Kabuki actors' name boards displayed at theater in Kyoto, western Japan

Nov 28 (NHK) - A theater in the Japanese city of Kyoto has held its annual event of displaying wooden boards with the names of kabuki actors who will appear in year-end performances.

This year, a total of 59 boards were put up outside the Minamiza Theatre. The final board, which featured living national treasure Kataoka Nizaemon, was hoisted by workers on Tuesday morning.

The year-end performances trace their origins back to the Edo period, which ended more than 150 years ago. The annual event, called "maneki-age," is held in the hope of attracting a large audience.

A 73-year-old woman from Kyoto City said she feels excited to see "maneki-age," as it makes her feel that the year-end is approaching.

She added that she makes it a habit to wear a new kimono when watching the kabuki performances, and that she is looking forward to doing so again this year.

The theater's manager, Kobayashi Yujiro, said he cherishes the joy of being able to stage performances at this time of year annually. He added that he would be thankful if more people could appreciate the charm of the Minamiza and kabuki.

The performances are scheduled to run from December 1 through December 22.

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