Children perform their first Noh play 'Tsuchigumo'

Children perform their first Noh play 'Tsuchigumo'

KAWASAKI, Japan - Kazuma Kobayashi (C), an 18-year-old high school student wearing a formal 'shozoku' (Noh costume), plays the lead role, or 'shite,' in a performance of 'Tsuchigumo' (Spider) on Dec. 24 at Kawasaki City Noh Theater, southwest of Tokyo. The Noh drama depicts the struggle between villagers and a spider monster who pretends to be human. Orio Okuma (R front), a 14-year-old junior high school student, performs the role of the warrior who fights the spider in the 'waki,' or supporting role.

A teahouse at Oji

A teahouse at Oji

The teahouses of Oji were located along the approach to Oji Inari Shrine. Oji Inari is the head Inari shrine in the eight provinces of the Kanto region and enshrines the Inari Daimyojin deity. It is said that foxes from all over Kanto gather here on New Year's Eve and that they are transformed into court ladies at nearby Shozoku Inari and then visit this shrine. During the Edo and Meiji Periods, it was popular to go hiking from the Ueno hills to the Mt. Dokan and Mt. Asuka. Climbers stopped to enjoy a drink of sake at the restaurants and teahouses.==Date:unknown, Place:Tokyo, Photo:unknown, (Credit:Nagasaki University Library/Kyodo News Images) [Cabinet Number53‐19‐0]

Children perform their first Noh play 'Tsuchigumo'

Children perform their first Noh play 'Tsuchigumo'

KAWASAKI, Japan - Kazuma Kobayashi (C), an 18-year-old high school student wearing a formal 'shozoku' (Noh costume), plays the lead role, or 'shite,' in a performance of 'Tsuchigumo' (Spider) on Dec. 24 at Kawasaki City Noh Theater, southwest of Tokyo. The Noh drama depicts the struggle between villagers and a spider monster who pretends to be human. Orio Okuma (R front), a 14-year-old junior high school student, performs the role of the warrior who fights the spider in the 'waki,' or supporting role.