The Wig Master in Japanese Kabuki Theater
Introduction
Some people make special wigs for Kabuki theater. These people are called tokoyama. Their work is very important for the show.
Main Body
Kabuki is an old Japanese theater. It has colorful clothes and special makeup. Tadashi Kamoji is a tokoyama in Tokyo. His family did this job for four generations. He says the wig helps the actor become the character. He looks at the character's age and personality. For one actor, he made a sumo wrestler's hair. He used real human hair. This work can take one month. A new movie called Kokuho shows this work. It shows men who play women in Kabuki. There are 1,000 types of wigs for men and 400 for women. The tokoyama uses hot irons to shape the hair. The actor puts on white makeup and a kimono. Then he puts on the wig. Now he is ready. Mr. Kamoji has worked for 40 years. He still learns from his 85-year-old father.
Conclusion
The tokoyama keeps an old tradition alive. Their work helps Kabuki theater stay beautiful.