| History of Noh |
Noh was developed through several previous arts, such as sangaku, which was introduced in the Nara era (710-794) and dengaku, which was established in the Heian era (794-1192). Noh as it is known today, however, was developed during the Muromachi era by Kan'ami and his son, Zeami. Noh was prevalent greatly under the supports by Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples and shogun, such as 3rd Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. It is well-known that during the Azuchi-Momoyama era, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was a enthusistic supporter of noh, and he even played leading roles himself. During the following era, Edo era, noh continued to flourish under the patronage of the daimyo, or feudal lords, and was favored entertainment of the samurai class.
Since noh was favored and supported mainly by the samurai class, the art declined rapidly during the Meiji Restoration, when the traditional feudal social ranks (warriors, farmers, craftsmen, and merchants) was banned and the samurai lost their position of supremacy. However, devotees have managed to keep the noh theater alive, and, in fact, the noh renewed its popularity with a growing interest in traditional arts.