Therefore, kabuki, like prostitution, was licensed and restricted to segregated areas in big cities, like Edo (Tokyo) and Osaka. Although fiercely suppressed by the shogunate, kabuki was significant to the commoners as the artistic means by which to express their suppressed emotions under such restrictive social conditions.

Kabuki as Subversion

One fundamental theme in kabuki theater is the conflict between humanity and the feudalistic system. Historically, both playwrights and kabuki audiences were intensely interested in current affairs among the samurai classes as well as the scandals of the commoners. To portray these was no easy task, however, because the ruling shogunate strictly banned the depiction of contemporary events on stage, especially those concerning samurai. In order to avoid the censorship, the playwrights simply changed the names of characters and set such events in the remote past, even though the true characters and events were obvious to all. For example, the play Kanadehon Chushingura ("The Forty-seven Samurai") was based on the true story of the vendetta carried out by the loyal retainers from Ako in 1703. The actual historical figure Oishi Kuranosuke became Oboshi Yuranosuke on the kabuki stage; his son Chikara became Rikiya in the play. The setting was also changed to Fourteenth-century Kamakura.

This "matching" of present and past events and disguising the names of the characters is called mitate (double meaning). Mitate was a very popular, transparent device used in kabuki and the earlier Noh theater that greatly influenced kabuki. The audience could easily identify the actual contemporary events from their fictional parallels. But kabuki performances broke no laws. Mitate allowed the commoners to criticize the ruling class from within their own social standing.
Yatsushi (dual identity) is the theatrical device where a major figure in the kabuki play appears in disguise at first. Then later, at a crucial moment, he reveals his true identity. For example, a character who looks like a monk might reveal his identity as a notorious thief. Like mitate, yatsushi provided the means for commoners to portray current events on stage without the fear of reprisal.

Kabuki's Influence on Contemporary Drama

Yatsushi is a common device in Japanese samurai dramas and television cartoons today. Toyama no Kin-san (Samurai Kin-san), one of the longest-running and most popular historical (samurai) television dramas, is a good contemporary example of yatsushi. Kin-san is the alias of Judge Toyama, who disguises himself as a commoner. By involving himself with the disenfranchised and solving their problems, he comes to understand their feelings. This understanding enables him to pursue his police duties more effectively. Most episodes include a scene where Kin-san fights against villains. During the struggle, Kin-san removes his jacket to reveal a tattoo that identifies him. In court, Judge Toyama (Kin-san unveiled) assumes his true identity and makes a final judgement. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Pretty Warrior Sailor Moon, created in Japan but also aired in the United States, are additional contemporary examples of yatsushi. The human manifestations of the Power Rangers are ordinary fun-loving school children. When an episode's antagonist becomes destructive, these school children instantly transform into ninja like super heroes. Distinguishable only by the color of their uniforms, they strike a variety of theatrical stylized poses, called mie, highly reminiscent of kabuki acting skills.