

[@broomhilder]

Man has such a smooth narrative quality about him. I could watch a full documentary with his voice ngl

[@themuskratianempire]

Both Kabuki and Noh are absolutely beautiful arts.

[@WereWade]

I am fascinated by your presentations!

[@LetsaskShogo]

Thank you very much!

[@Bildgesmythe]

I really enjoyed the Noh play you linked in a earlier post!

[@LetsaskShogo]

Thank you so much for watching it! My sensei was very happy😊

[@Bildgesmythe]

@@LetsaskShogo it was wonderful! I loved that there was an English translation!

[@moldyreesescups]

i might be overlooking it, but i can’t seem to find it. what is the play called? if it’s something i can’t type on an english keyboard, the title of the video linking it works too :)! it sounds really interesting.

[@AFungusIsAmongUs]

T h a t face popped up, and I instantly went "YOOOOOOO dunk dunk dunk dunk......"

[@darklordoftheuniverse7803]

This was quite interesting to watch

[@kaitetsujin4349]

When I live in Japan someday I wanna meet this guy in person

[@wareforcoin5780]

Everyone's always convinced they're going to live there. I just wanna visit first.

[@dignityworks_animates5775]

Same.

[@dignityworks_animates5775]

@@wareforcoin5780 Lol, I wanna go to study animation there, and one more thing! The food is healthy and yummy.

[@kaitetsujin4349]

@@wareforcoin5780 If you live in the Philippines, you'll agree with me. Japan would be perfect to live in for someone like me

[@IKEMENOsakaman]

I love watching Kabuki and can laugh at it. For Noh, it's too difficult to understand for me T-T

[@petergeramin7195]

How long have you been learning Japanese?

[@jarred958]

really? do you know what visual effects they used? im researching kabuki for school reasons..

[@LUIS-ox1bv]

Japanese audiences watch Noh plays with programs, just like Westerners do where attending Operas. The language used in Noh is archaic and not easy to understand. Noh theater has a heavy Buddhist emphasis.

[@12235117657598502586]

Thank you for simply explaining the difference. 🙏👍🙂

[@Raquel96]

This was so clear & interesting! Thank you so much for explaining it 😊

[@MathNectar123]

Fun fact: There is a dance form in,Kerala a South Indian State, called Kathakali which is quite similar to kabuki, its a narrative like dance form where the dancers dance and act without moving there mouth while music is played in the background.

[@trwht]

I love your channel. It’s nice learning more about my culture :))

[@Chuuya__NakaharaHL]

Hey! I want you to know for no reason that my social studies teacher played this exact video during social studies!thank you for teaching us ☺️

[@Darren____]

Aren’t there some kind of masks that reflect different emotions from different angles? Just thought of them because I thought they were (or still are) used in plays.

[@Kitua_Spoon]

Just wanna say, needed some research for Japan on a school project, this video came in handy! Will site you in my sources 😤

[@spanky814]

I saw Kabuki and noh while I was in Japan and I loved both

[@LetsaskShogo]

▼Learn more about this topic▼ What are the 3 main differences between Noh theatre & Kabuki play? The 600 years of history! kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqGWqIqmrZVniNE *The content is based on personal studies and experience There is no intention of denying other theories and cultural aspects Noh and Kabuki are the two most famous Japanese traditional stage arts and they might seem similar but are actually very different. Noh theater was born during the Muromachi period about 600 years ago, when ancient street performances and rituals for good harvest were combined. It was loved by many of the powerful samurai warlords in history such as Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu, and it was even called the “武士の式学 Samurai Code of Etiquette” in the Edo period. Kabuki on the other hand, was born in the beginning of the Edo period about 400 years ago, as the most popular form of entertainment for the commoners to enjoy. While Noh plays have strong ceremonial and religious aspects, Kabuki was simply an enjoyment like movies and drama today. So the length of each art’s history (about 200 years of difference) and who enjoyed them were completely different. However today, anyone can enjoy both of the stage arts freely at theaters in Japan. An easy way to distinguish the two, is that Noh actors wear masks, but Kabuki actors have makeup to play their roles.

[@mrcriticism5511]

I learn alot from your videos, thank you for being here.

[@justadjustor8993]

Thank you for this Shogo! (As with all your other content 😄) I've always wondered but couldn't fully understand what the real differences were underneath how the performers looked and felt to me 🌸

[@yeowuu]

Oh. I learned this in Music class. It was fun to learn and differenciate them. Especially designing our own Kabuki masks!

[@tomasiturralde4705]

It's in my bucket list to watch Kabuki but now, thanks to this info I'll include Noh ad well, oh and also Sumo wrestling- actual live shows ❤😊

[@kitkat3118]

I learned about this in my highschool theatre class good stuff

[@santiagogonzalezbenjumea9880]

I love your channel because japanese culture and history is so rich and amazing and what an awesome opportunity to learn it from an actual japanese.

[@teardropslushi]

Anyone here watched Kabuki star wars? Loved how they did the storyline

[@samonegibbs]

I briefly learned about these in my theater history class and I literally feel in love with them. It was so refreshing to learn about these forms after years of just Learning about European theater.

[@jadeyu7197]

very educational!!!! omg these are so interesting!!!!! thank you for this!!!

[@misslangleysoryuisiconic]

_I saw the old Classical Japanese woodblock painting which I can hear the yooooooooo_

[@anna.owo.]

Could you please do a video about the takarazuka? Is something i am very interest in. In most cultures women were excluded in those arts so women's theatre is incredible.

[@nicholasjonas2505]

What are all the periods and what basically happened in them?

[@LetsaskShogo]

I think that would be an interesting video topic😎 please give me just a little bit more time!

[@peacedoom319]

,Yooooooooooo

[@Kaguyahime88]

Very interesting and well explained! Thanks! Is there a theatrical performance form related to Heian period?

[@zikkicharade]

I liked the foto of the dude from the yoooooo meme hahaha

[@anasexualfrog1673]

I'm doing a Kabuki theatre performance at school :)

[@bytheway1031]

Interesting!👍

[@NothingIsWrongToday]

Now I know why Kabuki from Animal Crossing is named and looks the way he does! very nice!

[@starjones1]

I've never had an interest in watching either of them (plays in general just aren't my thing) but I love hearing about them. The history behind things like this is pretty fascinating honestly

[@jannamebaotocuaruneterra6211]

And Madonna did her research well on this part (I mean Noh) of Japanese culture before using it in her MV "Nothing Really Matter" and her 2001 tour Drowned World Tour 😊 She introduced many beautiful unique cultures of Asian countries to the West. Ahhh, I love this woman

[@LUIS-ox1bv]

While the Japanese refrences were apparent, someone like Madonna, is the antithesis to the ethos and spirit of Noh.

[@veronicarodriguez8094]

❤ thank you

[@jt_norway9129]

No time to die flashbacks intensifies

[@fuckbankers]

Noh sounds terrifying.

[@Marlyjade]

Noh masks are so cool. They are designed to look like different character archetypes. Fun fact about the Oni mask, the angle the mask is looked at can portray different emotions.

[@sheilagadde5975]

So interesting...

[@lastnamefirstname8655]

interesting. thanks.

[@charlesrat3703]

Can you do something on how they relate to Bunraku? Are there other puppet traditions?

[@LetsaskShogo]

It’s definitely on my list!

[@LUIS-ox1bv]

Many of the plays in kabuki,were actually written for Bunraku.

[@nobodyimportant9510]

Ngl I feel like an anime week watching this

[@marafolse8347]

So from a western perspective, Noh is like going to the Opera, and Kabuki is like seeing a Broadway musical.

[@givemethatpiano]

we studied this in high school!

[@arubahachigatsu3022]

And the YOOOOOOOOOO

[@LetsaskShogo]

😂😂😂

[@theatv0954]

reminds me of kathakali/ottanthural

[@judeogroypedo]

I subbed I watch a few videos so I subbed

[@shhsjssjs468]

I'm just gonna ask if you make a katana yourself do you need the registration paperwork or no?

[@thrinx]

I wish i knew this earlier.

[@markbeck8384]

I've seen some Kabuki before; and, it is fairly clear, as long as someone gives me a little preparation. I have never seen a Noh play. Is there a famous one that would make a good introduction?

[@nathanmontgomery298]

Are there any in the US? I'm asking in general. I have been looking at this recently and I would love to see either Noh or kabuki.

[@stevenreyna3437]

Are there any noh theaters in the USA? I live in Texas and really want to see a live performance

[@LUIS-ox1bv]

Noh plays are oerformed on a stage with specific regulations. There are no Noh theaters in the States. Sometimes there is a rare chance that a Noh theatfical.troop will venture from Japan,and stage a few shows. Luckily,I wasable to witnesd one of these rare presentations, back in the 90d.

[@gradualdecay]

I'm confused about the mask/makeup distinction. Because I've seen Noh plays where only a few characters wear masks, and I've seen Kabuki plays where the monsters wear masks. I haven't seen makeup in Noh, though.

[@pokekiller5598]

I’ve got a question. Should you sharpen your katana? And if so, is there a certain way to do it?

[@Al_L.]

There are Noh differences between Noh and Kabuki

[@fuckbankers]

Like Classical and Pop.

[@ceoofs.x]

Average "Kabuki" fan vs Average "Koh" enjoyer

[@cultishmagic3276]

"YOOOOOOOOOOOO"

[@LetsaskShogo]

▼Who is Shogo? What is this channel about?▼ kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJmokqB-m9-sr8k ▼Related videos in this channel▼ -Why Are NOH Masks So Scary? The Reason They Are Often Used in Horror Scenes of Anime/Video Games kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpnFl2WGo9KDq8U -The Complex Relationship of Shintoism & Buddhism! The Answer to "Are Japanese Really Non-religious?" kzbin.info/www/bejne/naOTmauBr9N_iqM -The stories of 5 most famous men who committed seppuku! Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Oda Nobunaga, etc. kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3eVZYxuibeHb9E ▼MY DREAM▼ kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5jSqHyMlNCUnaM “To make every Japan lovers’ dream come true, by making Japan a more secure, comfortable, and safer place for everyone to visit, study, and live in” I will be using the profit I gain from this channel at restaurants, hotels, and cultural facilities in Kyoto to introduce them. The more you watch the videos on this channel, Kyoto and Japan will become a more exciting place, and you can support your own and others’ dreams in the future even more. ▼Join our Membership▼ kzbin.info/door/n7D... ●Membership benefits -Limited behind-the-scene videos kzbin.info?list... -Weekly live stream -Priority reply to comments Every single yen we earn from this membership, we will be donating to groups of people who are fighting to solve social problems in Japan, the Japanese schools where foreign students can study, or use it to spread the works of people working with traditional culture in Japan to preserve the arts they are doing. ▼[Sub-channel] “Shogo’s Podcast”▼ kzbin.info/door/ZAe... Please subscribe!! The perfect channel to learn about Japanese culture and history in your spare time, during your walk to school or work, and when you are cooking or doing house chores. Not only will I be covering the topics in this main channel, but also some topics that you will only be able to enjoy in the sub-channel, like answering questions I receive, and my opinions towards some of the comments. ▼[Listen to the real voices of the Japanese] "Voices from Japan series"▼ kzbin.info/aero/PLp... ▼[For YOU traveling to Kyoto] "Kyoto Hidden Gems" series▼ kzbin.info/aero/PLp... ▼Instagram▼ instagram.com/lets_ask_sh... *Please ask me questions through the DM here!（⚠️I do not use e-mail） ▼Shogo’s profile▼ Hello everyone, and thank you for watching my videos! I’m Shogo, a Kyoto born & Hiroshima raised Japanese, that grew up in Michigan USA for 6 years, and studied Mandarin in Beijing university for a year! I live in Kyoto now, as I train in Iaido(katana), Sado(tea ceremony), and Noh theatre(traditional stage art). In this channel, you can take a closer look at Japanese traditional culture, tips on traveling to Kyoto, and social problems in Japan. So learners and lovers of Japanese language and culture, be sure to subscribe to enjoy more content! If you enjoyed this video, please hit the LIKE button, and share with your friends and family! My goal is “to achieve 1,000,000 subscribers by January 2023”, so your help would mean a lot!

[@efthkon9142]

I like japanese history

[@godzilla964]

Is Noh theatre high-brow, while Kabuki is low-brow?

[@Geetanjalisaha199]

Oh is this where the those makeup brushes get their name from? The kabuki brush.... But can someone tell me how the two are related?

[@natsumie.williams3931]

Kabuki was invented my a shrine maiden called Izumo no Okuni and was a female only thing till the Toyotomi Shogunate made it all males

[@ShotgunKiphanie]

Dang that long?

[@animalcrossingnerd8142]

Me thinking about kabuki from Animal Crossing

[@RevdUp.Art.Fotografer]

Noh is so controlled and exacting. Kabuki is, by comparison, very loose...in both topic and bodily movement. They are drastically different.

[@WorgenGrrl]

Also, women are allowed to play female roles in Noh, while male actors play both male and female roles in kabuki.

[@LUIS-ox1bv]

Women are prohibited from performing Noh, period.

[@livingsamuraiarmor5817]

How to really tell the difference see how long one of them says yooooo

[@pitter-patter]

So when people say "kabuki mask", is it actually noh mask?

[@killnova]

Can you explain what a oni is please.

[@vargorn9345]

Where does this yoooooo sound come from?

[@sergie_klashnokov]

nobunaga oda

[@renmasaki2331]

Easy to say: Noh is rich people's entertainment Kabuki is poor people's entertainment Note: *i watched a video about this*

[@chasinthroughthedecade]

And IIRC, only males can perform in both, right?

[@LetsaskShogo]

Noh can be performed both by men and women, while kabuki can only be performed by men! However the traditions in kabuki are gradually starting to change too! So we might actually live to see the day that women can be allowed to be on stage😊 I personally really hope that day comes!

[@chasinthroughthedecade]

@@LetsaskShogo But why only men can perform kabuki; while noh can be performed by both?

[@j0hncarp]

As i remember Kabuki has no female performers, women were forbidden to act in stage during the edo period. As i remember.

[@kizxmark]

YOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[@alexisrodriguez6526]

*tu-dunk!*

[@mattardyantoriyadi]

I know it's an art and it's a tradition backs from thousand of years ago. But, i found it creepy and scary. Especially the mask and the makeups. I don't know but i scared just to see the mask. Does anyone feel the same with me? Or is it just me?

[@amberwavesofoats]

Bukake actors do wear a lot of makeup. lol

[@paullough4946]

So...Noh equals Morality and Kabuki equals Ethics? Roughly?

[@blue_is_not_sad]

So what about kabuki masks

[@bubbleworld7766]

Can girls do kabuki?

[@animewacht]

but what do they mean?

[@edschelchang6123]

It is true that Noh theatre is only performed by men?

[@Mestrenoob13]

✌️🫡🇧🇷 nao sei ingles 😢

[@QKumberZ]

First!

[@777kerokeroppii5]

accept Jesus as your Lord and savior and your life will be better do it if you want too i aint forcing you tho live yall ,,,