{
  "id": 3171896,
  "title": "Young Kabuki stars aim to leverage post-'Kokuho' boom on 1st int'l tour",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/young-kabuki-stars-aim-to-leverage-post-kokuho-boom-on-1st-intl-tour",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-25T02:30:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Mainichi",
    "slug": "the-mainichi",
    "url": "https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260825/p2g/00m/0et/008000c"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "TOKYO (Kyodo) — Young Kabuki performers Ichikawa Somegoro VIII and Onoe Tatsunosuke III expressed optimism on Monday about capitalizing on Kabuki's growing popularity following the global acclaim of the Japanese film \"Kokuho.\" The 20-year-old Onoe, renowned for his versatility in classical and contemporary Kabuki plays, emphasized the importance of maintaining the art form's legacy during a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan. Their first overseas engagement will be a tour of Britain next year, with performances at London's Sadler's Wells Theatre in January 2027. The cast will showcase three classic Kabuki works: Onoe in \"Yuki no Shakkyo\" (Stone Bridge in Snow), Ichikawa in \"Fuji Musume\" (Wisteria Maiden), and together in \"Meoto Dojoji\" (Man and Woman at Dojoji Temple), all of which are considered staples of the art form. Ichikawa, 21, the son of celebrated Kabuki actor Matsumoto Koshiro X and grandson of Matsumoto Hakuo II, noted that viewers can appreciate these performances for their aesthetic or musical qualities, without requiring prior Kabuki knowledge. The trio selected these pieces for their accessibility to a broader audience unfamiliar with Kabuki. Both actors attributed the surge in Kabuki's appeal to recent global successes, including the 2025 Japanese film \"Kokuho,\" which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, though it did not win. Ichikawa has been actively promoting Kabuki through social media, aiming to introduce the art to younger and wider audiences. However, he stressed that while online promotion is valuable, there is no substitute for experiencing Kabuki live in a theater.",
  "summary": "TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Acclaimed young Kabuki actors Ichikawa Somegoro VIII and Onoe Tatsunosuke III said Monday they hope to take advantage of the art form",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}