Paper short abstract:

The complex interweaving of war, warrior discourse, and female-centred performances (onna mono) is explored, focusing on three related topics: the connection between onna mono and wartime, kabuki plays featuring female relatives of famous samurai as protagonists, and onna kengeki "female swordplay."

Paper long abstract:

A trajectory of female-centred performances can be traced in the history of the male-dominated traditional performing arts in Japan: from the medieval onna kusemai, onna sarugaku, onna noh to the Edo-period onna gidayū and kabuki plays like Onna Shibaraku, to onna kengeki, onna bunraku, and many more, some of them still performed today. As is obvious, all these performances, which could be termed as onna mono, are named in an identical way, signifying that they are versions of the mainstream male genres and popular kabuki characters - the opening word always denotes female gender and is followed by the name of the male "original." Generally overlooked as a mere imitation or a twist of the latter, these female-centred performances acquire different meaning when analysed from the perspective of gender and power.

This presentation explores onna mono in terms of conference themes of war and time, concentrating on three aspects. The first is the connection between onna mono and wartime / military government: the medieval genres gained popularity during the Warring States period and disappeared with the Tokugawa shogunate's ban on women performers. The late-Edo period, however, saw a resurgence of onna mono both on the kabuki stage and as various genres, which continued well into the twentieth century but almost disappeared with the rise of militarism and during the WWII. The second aspect is the conception of plays in Edo-period kabuki that featured a central female character related to a famous male hero of samurai epics - his wife or sister, or mother. These female relatives were either intentionally conceived or given a more prominent part than the one they had in the traditional narratives. For example, in the play Onna Kagekiyo not the general Taira Kagekiyo but his wife Akoya attempts to kill Minamoto Yoritomo. The third aspect is onna kengeki "female swordplay," featuring actresses, often cross-dressed, fighting and defeating male enemies. Created in the 1930s, it continued to thrive during and after the WWII unlike most of the other onna mono. The presentation explores the way in which war, samurai discourse, and female-centred performance are interrelated.