This is one of the representative traditional theater forms of Japan, said to have begun around 1603 when Okuni, a female attendant of the Izumo Shrine performed

“Nenbutsu folk dances” in Kyoto. These were very popular, but all-female Kabuki came to be outlawed as corrupting public morals; subsequently Kabuki performances came to be enacted bymales only. Later, those performances gradually became to put emphasis on artistry, and was perfected as composite art that brought together theater, classical Japanese dance, and music. It is principally characterized by that even the female roles are played by male actors, use of Kabuki stage makeup, and distinctive inventions on stage installations. After the Second World War there were abundant performances in Europe, Asia, the United States, and other places, and research organizations of Western scholars such as the European Kabuki Conference and Japanese Theater Research Center were established.