Kan'ami

In this Japanese name, the surname is Kanze and Yūzaki.

Kan'ami Kiyotsugu (観阿弥 清次, 1333 – June 8, 1384) was a Japanese Noh actor, author, and musician during the Muromachi period. Born Yūzaki Kiyotsugu (結崎 清次) in Iga Province, Kan'ami also went by Miyomaru (観世丸) and Kanze Kiyotsugu (観世 清次). He is the father of the well-known playwright Zeami Motokiyo (世阿弥 元清).

Theater

Kan'ami's career began in Obata, Nabari-shi, Mie when he founded a sarugaku theater group in the Kansai region on the main Honshu island. The troupe moved to Yamato and formed the Yuzaki theater company, which would become the school of Noh theater. He grew in popularity and began making trips to Kyoto to give performances. In 1374, the shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was in the audience of a performance and was so impressed by it that he became Kan'ami's patron.

Kan'ami was the first playwright to incorporate the Kusemai song and dance style and Dengaku dances from rustic harvest celebrations. He trained his son Zeami Motokiyo in his style, and his son eventually succeeded him as director of the Kanze school of Noh. Kan'ami died in Suruga Province.

Notable works

• Sotoba Komachi
• Ji'nen koji
• Shiino shōshō
• Matsukaze
• Motomezuka
• Eguchi

Further reading

• Encyclopædia Britannica 2005 Ultimate Reference Suite DVD, article- "Kan'ami"