PRESS CONFERENCE
A Father and Son, and the Future of Kabuki

Onoe Kikugoro VIII, Kabuki actor
Onoe Kikunosuke VI, Kabuki actor

11:00-12:00 Thursday, March 26, 2026
The speech and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation.

The FCCJ is pleased to host a press conference by one of the most admired modern-day Kabuki actors, Onoe Kikugorō VIII, and his young son and rising star, Onoe Kikunosuke VI.

Known as the "Prince of the Kabuki world," Kikugorō VIII has appeared not only on stage but in television series and movies as well. Born Kazuyasu Terajima in August 1977, he is the heir of a long and respected line of Kabuki actors. His son, Kikunosuke VI, who is 12 years old, is aspiring to carry on the lineage as he appears alongside him.

Kikugorō VIII inherited his current stage name from his 83-year-old father, a Living National Treasure who has been one of the most accomplished actors of the postwar era, and who remains active as the seventh generation to hold the name. Kikugorō VIII formally succeeded his father at the special performance held at the Kabuki-za Theatre in Tokyo on April 29, 2025, where the son also inherited his former stage name.

The father and son began their shūmei (name-succession) performances in May last year at the Kabukiza, followed by performances in Osaka and Kyoto. This year, they are also scheduled to appear in the shūmei performance in Fukuoka in June.

Kikugorō VIII carries on the tradition of Otowaya, a legendary acting house whose history extends back to the Edo period. In that tradition, he can play both an onnagata (female role) and tachiyaku (lead male role). Although regarded first and foremost as a classical Kabuki actor, he is also passionate about more modern productions. He has appeared in Twelfth Night of Ninagawa, a work based on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night; The War Chronicles of the Mahabharata, a work based on the Indian mythological epic Mahabharata; and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, from Hayao Miyazaki's manga series.

Join us for a rare glimpse into the Kabuki world as these leading actors share their reflections on their succession and shūmei performances over the past year as well as their aspirations for the future of Kabuki.

How to attend: 
Please register by emailing front@fccj.or.jp with your name and the name of your media outlet. FCCJ members should also include their membership number. Doors will open 15 minutes before the event.

How to watch online: https://www.youtube.com/c/FCCJchannel/live  

How to ask questions: https://forms.gle/UxLCE9V2b1Two2RZA

TV crew: Please make a reservation at front@fccj.or.jp. Doors open for TV crews only at 30 minutes before the event. FCCJ will limit live-streaming of FCCJ-hosted press conferences to Club members only. Non-members will no longer be permitted to live-stream these events. However, non-members may still film for reporting purposes and use footage after the press conference.

Professional Activities Committee