At the wigmakers

I went for a wig fitting with Shôgo-sensei, and Izumi Tokuho (who is another dance who will be travelling to Vancouver in April for Odori: The World of Kabuki Dance).  Japanese kabuki dance wigs are extremely specialized things and to make them takes YEARS of study through apprenticeship with a master wigmaker. 

The wigs are made each time there is a performance and then taken apart and the pieces re-used.  The base sections are made from tin or copper, and are fitted precisely to the dancer’s head.  The wigmaker judges the size, shape and contours of the dancers head and face then takes pieces of pre-formed metal and using a small rounded anvil and a variety if hammers pounds and shapes the metal perfectly.  Depending on the style of wig to be made, a series of metal pieces are attached by punching small holes in the metal and then a small nail is pounded in to make a rivet. Bits around the edge may be cut away, or section’s added until the base fits perfectly to the dancer’s head.  Later, hair (usually real human hair) is woven through the many small holes in the metal frame and then meticulously dressed to match the dance to be performed.  There are many details to consider in the choice of hairstyle, hair decorations etc. as each choice gives a great deal of information about the character.

Professional dancers generally use the same wigmaker for all their performances, and have their own metal wig bases, so the wigmaker doesn’t have to change as much.  Though if the dancer has gained weight in the neck, or their face has changed in any way, the headpiece then needs to be reworked.
It was amazing how quickly and accurately the frames could be fitted.  And incredible and magnificent art.  And I found it very ironic that the wigmaker was really treated like a tradesman rather than an artist.