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Intermediate Japanese - Free Online Course
JŪHACHIBAN
十八番
the eighteenth
The actor Ichikawa Danjūrō VII (1791-1859) was one of the most popular kabuki actors of his time. Written accounts from the day note that Danjūrō had a very flamboyant stage presence. His distinctive style became known as aragoto / 荒事, or “the rough, bravado style.”
A Family of Actors
The penchant for acting apparently ran in the Ichikawa family. Danjūrō came from a long line of actors. To make the most of his clan’s theatrical skills, Danjūrō compiled the jūhachiban, which was a repertoire of the best plays performed by his family over the generations.
The popularity of the jūhachiban has left an imprint on colloquial Japanese speech. Jūhachiban is now synonymous with a personal specialty or forte. A jūhachiban may be a karaoke piece that one sings particularly well, or perhaps a skillful impersonation of a well-known movie star or political figure.