Noh is unique in its slow, Spartan grace and its use of distinctive masks. The literary genre of works intended for the theater drama that has been performed since the 14th century. During the Meiji era, Noh and kyogen received official recognition as two of the three national forms of drama. Noh is a chanted drama, and for that reason, some people have dubbed it Japanese Quick opera. Noh drama set to music; consists of singing with orchestral accompaniment and an orchestral overture and interludes opera. However, the singing in Noh involves a limited tonal range, with lengthy, repetitive passages in a narrow dynamic range. Clearly, melody is not at the center of Noh singing. Still, texts are poetic, relying heavily on the Japanese seven-five rhythm familiar to all who know the much-later haiku. The Noh play takes place on a sparse stage made out of Japanese cypress.

In contrast to the unadorned stage, costumes are lavish. Many actors, especially those in the shite role, wear rich silk, a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae silk brocades. There are four major categories of Noh Actors, and eight major categories of roles in Noh:

:: The Shitekata are the most common form of actor in Noh. They perform various roles, including:
>> " Shite" (Primary actor)
>> " Tsure" (Shite's companion)
>> Jiutai (Chorus, usually 6-8 actors)
>> " Koken" (stage assistant, usually 2-3 actors).

:: The Wakikata perform the Waki role, a secondary role that is the counterpart of the Shite.
:: The Kyogenkata perform the kyogen interludes during and between plays.
:: The Hayashikata are the instrumentalists who play the four instruments used in Noh theater, the flute, hip-drum, the shoulder-drum, and the stick-drum.

A typical Noh play will involve all categories of actors and usually takes 30-120 minutes. Kyogen farces provide comic relief in the interludes. There are approximately 250 plays that are performed in the current repertoire. There are six categories of Noh plays, which are organized roughly by subject:

:: Okina/Kamiuta: A unique play that combines dance with Shinto ritual. The oldest Noh play.
>> 1st Category: God plays
>> 2nd Category: Warrior plays
>> 3rd Category: Woman plays
>> 4th Category: Mad woman plays.
>> 5th Category: Demon plays.