What Are the Impacts of Buddhism on the Japanese Performance Style of Noh Theatre?

This thesis aims to examine the links between Noh theatre and Japanese Buddhism. There will be a chronological exploration of the notable periods in Japanese history leading up to the Kamakura and Muromachi period, when Noh theatre was established. Each chapter, representing a new era, will discuss religious and cultural developments. This thesis will examine the impacts of China on Japanese culture, in terms of religion and performance styles. Each chapter will address developments in the field of theatre and performance and establish cultural connections between religion and performance; most specifically, Buddhism and Noh. Textual Analysis and Critical Realism have been employed as methodologies to establish a base subject knowledge and to build a critically established speculative arc that forms the connections of the structure.