A scene from the Kabuki play Sekinoto

The spirit of the cherry tree (who is also the ghost of the Heian poetess Ono no Komachi), is threatened with a large axe by a rival poet, Otomo no Kuronushi.

Tamasaburo Bandô playing the spirit of the cherry tree. Here he performs the "ushiroburi mie," a difficult backbend pattern originally developed in the puppet theater and adapted by Kabuki.  It shows great vulnerability on the part of the woman. 

Ningyoburi (Doll-like movement): another pattern borrowed from the puppet theater. The dancer is "manipulated" by a kurogo dressed as a puppet handler.