Edo's theater district was one of two famed akusho (notorious places). The Yoshiwara was the other (see PopSite 3). Both sites were at the heart of the urban phenomenon known as ukiyo, the "floating world," where commoner chônin (townspeople) could enter a realm where money, taste, and savoir-faire--not social rank--set one's standing.

Originating in Kyoto, Kabuki spread to Edo in the 1620s and soon pulsed to the edokko's fast-paced beat, creating new styles, attitudes, and pop idols. Until being moved to Asakusa in 1841, three major theaters thrived in and around Sakaichô (today's Ningyôchô): the Nakamura-za, Ichimura-za, and Morita-za. While music, song, narration, and dance are essential to this highly stylized form of drama, Kabuki is driven by the skill and charisma of its actors. Ichikawa Danjûrô (1660-1704) and his successors bestowed on Edo Kabuki its signature aragoto or "rough style" of muscular yet suave performance associated with the "street knights" who swaggered stylishly through Edo. But not all Edo idols were so overtly masculine even though acting was restricted to males. Actors like the Segawa Kikunojô line, who specialized in onnagata (female roles), became wildly celebrated favorites of men and women alike and represented acting in its most idealized form.

In this PopSite we'll take a look at this dimension of the floating world via the woodblock prints known as ukiyo-e (pictures of the floating world) and other documents related to Edo Kabuki. After a stroll to the Nakamura-za, we'll meet a few aragoto and onnagata actors to broach the issue of staged gender types. This week's readings and lecture are crucial to appreciate fully "A Day at the Kabuki" and to complete PopThought 2.