Hanamichi

History

The hanamichi was first used in 1668 in the Kawarazaki-za, in the form of a simple wooden plank that reached from the centre of the stage to the middle of the theatre. It was not used in performances, but allowed actors to step into the audience after a performance to receive flowers, with the word 'hanamichi' literally meaning "flower path."
The modern style of hanamichi, sometimes called "honhanamichi", was first conceived and standardized in 1740. The standard size ranges from – long and – wide. Some theatres have since begun to make use of a secondary hanamichi on the right side of the audience, known as "karihanamichi" which is one-third to half the width of the honhanamichi on the left.

Usages

Though rarely used for the main action of a play, much of the more dramatic or famous character moments occur during entrances or exits along the hanamichi. Many particularly dramatic actions take place seven-tenths of the way down the hanamichi, at a spot known in Japanese as shichisan. It is here that exiting characters may say their final words, and entering characters may address the audience or the characters on stage. Since the hanamichi runs through the audience, it allows for a closer experience for the spectator than might normally be allowed by other forms of traditional theater.

Sumo

In sumo, the path to the dohyō is also known as hanamichi.