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Many elements of traditional Japanese culture,

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such as cuisine

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and martial arts,

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are well-known throughout the world.

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Kabuki, a form of classical theater performance,

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may not be as well understood in the West

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but has evolved over 400 years

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to still maintain influence and popularity to this day.

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The word Kabuki is derived

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from the Japanese verb kabuku,

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meaning out of the ordinary or bizarre.

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Its history began in early 17th century Kyoto,

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where a shrine maiden named Izumo no Okuni

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would use the city's dry Kamo Riverbed as a stage

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to perform unusual dances for passerby,

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who found her daring parodies of Buddhist prayers

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both entertaining and mesmerizing.

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Soon other troops began performing

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in the same style,

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and Kabuki made history

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as Japan's first dramatic performance form

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catering to the common people.

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By relying on makeup, or keshou,

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and facial expressions instead of masks

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and focusing on historical events

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and everyday life rather than folk tales,

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Kabuki set itself apart

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from the upper-class dance theater form

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known as Noh

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and provided a unique commentary on society

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during the Edo period.

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At first, the dance was practiced only by females

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and commonly referred to as Onna-Kabuki.

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It soon evolved to an ensemble performance

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and became a regular attraction at tea houses,

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drawing audiences from all social classes.

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At this point, Onna-Kabuki was often risque

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as geishas performed not only to show off

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their singing and dancing abilities

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but also to advertise their bodies to potential clients.

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A ban by the conservative Tokugawa shogunate

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in 1629

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led to the emergence of Wakashu-Kabuki

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with young boys as actors.

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But when this was also banned for similar reasons,

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there was a transition to Yaro-Kabuki,

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performed by men,

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necessitating elaborate costumes and makeup

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for those playing female roles,

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or onnagata.

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Attempts by the government to control Kabuki

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didn't end with bans on the gender

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or age of performers.

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The Tokugawa military group,

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or Bakufu,

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was fueled by Confucian ideals

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and often enacted sanctions

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on costume fabrics,

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stage weaponry,

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and the subject matter of the plot.

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At the same time,

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Kabuki became closely associated with

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and influenced by Bunraku,

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an elaborate form of puppet theater.

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Due to these influences,

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the once spontaneous, one-act dance

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evolved into a structured, five-act play

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often based on the tenets of Confucian philosophy.

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Before 1868, when the Tokugawa shogunate fell

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and Emperor Meiji was restored to power,

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Japan had practiced isolation from other countries,

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or Sakoku.

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And thus, the development of Kabuki

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had mostly been shaped by domestic influences.

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But even before this period,

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European artists, such as Claude Monet,

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had become interested in

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and inspired by Japanese art,

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such as woodblock prints,

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as well as live performance.

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After 1868, others such as Vincent van Gogh

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and composer Claude Debussy

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began to incorporate Kabuki influences in their work,

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while Kabuki itself underwent

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much change and experimentation

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to adapt to the new modern era.

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Like other traditional art forms,

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Kabuki suffered in popularity

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in the wake of World War II.

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But innovation by artists

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such as director Tetsuji Takechi

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led to a resurgence shortly after.

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Indeed, Kabuki was even considered

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a popular form of entertainment

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amongst American troops stationed in Japan

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despite initial U.S. censorship

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of Japanese traditions.

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Today, Kabuki still lives on

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as an integral part of Japan's rich cultural heritage,

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extending its influence beyond the stage

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to television,

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film,

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and anime.

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The art form pioneered by Okuni

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continues to delight audiences

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with the actors' elaborate makeup,

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extravagant and delicately embroidered costumes,

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and the unmistakable melodrama

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of the stories told on stage.