Kabuki actor to offer Europe rare peek into stage makeup amid Oscar nod

TOKYO - Kabuki actor Nakamura Takanosuke is looking forward to giving European audiences a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the stylized stage makeup and elaborate costumes of the centuries-old Japanese drama form when he embarks on a tour next month.

Takanosuke will be part of the road show "Meet Kabuki -- The Art of 'Onnagata' Europe Tour," a two-week, three-country tour focusing on female, or "onnagata," roles that rides on the momentum of the international success of the Japanese film "Kokuho" about the world of Kabuki. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for best makeup and hairstyling, though it missed out on it.