Kinoshita Kabuki’s Kanjincho

CONTEMPORARY THEATER | NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Thursday, January 8 at 7:30 pm—Followed by an opening night reception
Friday, January 9 at 7:30 pm—Followed by an Artist Q&A
Saturday, January 10 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, January 11 at 2:30 pm

A group of refugees fleeing to safety. An uncompromising inspector whose life depends on apprehending the fugitive among the group. Can they cross the border? Recognized as a masterpiece of kabuki theater, Kanjincho draws its tale from the 12th century, featuring deception, quick wit, and a riotous and nail-biting tit-for-tat with impossibly high stakes as its centerpiece. Kinoshita Kabuki gleefully charges across the boundary between bombastic traditional kabuki drama and contemporary theater in a hip and pop culture-drenched take on this surprisingly evergreen tale about transcending borders. Created by brilliant young dramaturg Yuichi Kinoshita with in-demand guest director Kunio Sugihara, experience the international sensation that has cemented Kinoshita Kabuki’s place in the current pantheon of sterling modern theater companies.

NOTE – Onstage Seating: This performance takes place on a runway-shaped narrow platform built on the front edge of our stage, with audience members watching the performance from both sides of the platform. Thus, if you select any seats in the first two rows on the box office seating chart, you will be seated onstage, facing the standard audience seating area to watch the performance. Seats purchased between the third row and the back of the theater will be in standard auditorium seating. Both onstage and standard seating provide a full view of the performance and supertitles. If you have any questions about this seating configuration, please feel free to contact us: https://japansociety.org/contact-us/

Performed in Japanese with English supertitles.

Presented in partnership with Under the Radar
Mark Russell, Founding Director
Meropi Peponides & Kaneza Schaal, Co-Directors
ArKtype, Festival Producer

Kinoshita Kabuki’s Kanjincho is part of a North American tour produced and organized by Japan Society, NYC, that will make additional stops at McAlister Auditorium (Greenville, SC; January 16) and Houston, TX (January 23 & 24).


Your ticket also includes complimentary, same-day admission for one person to Chiharu Shiota: Two Home Countries, on view at Japan Society Gallery through January 11, 2026. To view the exhibition please show your ticket/receipt to the Welcome Desk for free admission before the performance.

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Images: Tokyo Festival 2023: Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Presents Kinoshita Kabuki Kanjincho © Photo by Shinji Hosono; Kunio Sugihara © Shinji Hosono

2025-26 Japan Society Season Support

Japan Society’s 120th anniversary initiatives and related programs are generously supported by Champion Sponsor, MUFG Bank, Ltd.; Advocate Sponsor, Mizuho Americas; and Friend Sponsor, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas).

2025-26 Performing Arts Season Support

Japan Society programs are supported by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

The season is made possible, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Additional, major support is generously provided by Doug and Teresa Peterson, Howard Gilman Foundation, and Jun Makihara and Megumi Oka. Endowment support is provided by the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Endowment Fund, John and Miyoko Davey Foundation, and a leadership gift from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Program support is provided by The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation; Hisamitsu America, Inc.; Cheryl Henson; Merit E. Janow; Paula S. Lawrence; Akiko Mikumo; Hiroko Onoyama; Richard and Momona Royce; Dr. Jeanette C. Takamura; Nancy and Joe Walker; Estate of Alan M. Suhonen, and other Performing Arts supporters.

All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. is the official airline of the Japan Society Performing Arts Program. Yamaha is the official piano provider of Japan Society.

Kinoshita Kabuki’s Kanjincho is supported by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan through the Japan Arts Council. This program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.