urban mirror, kabuki's reflection of tokugawa social trends
abstract
the tokugawa period (1615-1868) ushered in an era of unprecedented peace and unity
for japan, a nation that had been engulfed by several hundred years of internal warfare. it
was during this unique period of time that the theatrical performance of kabuki
blossomed, and became a prominent feature of japanese society. although kabuki drew
its roots from bunraku (puppet plays) and no, it differed from these two theatrical styles
as it was entertainment patronized primarily by the commoners of urban japan. the
presence of large numbers of commoners is an aspect of kabuki that begins to shed light
on its cultural importance. at the present time, there are numerous studies dealing with
kabuki; however, kabuki theatre as a reflection of tokugawa society has been relatively
neglected. this study will not attempt to refute the importance owed to social, economic
and political changes during the period of early modern japan in the development of
kabuki. instead, the intent of this work is to demonstrate how kabuki can be used as a
mirror through which to view certain trends of tokugawa japan.