The History of Applause Part 3: The Audience Quietly Savoring the Afterglow

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Last time, I introduced the term "bakushu" (hand-clapping) that appeared in the Records of the Three Kingdoms (Wei Zhi Woren Zhuan). We saw that in Japan, clapping was not an expression of applause, but a ritualistic demonstration of respect eventually, this bakushu was passed down as the Shinto kashiwade (ritual clapping), which remains a practice for shrine visits to this day.

However, this is where it gets important. While in the West, from the Middle Ages onward, applause spread as a central expression of civic culture in theater and music, in Japan, the custom of "clapping for theater or musical performances" did not exist for over a thousand years Why was that? This time, we will explore the reasons.

There was no applause in the theater

From the Middle Ages to the Edo period, various performing arts flourished in Japan. The Gagaku of the imperial court, the Noh and Kyogen of the samurai society, and the Kabuki and Joruri that developed as popular culture. Every stage was enthusiastically supported and attracted many spectators.

However, even when looking through the records of that time, there is almost no trace of the audience clapping after a performance. In fact, making noise during a performance was considered contrary to etiquette.

For example, in Noh theater, after the performance ended, the audience would quietly savor the afterglow and would not send applause. Instead, they would share their praise later by talking about how "the performance by Lord So-and-so was magnificent." This reflects a Japanese aesthetic where "conveying it through words over time" is considered more valuable than expressing it on the spot.

Instead of applause: Kakegoe and Ohineri

So, how did the audience praise the stage and the performers? Looking at the popular culture of the Edo period, there were several unique Japanese expressions of praise.

1. Kakegoe (Omuko)
   In Kabuki, there was a culture of kakegoe called "Omuko," where the audience would call out the stage names of the actors. For example, the sight of someone shouting "Naritaya!" during a climactic scene can still be heard at the Kabukiza theater today. This was a Japanese form of praise where one would "support the stage with their voice" instead of "clapping their hands."

2. Ohineri
   The custom of throwing small coins wrapped in paper at the actors also spread. It was a way for the audience to directly show gratitude or praise, and it became a more concrete "evaluation" than applause.

3. Gifts and word-of-mouth reputation
   Among not only commoners but also samurai and townspeople, giving gifts to support performers or spreading their reputation by word of mouth were ways of showing praise.

All of these were cultures of conveying emotions in a different way rather than making noise to praise on the spot.

Aesthetic sense that values silence and afterglow

One of the reasons why applause did not take root in Japan is, after all, the difference in aesthetic sense. In Japanese culture, "the silence that arrives after the sound fades" was considered the most precious.

On the Noh stage, the moment the chanting and dancing ended and the sound of the drum faded, the audience savored the afterglow in deep silence. This stillness was an "artistic experience" as important as the stage performance itself. If applause were to interrupt that, it was thought that the afterglow would be instantly broken and the essence of the performing art would be damaged.

This feeling also applies to haiku and the tea ceremony. The Japanese aesthetic of finding meaning in empty space and silence was also expressed in theater in the form of "refraining from applause."

Contrast with the West: Enthusiasm and Silence

When comparing this point with the West again, the difference in culture between the two becomes even clearer. In the West, theater and music performances were "festive spaces where the audience and performers become one through applause." On the other hand, in Japan, the audience maintains silence and holds their emotions individually within the afterglow.

In other words, it can be said that while the West was a "place where enthusiasm is shared," Japan was a "place where silence is shared."

What the Absence of Applause Signifies

Viewed in this light, the "absence of applause" in Japan is not merely a difference in custom, but reflects a difference in aesthetic consciousness itself. While Western applause is a "culture of sharing emotions through sound," Japanese appreciation was a "culture of sharing emotions through silence and afterglow."

This cultural void, spanning over a thousand years, eventually makes the "introduction of applause" during the Meiji era stand out as an even more vivid event.

The thumbnail shows the Nagoya Noh Theater. It is truly a magnificent Noh theater.