Kan'ami

Kan'ami Kiyotsugu (観阿弥清次, 1333 – June 8, 1384) was a Japanese Noh actor, author, and musician during the Muromachi period. Born Yūzaki Kiyotsugu (結崎清次) in Iga Province, Kan'ami also went by Miyomaru (観世丸) and Kanze Kiyotsugu (観世清次). He is the father of the well-known playwright Zeami Motokiyo (世阿弥元清).

Theater

Kan'ami's career began in Obata, Nabari-shi, Mie when he founded a sarugaku theater group in the Kansai region on the main Honshu island. The troupe moved to Yamato and formed the Yuzaki theater company, which would become the school of Noh theater. He grew in popularity and began making trips to Kyoto to give performances. In 1374, the shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was in the audience of a performance and was so impressed by it that he became Kan'ami's patron.

Kan'ami was the first playwright to incorporate the Kusemai song and dance style and Dengaku dances from rustic harvest celebrations. He trained his son Zeami Motokiyo in his style, and his son eventually succeeded him as director of the Kanze school of Noh. Kan'ami died in Suruga Province.

Notable works

Sotoba Komachi
Ji'nen koji
Shiino shōshō
Matsukaze
Motomezuka
Eguchi

Kan'ami

Theater

Notable works

Further reading