Owari Tokugawa, Noh Masterpiece (1988)

Noh is one of the oldest surviving theatrical traditions in the world, and the oldest in Japan. Its roots stretch back to kagura, the sacred Shinto dances of the 7th century performed to please the gods and bless the harvest, but Noh as it’s known today was shaped and formalized in the 14th century by the actor-playwright Zeami, under the patronage of Japan’s military rulers. What emerged is a theater of restraint rather than spectacle: stylized gesture, chant, and dance standing in for the elaborate expressions of Kabuki, its livelier theatrical cousin.

Behind that restraint lies an enormous amount of craft. Noh performance depends on an intricate material world: carved wooden masks representing gods, demons, women and old men; richly woven silk robes; and props and footwear built specifically for the stage. Together, this wardrobe gives the impression of folkloric spirits stepping out of another era, a visible trace of Noh’s ritual origins even as the art form grew increasingly refined over the centuries. Today, Nōgaku theater (Noh together with its comic counterpart, Kyōgen) is inscribed on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and its leading performers are recognized as Living National Treasures of Japan.

This book showcases the extraordinary Noh holdings of the Tokugawa Art Museum in Nagoya, drawn from the hereditary collection of the Owari Tokugawa family, a branch of the Tokugawa clan descended from the first shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu. Amassed over centuries by the family that once ruled the Owari domain, the museum’s collection of more than 12,000 objects includes some of the finest surviving Noh masks and costumes in Japan, alongside swords, armor, and lacquerware. This volume gathers a rich selection of that material, offering a detailed look at the artistry behind one of Japan’s most refined performing arts.

Tokugawa Art Museum / Asahi Shimbun, 1988. 285 x 240 mm. Softcover, 145 pages.

First edition. Condition: Like new.