''Renjishi'' (連獅子), or Two Lions, is a

kabuki is a classical form of Theatre of Japan, Japanese theatre, mixing dramatic performance with Japanese traditional dance, traditional dance. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily stylised performances, its glamorous, highly decorated costumes ...

dance Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

with lyrics written by

Kawatake Mokuami , born was a Japanese dramatist of Kabuki. It has been said that "as a writer of plays of Kabuki origin, he was one of the greatest, if not the greatest, Japan has ever known".Miyake, Shutarō. ''Kabuki Drama''. Tokyo: Japan Travel Bureau, Inc., ...

, choreography by Hanayagi Jusuke I and music by Kineya Shōjirō III and Kineya Katsusaburō II, first performed in 1872. Originally staged for a private dance recital in 1861, it was later expanded and reused in July 1872 as the fourth act for another play at the Murayama-za in

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

. ''Renjishi'' continued to evolve, with two different sets of music being used (both still performed), and the comic interlude added in 1901. A later version was created for one father and two lion cubs. One of many kabuki works based on the

noh is a major form of classical Japanese dance-drama that has been performed since the 14th century. It is Japan's oldest major theater art that is still regularly performed today. Noh is often based on tales from traditional literature featuri ...

play '' Shakkyō'' (The Stone Bridge), in the last stages of ''Renjishi'' development as a kabuki dance it was brought closer back to the

version. In particular, in the February 1901 performance at the Tokyo-za, ''Renjishi'' was turned into a ''matsubame mono'' (pine-board play), modifying the stage to replicate the noh stage's green pine tree background. It is a popular dance in the kabuki repertoire that is often performed.

Characters

* Ukon - an actor * Sakon - another actor, younger * Rennen - a

Nichiren was a Japanese Buddhist priest and philosopher of the Kamakura period. His teachings form the basis of Nichiren Buddhism, a unique branch of Japanese Mahayana Buddhism based on the '' Lotus Sutra''. Nichiren declared that the '' Lotus Sutra ...

buddhist monk on pilgrimage to Mount Seiryō * Hennen - a

Pure Land Pure Land is a Mahayana, Mahayana Buddhist concept referring to a transcendent realm emanated by a buddhahood, buddha or bodhisattva which has been purified by their activity and Other power, sustaining power. Pure lands are said to be places ...

buddhist monk on pilgrimage to Mount Seiryō * Spirit of the Parent

Lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...

* Spirit of the

Cub * Stage assistants *

Nagauta is a kind of traditional Japanese music played on the and used in kabuki theater, primarily to accompany dance and to provide reflective interludes. History It is uncertain when the was first integrated into kabuki, but it was sometime dur ...

- musical ensemble

Plot

"Renjishi" is a classical Kabuki play that tells the story of a lion dance performed by a father and son lion. The plot revolves around the relationship between the father lion, who is aging and weak, and his young, strong son. It's a symbolic representation of the passing of strength and legacy from one generation to another, showcasing themes of loyalty, family, and the cycle of life.

Performances

Ennosuke Ichikawa II as Oya-jishi no Sei

The first performance of ''Renjishi'' happened at a private dance recital in May 1861 at the Nakamura-rō, a restaurant in the

Ryōgoku is a district in Sumida, Tokyo. It is surrounded by various districts in Sumida, Chūō, and Taitō wards: Yokoami, Midori, Chitose, Higashi Nihonbashi, and Yanagibashi. History In 1659, the Ryōgoku Bridge was built, spanning the Sumida ...

are in

Edo Edo (), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. Edo, formerly a (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province, became the '' de facto'' capital of Japan from 1603 as the seat of the Tokugawa shogu ...

. The recital celebrated the name succession of the famous dance master Hanayagi Jusuke I (1821–1903) by his son Hanayagi Yoshijirō. Father and son performed the original dance, with Jusuke's choreography and

's lyrics. The performance took place in a very simple setting, with only a golden screen, and no costumes or makeup. This unadorned style of dance is called ''suodori''. The dance made its debut at the kabuki stage in July 1872 at the Murayama-za in

, as the fourth act for another play. Bandō Hikosaburō V played the role of the parent lion, and Sawamura Tosshō II the role of the cub lion. ''Renjishi'' was staged at the

Kabuki-za in Ginza is the principal theater in Tokyo for the traditional ''kabuki'' drama form. History The Kabuki-za was originally opened by a Meiji era journalist, Fukuchi Gen'ichirō. Fukuchi wrote kabuki dramas in which Ichikawa Danjūrō IX and o ...

in July 2017, with

Ichikawa Ebizō XI may refer to: Places *Ichikawa, Chiba, a city in Chiba, Japan **Ichikawa Gakuen (Ichikawa Junior and Senior High School), a large private boys and girls school in Moto-kita-kata, Ichikawa, Chiba * Ichikawa, Hyogo, a town in Hyōgo, Japan *Ichikawa ...

as the parent lion and Bandō Minosuke II as the cub. In September 2019, the Kabuki actor Ichikawa Udanji III and his son Ukon performed part of the ''Renjishi'' at the

2019 Rugby World Cup The 2019 Rugby World Cup () was the ninth edition of the Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's rugby union teams. It was hosted in Japan from 20 September to 2 November in 12 venues all across the country. The opening matc ...

opening ceremony as the ''shishi'' of ''Renjishi'' were used as mascots for the tournament.

Translation

The play was translated into English by Paul M. Griffith in ''Kabuki Plays on Stage IV: Restoration and Reform, 1872-1905'', edited by James R. Brandon and Samuel L. Leiter and published in 2003. * ''Kabuki Plays on Stage IV: Restoration and Reform, 1872-1905''. (2003) University of Hawaii Press, .

External links

Renjishi at Kabuki21.com

References