A visit to the Kabuki

Much like Coney Island with its many exotic diversions, a visit to one of the pleasure districts to see kabuki theatre in the Genroku period was an extremely exciting but lengthy undertaking. The danger of fire had provoked a ban on artificial lighting, therefore the day's performance had to take place during daylight hours. This could mean starting at possibly 4 a.m. and finishing at 5 p.m.

Dominating the theatre facade, a tower (yagura) surmounted with spears, the symbol of the possession of a performing licence, would sport a banner showing the crest of the theatre. From the yagura, the beat of an o-daiko would announce to the passing crowds that a performance was imminent (because the early theatre had no roof, performances could not be held on rainy days, therefore the o-daiko also served the purpose of a weather forecast). The theatre's facade would be decorated with garish billboards displaying both the names of the actors for the day, and the order of performance. In front of the stacked sake barrels and other gifts of admiring patrons, from raised platforms ticket touts and "barkers" would compete with each other to draw an audience from the rowdy crowd, supplementing their peddler's cries with impersonations and parodies of the performances to come.

Beneath the yagura, clutching a hired seating mat and length of smouldering cord for their pipes, the audience would squeeze through the equivalent of a ticket gate, the restricting "mouse" entrance (nezumi kido). The stairs at either side of this entrance allowed the more wealthy patrons to escort their guests to the sajiki without having to jostle with the common throng. In particular, a visit to the theatre gave the women from wealthy families the rare opportunity to appear in public in their best clothes and participate in the feasting and drinking.

If a play was particularly successful, the audience would even be seated on the stage, greatly diminishing the acting area, and its success was frequently measured in terms of how little dancing area remained. The butaiban (the "bouncers") were always present to quiet any disturbances.

They were certainly boisterous affairs. Throughout the crowded floor of the theatre, tea and food vendors would pass enabling people to snatch a snack. For the more wealthy customers, the profusion of teahouses in the surrounding area would either deliver food, or offer diversion and a chance for assignation. Regulars would have consulted their "critical booklets" (yakusha hyoubanki) which listed the lineage and careers of the actors and would be ready to respond to any of the subtleties which were portrayed on stage.