03/05/2026

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T OKYO: Every actor in kabuki , a traditional Japanese performing art celebrated for its striking makeup and elaborate costumes, relies on one final, essential element to fully inhabit their role: the wig. Ahead of a show at the famed Kabuki-za theatre in central Tokyo, wig master Tadashi Kamoji carefully placed a topknot creation on a young performer in a flamboyant kimono costume. “A kabuki actor cannot just walk onto the stage as he is. It is only when he puts on a wig that he truly becomes a kabuki performer,” the 60-year-old expert told AFP. “So, we must take pride in our job with a sense of very heavy responsibility.” Often hidden behind the curtain, the profession has found itself in the international spotlight after “Kokuho”, a box-office hit about two onnagata (male players of female kabuki roles), was nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling at the Oscars this year. Dating back to the 17th century, kabuki is a fusion of dance, drama and music. The art form sees actors don ornate costumes, wigs and heavy makeup for performances in old dialect on elaborate sets. After a craftsman creates the wigs using human hair, Kamoji’s job is to style them. However, his role goes beyond that of a hairdresser. “You cannot do a good job if you do not grasp the character’s nature,” said fourth-generation tokoyama Kamoji, who joined the profession at the age of 18. Whether it is a middle-aged man with a strong sense of justice or a high-ranking courtesan, a wig serves to convey age, social status, occupation and personality. At his atelier, Kamoji spent two hours fashioning the wig for the young actor, sculpting beautifully curved sides and a topknot called a mage (a classic hairstyle that modern Japanese no longer wear) for his sumo wrestler role. Kneeling on a tatami floor, he sectioned the hair using a traditional comb and smoothed it with steaming irons, pulling a string with his teeth occasionally to secure strands. These specialists are “truly indispensable”, the wig’s 33-year-old recipient Nakamura Tanenosuke told AFP. “There is almost no kabuki performance without wigs.” Nakamura has been working with the masters since the age of five and is sporting Kamoji’s artistry this month for his show about a noble family feud. Backstage at the Kabuki-za theatre, he covered his face in thick white foundation and his assistants helped him pull on a large, navy-and-white Kamoji helping Nakamura put on his wig before his performance at the Kabuki-za theatre in Tokyo, where he was playing a sumo wrestler role. – AFPPIC

Japanese wig masters bring life to kabuki performances At his atelier, Kamoji spent two hours fashioning the wig for the young actor, sculpting beautifully curved sides and a topknot called a mage (a classic hairstyle that modern Japanese no longer wear) for his sumo wrestler role. – AFPPIC As well as artistry of actors, beauty of costumes and stage sets are key to audience’s enjoyment: Performer

striped kimono . “The wig is the final touch that completes the transformation. I see each step as a switch leading to that exact moment when you fully become the character,” he said. “As well as the artistry of the actors, the beauty of the costumes and stage sets is also key to the audience’s enjoyment, and I believe the wigs play a part too.” In total, there are around 400 types of wigs for female roles

and 1,000 for male characters. A fresh creation is crafted for each performance and customised for each actor, taking between a few hours and a month to complete, depending on the complexity. Despite doing the job for four decades, Kamoji said he has only just come to believe he is capable. “To this day, there are still things I learn from my father,” who is 85 years old, he said. “It is endless. When I watch the seniors, it looks as though the hair is dancing in their hands. “I do not think I am there yet, but I suppose I will be able to control hair when I am about my father’s age.” But the efforts feel worthwhile when actors receive a huge cheer or a round of applause on stage. “I feel as though part of it belongs to us,” said Kamoji. “If the audience thinks the actor looks brilliant, it makes me feel that our (wig) perhaps suited him. I very much feel a sense of joy in that.” – AFP

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A kabuki actor cannot just walk onto the stage as he is. It is only when he puts on a wig that he truly becomes a kabuki performer.”