Rising popularity

The segregation and stigma did not deter the rise of the kabuki in popularity. Authorities conceded that it was now necessary to permit kabuki performances albeit in a regulated manner. There were licenses to be acquired by the theatre people for their performances. Building permits of theatres were granted in the main cities, Kyoto, Edo and Osaka.

Women were banned from performing kabuki in 1629. This move arose because of yet multiplying incidents of rowdiness in theatres resulting to a multitude of offences. The kabuki at this time wasn’t ruled only by female performers. Troupes of boys and young men called the wakashu were also involved in the whole production. Most of the performances included men, though the exchange of roles involved some element of sexual cross-over.

A brawl that involved two samurais in the year 1652 who were both vying for the attention of one of the young male actors brought about the banning of wakashu kabuki. Pleas from the theatre managers were heard by the authorities and amended that there will be restrictions that are to be strictly followed. It was then agreed by the parties that boys could no longer perform in the theatre, only males over the age of fourteen are allowed.

The resulting form became known as yarou kabuki, or fellows kabuki, and the exclusion of women from the stage lead to the invention of an acting role unique to kabuki. The maturity of kabuki entered in this period of change.