Costumes and especially makeup are essential aspects of Kabuki theatre. Kabuki makeup is supposed to change depending on the actors’ characterization. It is important for the design of the makeup to fit the individual’s features so that it reflects their inner self. On top of this a lot of transformational makeup is used so the actor can be portrayed as the supernatural and super human. The most dramatic makeup is worn by ghosts or demons.
Actors apply their own makeup so they can get to know their character. First oils and waxes are applied. Then they coat their face with oshiri (white makeup) to give a more dramatic look and make their faces more easily seen. After that, colored and black lines are drawn to outline the eyes and mouth; there are different shapes for males and females. Most of the time the colors of the lines drawn would follow certain facial muscles. After the show, actors often press a silk cloth to their face to make a print of their makeup. These are very valued souvenirs.
Faces and sometimes bodies are painted with bold lines of red, blue or brown. Each color has a specific meaning. For example, red symbolizes strength/virtue, anger, passion and cruelty whereas blue would symbolizes evil or depression/sadness. Pink symbolizes youth and cheerfulness. Light blue/green symbolizes calmness and purple symbolizes nobility. Colors of the makeup follow a Yin/Yang symbol system. One component of this is the expression of anger. The positive extroverted Yang is shown by red stripes radiating from the center of the face. This represents vitality and hot-bloodedness along with righteousness. (However some other red patterns are used for comic and animal roles.) The negative introverted Yin is shown by indigo blue. The indigo represents anger that is held in by mature adults until it “darken[s] their heart[s] and [they] become evil” (Agostino). These characters are usually evil aristocrats, vengeful spirits, and demons.There were also different makeup styles depending on age, class, gender, mood, and personality of the role.
Wigs were worn by all characters. The hairstyle of the wig depended on age, occupation and social status of the character. The Gohon-Kurama-bin was a “wig with appendages like crabs’ legs” (Japan National Tourism Organization).
Clothing Vocabulary
- odachi - a broadsword more than 2 meters long
- Osuo - clothing with many layers.
- Janome-gasa - “oiled paper umbrella with bamboo framework and decorated with a bull’s-eye design” (Japan National Tourism Organization).
- hachimaki - a headband
- waizashi - short sword.
- sukeroku - a typical Nimaime figure.
- nimaine - the roles of young, handsome men.
- Mie - when an actor holds poses at specific points for exaggeration.
- Sanmaime - comic roles.
- Keren - a technique where an actor shows that he is hiding something crafty
- Juhachiban - the 18 best Kabuki plays and also were a party trick or special talent.
- Tachimawari - the fight scenes or stylized fashions like dancing.
- kuroko - stagehands that were dressed in black and assisted actors throughout the play but were supposed to be treated as invisible.