Noh

HORIMASA

(56 TATTOO STUDIO)

This article is about the classical Japanese dance theatre. 

For the town in Africa, see Noh, Burkina Faso.

"Nou" redirects here. For the Romanian village, see Roşia, Sibiu.

Noh performance at Itsukushima Shrine 

Okina hōnō (dedication of Noh play A Venerable Old Man) on New Year's DayNoh , or Nogaku derived from the Sino-Japanese word for "skill" or "talent"—is a major form of classical Japanese musical drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Many characters are masked, with men playing male and female roles. Traditionally, a Noh "performance day" lasts all day and consists of five Noh plays interspersed with shorter, humorous kyōgen pieces. 

However, present-day Noh performances often consist of two Noh plays with one Kyōgen play in between.

While the field of Noh performance is extremely codified, and regulated by the iemoto system, with an emphasis on tradition rather than innovation, some performers do compose new plays or revive historical ones that are not a part of the standard repertoire. 

Works blending Noh with other theatrical traditions have also been produced.