An Evening of Noh and Kyogen 2025

A master loses a fortune at the gaming table and pledges his servant, Taro Kaja, as collateral for his debts.Taro Kaja is sent off—without explanation—to a certain person who bested his master. When he learns he has been put up as collateral for his master’s debts, he takes offense and flatly refuses to work. Enraged, the new master complains to the old master, who then sends Taro Kaja home to demonstrate his true work ethic under ordinary circumstances. Overjoyed at the prospect of returning to his master, Taro Kaja rushes home and begins twisting rope as instructed. While he works, he gleefully speaks ill of the new master’s household. Meanwhile, his master, holding the other end of the rope, quietly slips away, and the new master takes his place—though Taro Kaja never even notices.

The rope-twisting scene—rich with gestures and mimicry—is a solo performance by the principal actor and one of the work’s most memorable highlights.

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Noh theatre, largely shaped into form by the father-and-son duo Kan’ami and Zeami during the Muromachi period (1336–1573), focuses on a single principal role (the shite) and the subtleties of that character’s inner life. Over time, playwrights created a wide range of works, some of which were—like Tsuchigumo—dynamic and spectacular.

Our story unfolds in mid-Heian Japan, when the samurai general Minamoto no Raiko (948–1021) lies confined to bed with illness. His maid, Kocho, brings medicine and offers gentle solace to her ailing lord before leaving.

Late that night, after all the retainers have withdrawn, a strange-looking figure in priestly guise (the shite) drifts into the chamber and inquires about Raiko’s health. Suspicious, Raiko demands, “Who are you?” The spirit recites ancient verse, declares itself the source of his malady, and flings a thousand silken strands to entangle him. Raiko seizes his sword Hizamaru from the bedside and slashes at the odd being—but it melts into thin air. Alarmed by the commotion, a stout warrior (the waki, supporting role) rushes in. When Raiko recounts the eerie encounter, the warrior vows to slay the spider-monster incarnate and follows a trail of blood in pursuit.

After the warrior’s servant recounts what transpired, the scene shifts to an old mound. There, the warrior and his men stand before the mound and begin to break it apart. From within appears the earth-spider spirit (the shite), hurling a thousand strands of spider silk in a furious assault. Yet the warrior and his men cleave the creature and bring it down, restoring order and concluding the play.

Noh is a form of theater that emerged during the Muromachi period (1336-1573), brought to its perfection by the father-and-son team of Kanami and Zeami, and since performed countless times to this day. It is a mask drama, but not all performers are masked. Masks are worn only by the main character (shite) and the attendant (tsure). When the main character is not masked, the face is kept completely expressionless, as if wearing a mask. Unlike other forms of theater, Noh does not use scenery or intricate props. Simple props (tsukurimono) sometimes used in Noh plays are intended to be more symbolic than realistic. Noh integrates elements such as masks and simple props in a dance-based performance, inviting viewers to unleash their imaginations and immerse themselves in the world created onstage. In Noh, dialogue is sparse. Rather, Noh sequences highlight the narrative of the main character, incorporating elements of poetry. Since Noh traces its origins to religious rites, many Noh sequences feature a deity in the lead role. This category of Noh is termed “god plays” (kami-noh or waki-noh). Noh plays can be divided into five categories: god plays, warrior plays (shura-noh), women plays (kazura-noh), miscellaneous plays (zatsu-noh), and demon plays (oni-noh or kiri-noh). Of the five categories, the warrior plays center on a warrior who, after a lifetime of battle, is condemned to wander in Warrior Hell, a world of eternal struggle within Buddhist philosophy. The women plays feature a female protagonist from the literature of the Imperial Court, embodying Zeami’s concept of yugen, an aesthetic term suggesting quiet elegance and subtle beauty.