ical ▁plays ) ▁and ▁se w am ono ▁( cont empor ary ▁plays ). ▁ ▁A ▁central ▁element ▁of ▁k ab uki ▁since ▁its ▁origin ▁in ▁ 1 6 0 3 , ▁sh os ag oto ▁plays ▁became ▁an ▁important ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁k ab uki ▁re per toire ▁towards ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century , ▁where ▁they ▁have ▁remained ▁until ▁the ▁present ▁time . ▁For ▁example , ▁the ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁program ▁at ▁the ▁Kab uki - za ▁in ▁Tokyo ▁includes ▁three ▁d ances . ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁several ▁types ▁of ▁k ab uki ▁d ances . ▁An ▁important ▁difference ▁is ▁between ▁the ▁mainly ▁non - n arr ative ▁d ances ▁with ▁nag aut a ▁accompan iment ▁( such ▁as ▁Fu ji ▁Mus ume ), ▁and ▁the ▁more ▁dram atic ▁ones , ▁with ▁complex ▁story lines ▁and ▁characters ▁( such ▁as ▁Kan j inch ō ). ▁There ▁are ▁many ▁other ▁dist in ctions ▁and ▁styles . ▁For ▁example , ▁m ats ub ame ▁mon o ▁d ances ▁include ▁particularly ▁the atr ical ized ▁sets ▁and ▁cost umes , ▁often ▁including ▁quick ▁on - stage ▁changes ▁of ▁clothes ▁( called ▁h ik inu ki ). ▁H eng em ono ▁d ances ▁involve ▁a ▁single ▁actor ▁playing ▁different ▁roles . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁From ▁the ▁very ▁origin ▁of ▁ok uni ▁k ab uki ▁in ▁ 1 6 0 3 , ▁when ▁Iz um o ▁no ▁Ok uni ▁began ▁performing ▁in ▁the ▁dry ▁river bed s ▁of ▁Ky