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Sarugaku (Precursor of Noh)

Type Object Region Japan Time c. 1100

Sarugaku is the general term for medieval Japanese folk and temple ritual performance art, forming professional za systems in the Kinki region during…

Timeline

  1. c. 1100–1170Around Nara and Kasuga Taisha · NaraSarugaku was initially used interchangeably with kagura and dengaku, serving exorcism, prayer, and entertainment functions at temple rites and shrine festivals; performers were mostly lower-class monk and lay entertainers.
  2. 1180–1190Kyoto · KyotoIn the 1180s, sarugakuza formed relatively fixed performance troupes in Kyoto, Yamato, and elsewhere; masks, flute and drum, and dance choreography were gradually standardized, and they began to enter the view of the warrior and aristocratic classes.
  3. c. 1300–1450Kyoto · KyotoKan'ami and Zeami, building on sarugaku, introduced the aesthetic of yūgen and writings on the art, elevating folk performance into warrior-patronized noh; sarugaku thereby became the direct precursor of noh.

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