ABSTRACT
I . The Eighteen Best Plays As already mentiol1ed, the eighteel1 tnasterpieces se-
Of these sevell, "Sllkeroktl" alld "Kallzintyo" are tIle most distinguished, beillg the best of the plays of Kabuki origin. All tIle plays of tIle" Kabuki Zyuhatiban " are characterized by the spirit of hero-worship, alld are labelled Aragoto, or plays of lnasculille character, alld are theatrical products peculiar to Edo.
