Kabuki is a traditional Japanese style of drama that is still very popular today, not only among Japanese people but also with tourists from other countries. In Kabuki, all the roles–even female ones–are played by men. In the Middle Ages women also played in Kabuki, but that raised some problems. So it was decided to stick to male actors only, and this became one of Kabuki’s distinguishing features.
Kabuki is shown at the Kabuki Theater (Kabuki-za) in Ginza, Tokyo and other places. Many Kabuki theaters are designated as important cultural properties of Japan and they look like traditional Japanese style buildings that are no longer common today. Normally Kabuki performances are offered in two programs; daytime and nighttime. Usually two or three stories will be included in each program, and daytime stories and nighttime stories are different from each other.
