Izumo no Okuni

Izumo no Okuni was a Japanese entertainer and shrine maiden who is believed to have invented the theatrical art form of kabuki. She was born around 1578 near the Izumo Taisha, the Grand Shrine of Izumo, where her father worked as a blacksmith and where she served as a miko (shrine maiden). She was known for her skill in dancing and acting, as well as her beauty. She was sent to Kyoto to perform sacred dances and songs to solicit contributions for the shrine, but she also gained popularity for her secular performances of nembutsu odori (a dance in honor of the Amida Buddha) and humorous skits about lovers and prostitutes. She ignored the call to return to the shrine and continued to perform in Kyoto and other cities. Around 1603, she began performing her new art style of kabuki (lit. 'the art of singing and dancing') in the dry riverbed of the Kamo River in Kyoto. She gathered a troupe of female outcasts and misfits, many of whom were involved in prostitution, and taught them acting, dancing and singing skills. She sometimes dressed as a man and played male roles, while her troupe members played female roles. Her kabuki-odori was extremely popular and drew large crowds of people from all walks of life. She also performed for the ladies of the Imperial court and the nobility. However, her kabuki-odori was later regarded by the authorities as immoral and corrupting, and was banned along with other forms of female performance. Okuni retired from the stage sometime around 1610 and disappeared from public view. She is believed to have died sometime around 1613, but the exact date and cause of her death are unknown. Legend has it that she returned to Izumo and became a nun, and there are two places that claim to be her grave: one near the Izumo Taisha and another at the Koto-in of Daitoku-ji Temple in Kyoto. She is widely regarded as the founder of kabuki theatre and a pioneer of Japanese performing arts.