This is the first book in English on women's gidayu and introduces the performers, their music and the politics of their survival within the male-dominated world of Japanese theatre tradition. It explores the intricate web of interrelationships of personality, organization of performance in women's gidayu in contemporary Japan. Kimi Coaldrake's book is a pioneering study of a traditional and dynamic area of Japanese cultural life that has previously been little understood in the West. It will be of particular interest to those studying Japanese theatre and its music as well as those seeking insights into the contribution of women to Japanese theatre history. The CD which accompanies the book provides immediate access to rare historical recordings of the Living National Treasure Takemoto Tosahiro (1897-1992) and other famous women performers, bringing to life the popular tales of gidayu discussed in the text.