Kabuki and No

The ancient Japanese theater developed into several genres during the 15th-16th century. In the 17th century women were prohibited to appear on the stage. In Europe, kabuki and no are the best-known kinds, kabuki is more popular and amusing, no is more refined and stylized. No is a theater genre, which is symbolic and indirect in all aspects. Its aim is to help the audience to achieve a state of mind, in which they are able to open themselves towards the transcendental world, and become prepared for Buddhist meditation.
Kabuki is founded on the fairly well frivolous singing and dancing performances of the 16th century. Okuni was the actress who started those singing-dancing productions that were performed only by women (onna kabuki - woman kabuki) in Kyoto in the last decade of the 16th century. Her productions became popular during the shogunate, other groups of women started to imitate it, but the more and more provocative sexual character of their performances led to the prohibition of women at stage in 1629. Young men were prohibited to appear on the stage in 1652, after this time all roles were played only by elder men. Since then, performances described mainly men's physical potential, and homosexual relationships. This time the government interposed to prevent the public display of love between men: those actors who played women's roles (onnagata) had to cover their hair by a shawl.

The dramatic world of kabuki has been gradually developed. Kabuki was performed in big theaters, where male and female audience watched it for long hours. Actors were members of those families who made up the world of kabuki. Some of these families specialized in forming certain characters: for example, the Danjuro dynasty was famous for portraying martial men. Play writers took their subject from history, mythology, or the everyday life of the Edo era. Special manners of acting have been formed to characterize various kinds of pieces.

On Japanese prints, a purposely aggressive and rough acting style (aragoto) is often recorded. A closely related style mie, when the actor grows stiff in a dramatic pose at the peak of a scene is also frequently depicted.
Prints illustrating cross-eyed actors who gaze before themselves are about those special moments. It has to be made clear that kabuki was the entertainment only for non-samurai inhabitants of Edo: warriors were not allowed to enter the theater.  

No (noh, nogaku) drama, Japanese singing-dancing drama.
The Japanese theater originates from a pantheist cult, as almost every nation's dissembling customs, dance and theater. The Japanese theater evolved from Shintoist and Buddhist customs.
Shintoism explains not only the cheerful temper of the Japanese soul but the wonderfully varied artistic manifestations it emanates. Japanese adore in natural attractions and objects not only the object itself, but also the spirit they assume in them. In the Shintoist opinion there is no difference between water and the god of water. If we are not aware of this way of thinking, we can't understand the ancient form of Japanese theater, the dance called kagura or wazaoki.
The Japanese art of dance originates from an ancient cult, and during its long history, integrated not only Shintoist elements but also dance figures suggested by Buddhism. Japanese met Buddhism in the 6th century, and it awakened their interest in the Chinese civilization. The Chinese culture transmitted even Hellenistic elements to the Japanese. All these effects resulted in the extremely various Japanese act-playing.

There are memories of cultual musical instruments, dances and orchestras from the 7th century.

 Dance and music was not only the main element of ceremonies, but also had a significant role in magic. sambazo was this kind of magic dance. From the 9th century shirabyoshi expressed the brightness and gentle temper of the Japanese soul, sarugaku was rich in comical elements, and dengaku praised rural life. The dynastic crisis of the 10th century made the military spirit come into power. At this time, the spread of Buddhism is full and final in Japan. The bonzes (Buddhist priests) did not prohibit dances of Shintoist origin. At that time dengaku was more popular than ever before. In the 12th century paid dancers performed dengaku along with professional musicians, not only in the yard of the pagoda, but also at the riverside. From the first half of the 16th century, a new kind of singing-dancing performance is known, including both Hindu and Chinese pantomime. It has a significant impact on the history of Japanese play-acting.

This new genre is called nogaku, in short no in the history of theater. No is not of Japanese origin. It was popularized by bonzes, who took some themes from the songs about the acts of warriors heiyoku and added them to no. Also, a separate hall was built for these performances. It was the first characteristic Japanese stage house. The auditorium surrounded the stage from three sides, just as if it was a protruding terrace of a private flat, connected to the apartments by a portico. The terrace was connected to the auditorium by stairs. The central figure of no, the shite wore a mask. No was performed mainly in a choreographic and singing manner, but the actors also inserted some burlesque scenes. These scenes were called kyogen interludes.