Noh

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/noh

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the artistic tradition?Classical Japanese masked musical drama
2. What is the key aesthetic concept?Yugen (profound, mysterious beauty)
3. What is Noh and why do actors wear masks?Noh is a classic Japanese theatre that tells stories with masks. The masks help actors show different feelings without using words.
4. Who helped create Noh and when did it start?Noh began in the 14th century. It was developed by samurai patrons and by the artists Kan'ami Kiyotsugu and his son Zeami Motokiyo.

Yugen: A core aesthetic principle in Noh, signifying a profound, mysterious, and subtle beauty.
Hayashi: The instrumental ensemble in Noh, consisting of flute and percussion instruments.
Jiutai: The chorus in Noh theatre, which sings narrative passages and comments on the action.