This is a collection of the most important genres of Japanese performance—noh, kyogen, kabuki, and bamrili puppet theater—in one comprehensive, authoritative volume. Organized by genre, each section features a rich selection of representative plays and explorations into each theatrical style and is prefaced by an illustrative essay covering a wide range of subjects, from stage direction to musical accompaniment. With classic and new translations of more than thirty plays and scenes—along with Brazell's detailed, historically rich supplementary material and copious illustrations—no better anthology exists for students of this most fascinating and diverse dramatic tradition.