A new primer for kabuki beginners, Earphone Guide’s Quick Guide to Kabuki, arrives at bookstores nationwide and online retailers on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, published by JMAM.
Book Contents
Programs, staging, costumes, terminology, and more — everything you need to know to enjoy kabuki, covered in one book.
For readers who are:
- Newly curious about kabuki
- Wondering what makes kabuki so enjoyable
- Looking for recommendations on which program to see first
- Wanting a grounding in kabuki as part of traditional culture
This book is a kabuki primer written for beginners. It's designed so that once you've read it, you'll want to go see a performance right away. A company with 50 years of experience explaining kabuki walks readers through the art form's history, stage structure, staging techniques, highlights, and ways to enjoy it, all explained clearly and systematically.
Book Overview
- Title: Earphone Guide’s Quick Guide to Kabuki
- Editor: Kumadorin Chaya (Earphone Guide Co., Ltd.)
- Author: Masayuki Nakamura
- Release Date: Tuesday, July 28, 2026
- Price: ¥1,980 (tax included)
- Publisher: JMAM
- Pages: 200 pages
- Format: A5
- ISBN: 9784800594594
Table of Contents
- Introduction: The First Drum
- Prologue: What Makes Kabuki So Enjoyable?
- Act 1: Kabuki Through History
- Act 2: A Stage Like No Other
- Act 3: Roles and Costumes
- Act 4: Bloodlines and Artistic Lineages Carried Down Through Generations
- Act 5: Every Trick to Keep the Excitement Going
- Act 6: Choosing a Program With Confidence
- Act 7: Time to Go See a Show!
- Special Feature: Kumadorin Chaya Fan Roundtable
- Appendix: Kabuki Glossary
- Afterword: The Final Drum
About the Editor
Kumadorin Chaya (Earphone Guide Co., Ltd.)
Kumadorin Chaya is a website launched and operated since November 2025 by Earphone Guide Co., Ltd., a company founded in November 1975. It is a community site where kabuki fans and anyone curious about kabuki can connect around the keyword "kabuki," exchanging information and interacting with one another. Built on the concept of growing the circle of kabuki lovers and helping to energize kabuki from the audience's side, the site publishes a range of content and runs events.
About the Author
Masayuki Nakamura
Born in Hokkaido in 1959. Completed a master's degree at Hosei University Graduate School. Director of イヤホンガイド文化創造研究所. Adjunct lecturer in arts management at Meiji University Graduate School and artistic director of the Yokohama Noh Theater. He works on producing traditional performing arts and running theaters. Productions he has produced have received the Excellence Award (2008) and the Grand Prize (2015) at the Agency for Cultural Affairs Arts Festival. As a social historian of the performing arts, he researches the relationship between nation, society, and the performing arts, alongside a wide range of activities including scriptwriting, direction, lyric writing, and criticism. He has authored numerous books, including 『英訳付き １冊でわかる日本の古典芸能』 (Tankosha), 『これで眠くならない！ 能の名曲60選』 (Seibundo Shinkosha), 『歌い踊る切手』 (The Postage Stamp Museum), 『野村萬斎 なぜ彼は一人勝ちなのか』 (Shinchosha), 『教養としての能楽史』 (Chikuma Shobo), and 『空白の團十郎 十代目とその家族』 (Chikuma Shobo).
Page Preview
Enjoy kabuki to the fullest! Explanations come alongside Kumadorin, the official Earphone Guide mascot character.
Where to Buy
- Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4800594596
- Rakuten Books: https://books.rakuten.co.jp/rb/18621947/
