Noh is a unique form of play which has more than 600 years of history in Japan. It consists of dance, music, and poetry, and it is one of the oldest existing stage arts in the world. Almost every hero is a ghost who tells the story of the past life. A single Noh act attempts to express the essence and passion of human life. Noh should be observed with a gentle state of mind and without preconceived ideas. This series has F3, Hachinoki (Bonsai), F4,Takasago (name of a place), F21, Momijigari (Maple Viewing) and F22, Hagoromo (Robe of Feathers) carefully selected from more than 200 Noh Plays.

F3, Hachinoki (Bonsai) is a story about a very poor Ronin (unemployed Samurai) who had a visitor on a very cold night of winter. In order to warm the visitor, he unsparingly cut down his three preciously treasured Bonsai trees of Sakura, Ume (Japanese Apricot) and Matsu (pine) and burned it in a Hibachi (brazier) even before he actually knew who the visitor was and expressed himself to his guest that he was willing to sacrifice himself for the country whenever she needed him. The visitor in fact happened to be the feudal lord of the country, Hohjo Tokiyori who had gotten lost in the area. Deeply moved by his passion and sincerity, the lord immediately hired him as his most trusted vassal. The picture on the barrel is the Ronin after he was hired, and the tree and flowers on the cap represent Sakura, Ume and Matsu on Bonsai.

F4, Takasago (name of a place) is a Waki Noh praising gods for their happiness and peace. When Kannushi (a Shinto priest), Tomonari from Kyushu saw an old couple cleaning the yard under the pine trees, he asked them about the pine tree of Takasago "Why do people call the pine tree of Takasago and the pine tree of Sumiyoshi "twins" while these two places are so far between?" The couple said that he was from Sumiyoshi and she was from Takasago and they have lived since the first pine trees were grown. They were actually the gods Takasago and Sumiyoshi, and Kannushi saw them dance for the people's happiness and peace at the beach. Takasagoya, a famous work by Zeami, is sung very often at wedding ceremonies or blessings for longevity, happy family life and peace.

F21, Momiji-gari (Maple Viewing) belongs to Kiri-Noh Plays. These frightful stories centered on ghosts or devils. Tairano Koremochi, a lord, and his followers, tried to get down from their horses and change their paths in order not to disturb a party of people who were maple viewing. A beautiful woman from the party felt very grateful and asked him to join her party. The lord enjoyed the good Sake and slept. The woman told him not to awake from the dream and left him there. The lord dreamed that the god from Hachimangoo Matshia came to him and gave him a sword and said that the woman was a devil from the mountain, and that he must defeat her. The lord prayed to his god(Namuhachimandaibosatsu) and defeated the devil.

F22, Hagoromo (Robe of Feathesr)
A fisherman called Hakuryo saw a robe hanging on a tree and tried to take it home as a family treasure. A beautiful woman came and asked him to return the robe as she had to have the robe back or she couldn't go back to heaven. The fisherman did not want to return the robe, but he felt sorry for her and finally told her that if she would dance for him, the robe would be returned to her. The woman was glad and asked him to return the robe first. The fisherman hesitated to hand back the robe because he was afraid that she might just fly back to heaven without dancing for him. But the woman said " Heavenly beings do not tell a lie." He felt so ashamed to distrust her and gave the robe back. The heavenly maid put the robe on, happily singing the beauty of Matsubara's spring, as if the earth were paradise. She danced and flew on the wind away and away to the heaven.

F56, Takigi Noh (Outdoor Noh)
Takigi means “firewood” used to make outdoor bonfires at night for Noh plays. This was a shrine event in ancient time, started at Kofuku temple of Nara in the 14th century. Today there are more than 200 places in Japan that stage Takigi Noh plays, and the number of places is increasing. The main Takigi Noh are played where the famous castles located, but “showy” Noh also played at modern outdoor theaters, amusement parks or even in Hibiya City, Tokyo, with modern lighting systems and on acrylic floor instead of traditional wood floor stage. Some venues seat up to 10,000 audience members. Takigi Noh has been introduced to many major cities in Europe and America and as far as Sicily in Italy.

F57, Renjishi (The Father Lion and Son Lion Dancing)
The white lion is the father and the red is the son. The ideas of Lion Dancing mostly come from the Noh Play of Shakkyo. There is only one Lion Dancer In Shakkyo, but there are some special arrangements made by a dance director to have two lion dancers for a farce play. The first half of the play was danced by the father lion and the latter half by the son lion. The famous Kabuki with lion Dancing is Kagamijishi.