Otsuki Bunzo

Noh actor of Shite-kata Kanze school

Otsuki Bunzo was born in Osaka in 1942 as the eldest son of Otsuki Hideo. He has studied under his grandfather Otsuki Juzo, his father Otsuki Hideo, and Kanze Hisao. Bunzo gave his first stage performance in Kurama Tengu flower viewing in 1947. He has performed the deepest “Rojo-mono (old women)” pieces including Sotoba Komachi, Higaki, and Sekiji Komachi. Bunzo has also worked on rehabilitation and new works including Karukaya, Uba, Koremori, and Shikiji Monogurui. He has received many prizes including the Matsuo Art Awards in 1996, the Kanze Hisao Memorial Hosei University Noh Theatre Award in 1998 and the Minister of Education Award for Fine Arts in 2000. Bunzo received the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon in 2002, and became a Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property (individual recognition/Living National Treasure) in 2016. In 2018, he was designated as a Person of Cultural Merits.