Isono-san and I infront of the curved gable at the front of Kabuku-za Theatre, Tokyo
Kabuki-za Theatre is Tokyo's most famous theatre for Kabuki (traditional Japanese theatre with a men-only cast). Kabuki-za opened in 1889 and is one of the oldest surviving examples of the use of Western building materials and techniques in traditional Japanese styles. "Although Kabuki was founded by a woman, Izumo no Okuni, female actors were soon banned as immoral. All actors are now male, and female roles are played by highly skilled 'onnagata' (men skilled in acting as females)."
In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Fol... ... read more 
