Paper short abstract:

Kabuki actors, as 'riverbed beggars', were officially beneath the class system. This paper will focus on how poetry circles were a crucial venue for promoting and supporting actors as literati figures, and how these circles encouraged individuals to create actor prints and surimono.

Paper long abstract:

Kabuki actors, as 'riverbed beggars', were officially beneath the class system. Actors, at least in their youth, were also often expected to be prostitutes, and throughout their careers were considered sex idols on the stage for both men and women. Further, they were the only recognizable individuals depicted in shunga erotic art. In contrast to this view of them as erotic bodies, many actors achieved acclaim as sophisticated literati. How was this achieved, and conversely what impact did such actors have on society and the production of art?

Kyoto and Osaka did not have the same commercial base for actor print production as in Edo, where visual representation of kabuki was mainstream from the early 18th century. Kamigata had well developed fan clubs (hiiki-ren) which supported the actors, and we also see from the late 18th - early 19th century a flourishing of actor prints/books and surimono celebrating actors.

A key foundation for all these activities was the network of poetry (haikai, kyôka) and art circles, which allowed the intermingling of individuals from different status groups (mibun), through the use of alternate identities as 'poets', 'artists' by the taking of pennames/art names (haimyô, gô). Eiko Ikegami in Bonds of Civility (2005) has written about the role of salons from a social science perspective, showing how extensive such networks were throughout Japan. My paper will present concrete examples of how such a system could work to enable kabuki actors to mingle with literati and to promote them as sophisticated individuals, and conversely how these circles encouraged individuals to create actor images.

This paper, building on research published in Kabuki Heroes on the Osaka Stage 1780-1830 (2005), will analyse how poetry circles were a crucial venue for promoting and supporting actors both on stage and as literati figures, and how these circles encouraged members of these salons to create actor prints and surimono. Two actors, Arashi Kichisaburô II (Rikan, 1769-1821) and Nakamura Utaemon III (Shikan, 1778-1838) will be the focus of my presentation.