Kanami

• Name — Kan'ami Kiyotsugu • Native Name — 観阿弥 清次 • Other Names — Miyomaru (観世丸), Kanze Kiyotsugu (観世 清次) • Birth Name — Yūzaki Kiyotsugu (結崎 清次) • Born — 1333 • Birthplace — Iga Province, Japan • Died — June 8, 1384 • Place of death — Suruga Province, Japan • Occupation — Noh actor, playwright, musician • Known for — Development of Noh theatre; incorporation of Kusemai and Dengaku elements • Notable Works — Sotoba Komachi; Ji'nen Koji; Shiino Shōshō; Matsukaze; Motomezuka; Eguchi • Children — Zeami Motokiyo Kan'ami Kiyotsugu was a Japanese Noh actor, author, and musician during the Muromachi period. Born Yūzaki Kiyotsugu in Iga Province, Kan'ami also went by Miyomaru and Kanze Kiyotsugu. He is the father of the well-known playwright Zeami Motokiyo.

Kan'ami's paternal line traced through Iga Province into Yamada troupes. Kan'ami died in Suruga Province.

• Illustration — Illustration of positions of players on a Noh stage. Kan'ami's career began in Obata, Nabari-shi, Mie when he founded a sarugaku theater group in the Kansai region on the main Honshu island. The troupe moved to Yamato and formed the Yuzaki theater company, which would become the school of Noh theater. He grew in popularity and began making trips to Kyoto to give performances. In 1374, the shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was in the audience of a performance and was so impressed by it that he became Kan'ami's patron. Kan'ami was the first playwright to incorporate the Kusemai song and dance style and Dengaku dances from rustic harvest celebrations. He trained his son Zeami Motokiyo in his style, and his son eventually succeeded him as director of the Kanze school of Noh.

• Sotoba Komachi • Ji'nen koji • Shiino shōshō • Matsukaze • Motomezuka • Eguchi