Buddhism

Heian Period (794-1185, Wikipedia)

Japan: Cultural History and the Heian Period : A collection of short essays and videos on the Heian period, Tale of Genji and Sei Shonagon's Pillow Book

Resources for Tale of Genji

Medieval Period: Kamakura (1185-1333) and Muromachi

The-Noh.Com (General introduction to Noh, including English translations of Noh plays, updated monthly. The translations have no footnotes or introductions, and are a bit rough, but include plays not translated previously.)

Introduction to Noh and Kyogen (Introduction to Noh and Kyogen, including masks, costumes, props, etc.)

Japanese Text Initiative (Japanese text and English translations of thirteen Noh plays; includes two glossaries of technical terms in Noh)

List of Noh Play Translations ( English translations in various books and articles.)

Atsumori Learning Site (a test site for the Global Performing Arts Database that includes the background story of Atsumori and an interactive text)

Costuming a Warrior for a Japanese Noh Play (test site for the Global Perforing Arts Database that takes the viewer through the process of costuming the shite actor in Atsumori)

Glossary of Noh Theater terms (another test site for the Global Perforing Arts Database: incomplete but includes a number of images of costumes, and detailed descriptions of both masks and costumes, as well as the major technical terms used in Noh and Kyogen)

Samurai Culture

Edo/Tokugawa Period (1603-1868, Wikipedia)

Kabuki 21 (the best Kabuki site; includes chronology, glossary, lots of plot summaries, and current performance schedules)

Kabuki Kumadori Makeup (images)

NHK Kabuki Kool programs on Youtube (google name search results)

Documentary on ICHIKAWA Ennosuko III

Kabuki: Classical Theater of Japan

Tradition of Performing Arts in Japan: Noh, Kabuki, Bunraku

Bunraku version of Double Suicide at Amijima (in Japanese):

Kawasho Teahouse scene 1

Teahouse scene 2 with Tahei

Teahouse scene 3

Teahouse scene 4 Koharu asks the "samurai" to take her as a lover so she can get away from Jihei

Teahouse scene 5 Jihei sees Koharu with the "samurai" (Jihei's brother Magoemon)

Teahouse scene 6 Magoemon beats up Tahei and reveals himself to Jihei

Teahouse scene 7 Magoemon keeps Jihei from seeing the note Koharu has from Jihei's wife

Tamasaburo on a talk show (see what he looks like when he's not performing)

SHINODA Masahiro's Double Suicide (Shinju Ten no Amijima)

Trailer with English subtitles (TRIGGER WARNING!!!)

Meiji Japan (1868-1912, Wikipedia)

Takarazuka: link to the official home page (in English)

Takarazuka: link to the official home page (in Japanese)

Rose of Versailles (Berusaiyu no bara): web page with info about Takarazuka version

Genderless Tokyo youth

Harajuku "kawaii" style

SHAKESPEARE

Shakespeare-online.com: one of the better online resources for Shakespeare, including line by line annotations, soliloquy and character analysis, and links to older academic essays that are past copyright. It also includes numerous links to other resources at the bottom of the main page for each play, as well as along the side.

Macbeth

King Lear

The Blackadder on the superstition of not mentioning "The Scottish Play."

Harvard Professor Marjorie Garber's lectures on Macbeth and King Lear (these are long but well worth listening to)

General resources on rhetorical imagery

Literary-Devices.com