The aim of this research is to uncover new possibilities for the Japanese cultural entertainment called “kami-shibai” through the use of the representation theory.

Kami-shibai has two types of genres, namely street kami-shibai and educational kami-shibai. I will study educational kami-shibai from its birth to the present, as street kami-shibai ended as a business practice in 1961. In this paper, kami-shibai refers to “educational kami-shibai.”

Kami-shibai is a paper-based medium, but it is influenced by moving images. In particular, it is influenced by the animation production process. The kami-shibai script has distinct differences from scripts for cinema or theater, and the style is similar to storyboards.

Kami-shibai uses several pieces of card stock with illustrations printed on the front and the text printed on the back. They are put in a portable theater with a three-panel door. The performer stands beside it, facing the audience. The performer reads the script and slides the illustrated boards. Each illustrated board is like a frame in a motion picture, so the performer pulls out the illustrated board as if creating an in-between frame. Kami-shibai is a kind of motion picture screened through the motions of the performer’s hands in a live show. It is a unique format that is portable and requires no power source, which makes it an example of minimalist entertainment. It is not just not nostalgic culture. I will collect and interpret works to discover new representations for kami-shibai.