![Tsubouchi Shyoyo 02](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Tsubouchi_Shyoyo_02.jpg)
The Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum of
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is a private university, private research university in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as the ''Tōkyō Senmon Gakkō'' by Ōkuma Shigenobu, the school was formally renamed Waseda University in 1902.
The university has numerou ...
is a university museum devoted to the history of drama, with facilities used for cultural performances from all over the world. The museum was named for
Tsubouchi Shōyō __NoTOC__
was a Japanese author, critic, playwright, translator, editor, educator, and professor at Waseda University. He has been referred to as a seminal figure in Japanese drama. "Wetmore deals cleanly with Japanese theatre as part of the mod ...
, a famous writer known for his work with theater and translation of the collected works of
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
into Japanese. It is commonly known as ''Enpaku'' in Japanese.
History
The Waseda Theatre Museum formally opened in 1928, following the dreams of Professor Tsubouchi to build a museum dedicated to theatre arts. It commemorates all of Tsubouchi's accomplishments, among them a 40-volume translation of the works of Shakespeare that Tsubouchi also finished in 1928, the year of his 70th birthday. Modelled after the
Fortune Theatre
The Fortune Theatre is a 432-seat West End theatre on Russell Street, near Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster. Since 1989 the theatre has hosted the long running play ''The Woman in Black''.
History
The site was acquired by author, playw ...
of
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, the museum approximates its inspiration in both exterior construction and interior design.
Collections
The Waseda Theatre Museum functions as both a repository and exhibition space, housing nearly 37,000 items and 100,000 volumes. For example it has a large number of ''
ukiyo-e
Ukiyo-e is a genre of Japanese art which flourished from the 17th through 19th centuries. Its artists produced woodblock prints and paintings
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surfac ...
'' prints depicting the popular
kabuki
is a classical form of Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily-stylised performances, the often-glamorous costumes worn by performers, and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.
Kabuki is thought to ...
play ''
Chūshingura is the title given to fictionalized accounts in Japanese literature, theater, and film that relate to the historical incident involving the forty-seven ''rōnin'' and their mission to avenge the death of their master, Asano Naganori. Including the ...
''.
References
External links
Waseda University , Enpaku
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Museums in Tokyo
Theatre museums
University museums in Japan
Waseda University
Museums established in 1928
1928 establishments in Japan