The figure in the photo is the main actor of the Kabuki program titled "Shibaraku (=Just a minute)", which is one of the "aragoto (= violent play)" originally produced in the Edo era.

Kabuki is on the public theater which developed at the modern Edo era.

The new entertainments as which the excentricity and exaggeration is felt; it was accepted in the society.

The mother of Kabuki is Okuni who was the shrine maiden of Izumo Taisha shrine and the father of it is Nagoya Sanzo; the Shijo Gawara, (= a dry river bed) in Kyoto is told as the birthplace.

Firstly The "Yujo-kabuki" of disguising as a man and as a woman, and the "Wakashu-kabuki" were founded; and then the "Yaroh-kabuki" was born.

When the"Genroku-kabuki" hit the top time, the two flows of kabuki, the "Wagoto (=love scene)" of Kyoto and Osaka, and the "Aragoto (=violent action)" of Edo (=Tokyo) were induced.

Sakata Tohjuro, Ichikawa Danjuurou , and Aya Yoshizawa, etc. were the great actors of those days.

One of the Kabuki programs by which the original form remains in present is "Shibaraku (=Just a minute)"; the first Danjuro performed it in the Genroku period.

When it became the time of Danjuro of the second generation, the production of the program also improved and, now, it has become one of the "Kabuki Ju-hachi Ban" = "Eighteen Best Plays" of Kabuki.

Since then, the program has been performed by the pupils of Ichikawa Danjuurou and himself, and has resulted by the end of today.

When a vicious samurai intends to kill the good but weak public without a reason, from the "hana-michi", a passage leading to the stage, the leading role with superhuman strength appears saying "Shibaraku (=Just a minute)" in a loud voice.

It is a simple story of punishing the wrong and helping good people. The feeling of the sad public, who tend to ask for the superman who stands face to face against the power at the time, is expressed; it is the program of kabuki which has continued expressing the people's silent voice.

The makeup called "sujikuma" expressing the feeling of anger is drawn on the face of the main actor in red color; the exaggerated boat-shaped "samurai-eboshi" headgear and the hairstyle; the strangely large "naga-suoh" (=long hakama) trousers in yellowish brown color; the core tensions are put into sleeves and the sleeves are fixed in a huge manner; the family crest is the "Three pieces of masu-measure" of the Ichikawa family; the "kosode" kimono with short sleeves is made of the white cloth with the patterns; furthermore, the two pieces of "kosode" kimono made of red cloth are worn in piles.[ the two pieces are both cott5on-inserted]

Showing the portion of the breast of armor, the "koshi-obi" (=waist obi) belt which the black three masu-measure crests are dyed is connected on the"suoh".

A pair of the "ashitsugi" wooden sandals of 30 centimeters height are worn in the "naga-bakama" trousers; the height of the actor is made taller than the usual state of common people in order to look himself like a giant.

He has an exceptionally long sword in the position of the waist.

The bronze statue of Ichikawa Danjuro of the 9th generation under enthusiastic performance of the "Shibaraku" is in the open space of the reverse side of the Asakusa Kannon's main building .

It was built in the 8th year of Taisho period, and during the Pacific War, it was removed for metal recovery and then restored again in the 61st year of Showa period.