Guests' comment 2011
Kari (Now living in Sendai, originally from USA)
December 26 at The National Theatre
We had a good time at the Kabuki play and tour. Since we are both very new to this form of art it was very helpful and informative. I believe without your information, we would have seen the play without understanding it very much.
Lois (Boston, USA)
December 26 at The National Theatre
Thank you so much for the Kabuki tour. The information you shared made the performance so much more enjoyable. It will be an experience both Kari and I will always remember.
Abi (now living in Tokyo, originally from UK
December 26 at The National Theatre
We both found your pre-performance talk enormously helpful and it really added to our enjoyment of the programme.
Gail (San Diego, USA)
November 22 at Shinbashi-enbujyo theatre
The Kabuki tour and performance which we enjoyed with the TokyoKabukiGuide, Ms. Kazui Yabe, was one of the most memorable parts of our recent trip to Japan.
My husband and I spent a month touring Japan by ourselves and with some selected tour guides who specialize in the history and culture of Japan, especially during the Edo period. Ms. Yabe is an enthusiastic and wonderful host who speaks flawless English. Like most things in Japan, it is very helpful to have a expert explain some of the nuances of any cultural activity.
Without Ms. Yabe's expert introduction, you will not be able to fully appreciate the many exchanges between the audience and the actors. She provides an in-depth introduction to the action on the stage which is essential to understanding the plays. And she will provide you with fascinating tidbit about the Kabuki actors themselves. The performers are often part of famous families who have performed Kabuki for generations - information you will not find elsewhere.
We were truly spellbound by the performances. At first we thought that we would not be able to give our full attention for the 4 hour production but the plays were over far too soon. Be sure to bring a small Bento box to enjoy during the intermission. It is the customary thing to do!
Peter(now living in Fukushima, originally from Australia)
November 22 at The National Theatre
Thanks to you we had a wonderful time. Your introduction was very helpful, and the materials were excellent. I think we all enjoyed the first play the best - it was more visual - perhaps with a strong Noh influence - but Suicide was excellent, of course. My sister enjoyed both very much. I talked to her yesterday and she is fine and said how much she enjoyed the Kabuki.
If we come to Tokyo to see Noh, I will ask for your assistance.
Sabrina(Bern, Switzerland)
November 3 at Shinbashi-ennbujyo theatre
Your pre-performance lecture helped us a lot and I would recommend it to everyone! It helped us understand the play better since we couldn't understand the language. And like I already mentioned, we've even been able to enjoy the first play without the audio-guide.
I would really love to enjoy kabuki again in the future. :)
Thank you so much for your work and the delicious tea! It was really the highlight of my trip to Japan!
Jillian (California, USA)
October 3 at The National Theatre
Thank you so much. I had a great time and you are an excellent guide! I really appreciate the work you did and it was so nice getting to meet you. I would definitely go to Kabuki with you and recommend it to my friends and family. Thank you again so much for a day I will always remember!
Mathew (Sydney, Australia9
September 23 at Shinbashi-enbujyo theatre
I am very grateful for your hospitality. The material provided and information given was very helpful to me in understanding. Next time I go to Tokyo I will definitely be seeing Kabuki again! It is something I very much appreciate. Even though it is just the beginning, I can see myself becoming an avid fan!
Alexander (now living in Yamagata, originally from Canada)
August 22 at Shinbashi-enbujyo theatre
I speak for all of us when I say that the pre-show lecture was itself an excellent experience. The combination of tea and sweets in an authentic tea shop was the perfect backdrop for the detailed explanation you gave. The flow chart and pictures certainly helped us understand and consequently enjoy the play even more. As for the Kabuki itself, the dance program was cool but we were absolutely blown away by the main production. The fast costume changes and the waterfall were particularly impressive, and the fight scene at the end was phenomenal. Thank you so much for setting us up, and keep up the great work!
Your guide, Kazui’s comment
Alex-san, thank you for rejoining my tour. I appreciate that you give me another chance to guide you and your friends.
Alexander (now living in Yamagata, originally from Canada)
June 25 at The National Theatre
Thank you for all the time and effort you put into making my first Kabuki experience very informative and enjoyable. You certainly know a lot, and your English is impeccable!)
Yuriy (now living in Tokyo, originally from England)
April 21 at Shinbashi-enbujyo theare
My mother asked me to tell you that she had an absolutely wonderful time at the show and she was all praises of your guide tour and explanations. You put together a very thorough and informative pack with so many explanations of the show and the theatre that she could feel very involved and she also greatly enjoyed kabuki itself, especially the second part -- the dance.
She tried the Tai-yaki that you recommended and lots of other foods and she listened to the audio guide. It was a top performance, she said.
She was so enthusiastic that I hope I will be able to try the tour at some point in the future also. I work in Tokyo, so daytime during the week is difficult for me, but perhaps I can try something at a weekend nearer the summer.
Thank you once again for all your help and care.
Lilyana (California, USA)
January 2 at Shinbashi-enbujyo theatre
We – parents with two teenage kids - visited Japan during Christmas & New Year holiday 2010/2011. As we travelled, we make priorities to experience the culture. High on the list was watching Kabuki. I took time to educate myself on the play and finding out where and when to get tickets. As I did my research, I came across Ms. Yabe’s website. Ms. Yabe was very responsive and answered my inquiry. Since we only had a one-day-window at a very popular day, the second of January, the chance of getting the ticket on the internet was slim.I asked for Ms. Yabe’s service, and she obtained for us the best available seats within the category of our choice. Being a member of the society, she has priority before tickets become available to general public. Then, before the play, she arranged an hour lecture in a sweet shop. Actually, this meeting in the sweet shop became one of the highlights of the trip, too. I have seen the serious and traditional tea ceremony, and I feel as if we have had the opportunity to experience a tea ceremony in a modern setting and in a relaxing way, very-very fun!There Ms. Yabe explained how Kabuki works; its stage, costumes, and setting for the play, as well as the actors, their roles, and their experience. We were briefed on the story, what to expect during the play and what people usually do during the two intermissions (hint: get red-bean ice cream, delish!). This background information increased our understanding of the play and we enjoyed each of the three plays in the four hour performance. Big bonus, there are a lot of women coming in their beautiful kimonos, what an eye candy.