Nō

The twenty-two kyōgen in this volume give a broad sampling of the delightful comic interludes which were traditionally performed between the more austere nō plays.

A major review of the sarugaku system took place during the rule of the eighth shogun Yoshimune (1684–1751), when the solemn style of nō theatre known today was largely established.

Among the first foreigners in Japan to have contact with nō were diplomats and intellectuals who appreciated the literary elements of its texts.