Kabuki star Ichikawa Ebizo performs on Tokyo Skytree

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:32 JST, May 23, 2022

Kabuki star Ichikawa Ebizo XI poses with his trademark defiant glare on a special stage at the top of Tokyo Skytree in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, on Sunday, part of events marking the 10th anniversary of the 634-meter tower. The pose struck by the 44-year-old actor, called “nirami” (glare), has been passed down through generations of the Ichikawa kabuki family dating back to the Edo period (1603-1867). “I want the nirami to be seen in every corner of Japan from this height of 634 meters, with wishes for world peace, an end to the pandemic and the dispelling of evil for all people facing difficulties,” Ebizo said.