Hyōbanki


Hyōbanki were compilations of rankings and critiques of kabuki actors and courtesans published in Edo period Japan. They were generally published at the new year in Edo and Kamigata, reviewing and ranking the courtesans and actors of the previous year. Along with ukiyo-e woodblock prints and other publications, hyōbanki were important elements in the urban popular culture of the period.

Description

A book called yarō hyōbanki was published in 1656, though many scholars consider the 1687 yakusha hyōbanki to be the first in the form. These were published regularly until 1890.
Actors were ranked according to a fairly simple scale:
  • Jō-jō-kichi 　Upper-upper-excellent
  • Jō-jō Upper-upper
  • Jō Upper
  • Naka no jō-jō Upper-upper of the Middle
  • Naka no jō Upper of the Middle
  • Naka Middle
In print, variations were used to represent intermediate ranks between Jō-jō and Jō-jō-kichi. Sometimes only parts of the kanji for "kichi" would be written in, each stroke towards completing the character representing an intermediate rank. Other times, strokes would be written in outline instead of ink-filled, to represent intermediate rankings not yet achieved.
At times, ranks above jō-jō-kichi were added, to describe and rank the greatest kabuki actors.
  • Dai-shigoku-jō-jō-kichi Great exceedingly upper-upper-excellent
  • Kō-goku-jō-jō-kichi Higher very upper-upper-excellent
  • Shigoku-jō-jō-kichi Exceedingly upper-upper-excellent
  • Goku-jō-jō-kichi Very upper-upper-excellent
  • Kō-jō-jō-kichi Higher upper-upper-excellent
  • Dai-jō-jō-kichi Great upper-upper-excellent
  • Shi-jō-jō-kichi Climax of upper-upper-excellent