Yukinojo Henge - Sagi Musume

大川橋蔵 (okawa hashizo) performs a short piece of 'Sagi Musume' using the dramatic Kabuki technique of hikinuki (onstage quick change). The routine is made more poignant by dropping the letter written by his dead lover. It is her kimono that you see in the beginning and the end of the clip. Too bad the movie did not include a longer segment of this kabuki dance, which highlights the skills of the onnagata in several costume changes.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• hashizo
• okawa
• kabuki
• yukinojo
• japanese
• drama
• onnangata
• hikinuki

[candyucky]

Is the actor, in real life, a female or male? because i have researched that females were banned from performing kabuki.. but i have no idea if it still acts as a rule nowadays

[HashizoTV]

@candyucky

The actor is male, Hashizo Okawa II. He comes from a kabuki family that specializes in onnagata (female) performances. Nowadays, females do perform on the kabuki stage, but mostly in the more modern productions. The traditional pieces are still performed by onnagata.

[candyucky]

thanks, that helped alot. i'm researching on Sagi Musume at the moment for school and was wondering if you could tell me something about the use of costume? do the colours of the costume represent her mood? The makeup is interesting as well, because i've seen the different makeup representing Heroes, demons, ghosts..etc. but in Sagi Musume, there doesn't seem to be much makeup! only a plain white with a bit of pink -- to show her as a Maiden?

[HashizoTV]

@candyucky

The colors and the music depict her mood and tell her tragic story of unrequited love. The first change turns the dancer into a young maiden in love, dressed in a beautiful red kimono. Her dance is one of joy and love. joy of love. The next changes represent sadness as her love is not returned. The final change is back into the spirit of the heron. The dance is frantic depicting the torments of hell and pleading for pity. In the end, she is wounded and dances to her death.

[kieran196]

I sthis available on dvd?

[HashizoTV]

Yes it is, as a matter of fact, i believe it has been remastered. It is also being released on 1/4/2010 as part of the Toei Jidaigeki Special Collection, however, only in Japanese, no subtitles.

[ruzickaw]

not a great dancing

[memmori1]

@CulturePeaceForever Yes, it is HIM.

[PatrycjaJedlnia]

Amazing atmosphere.

The time stops....

[HashizoTV]

The major difference is the inclusion of the "love poem". The dropping of the letter, picking it up, and subsequent reflective moment all are elements of the movie and not the original play. The dance portions, both as the "white heron" and the "maiden" are fairly accurate. That includes using the hikinuki method for the costume change. The complete dance is almost 30 minutes long, so you see only a very small piece here.