Noh is a type of traditional Japanese musical drama and is one of the oldest surviving forms of stage art in the world. It was developed into its present form in the Muromachi era by Kan'ami and his son, Zeami. Noh theaters, called noh-gakudo, have a covered stage built of hinoki Japanese cypress, and open toward the audience in three directions. On this stage, the shite, or masked principal actor, sings and dances. The waki, or supporting actor, usually performs without a mask. The jiutaigata, or chorus, chant yokyoku Noh songs, and the hayasikata, or instrumentalists, play flutes, shoulder drums, and stick drums. Performances of Takigi Noh, or outdoor evening Noh, have recently been gaining in popularity. Often kyogen, short comic plays with roots similar to those of Noh, are performed on the same program. 意訳：能は室町時代の観阿弥・世阿弥親子が造形した日本の伝統芸能であり，世界で最も長い演劇生命をもつ舞台芸術の一つである．三方を開け放した，ひのきの板張りでできた屋根付きの能舞台の上で，仮面をかぶったシテ（主役 が謡いかつ舞う．シテの相手役はワキといい，多くは素顔で登場する．謡曲という能の節回しを地謡方じうたいがたがうたい，囃子方はやしがたは笛・鼓つづみ・太鼓でメロディーやリズムを奏でる．能楽堂と呼ばれる劇場で演じられるだけでなく，最近では夜，野外で行われる薪能たきぎのうも人気を集めている．能と同じ起源をもつ対話喜劇の狂言もあわせて演じられることが多い）
