Since the middle of the Edo Period, several long, wooden swords had been dedicated to the Sagami-Ohyama Sacred Place (the Temple & Shrine), located in the sacred mountain of Ohyama. It is believed that this custom was based on the historical facts written in Azuma Kagami, according to which Hojo Masako devoted the guarding sword when she gave birth to a boy. Other versions believe that the custom began as a samurai prayer for their martial arts, which was later imitated by people using wooden swords. However, disputing these popular explanations, this thesis attempts to prove that Ichikawa Danjūrō I was the key person who developed this custom. In 1690 (Genroku, 3^rd year), he promised to offer long, wooden swords to Acala (Fudo Myoo) of Ohyama in gratitude for his advanced acting techniques if he could perform the role of Edo kabuki, a character with a superior sword with supernatural powers derived from the Acala. In fact, a craftsman of Nakabashi-okemachi had first attributed a long, wooden sword to the Ohyama Afuri Shrine in proxy of Danjūrō.

This study analyzes the words in the final part of Noh, especially while enterring Nirvana.

On analyzing the dream Nohs (13 pieces) before Zeami's Sandou was created in 1423, we discover that the Site enters Nirvana or desires to enter Nirvana or becomes God in the end.

After Sandou's creation, we can see the same dream Nohs (12 pieces). However, we identify the return of the Site of the 10 works (Nishikigi, Obasute, Yashima, Nomori, Yamanba, Motomezuka, Tamamizu, Izutu, Tamamizu, and Matura) to the Noh's original place without entering Nirvana in the end.

We further analyze the aforementioned 10 works, alongside Matukaze and Yorimasa of Zeami's Noh as well as Bashou and Teika of Zenchiku's Noh.

The final sentence of Matukaze that contains the natural features inspires the final sentence of Nishikigi and Obasute which in turn inspires Bashou's final sentence. Yorimasa constructs Motomezuka's and Tamamizu's final sentence which inspires Teika's final sentence.

We also analyze Yuri Yamaki's opinion that Zenchiku first made the Nohs (Bashou, Teika, and Obasute) where the Site returns to the Noh's original location at the end of the Noh. This study helps conclude that Zeami first created Nishikigi, Obasute and Motomezuka which returns to Noh's originall place without entering Nirvana at the end of it.

Affected by these works, Zenchiku created Bashou and Teika, which differ from Zeami's works.

This article focuses on the recent phenomenon of the ‘archival turn’ in performing arts, occurring since the 1990s, with examples taken from Japan and French-speaking countries/regions, as well as research conducted in French, English and Japanese. The archival turn implies that archives have shifted from being the means to the purpose — that is, the centre of interest — of both research and practice in the performing arts. As a result, an increase in documents/archives and documentary (or archives-related) practices was observed. Technological progress has made it easier to record, document, store and share. It should also be noted that, after Foucault and Derrida wrote on the matter, the singular form of the term ‘archive’ came into use with more abstract connotations, free from archives as cultural facilities. The temporalities of a performance have also changed from being ephemeral and unique to being more durational and reiterative. The re-enactments of past performances, which have significantly increased, can be considered documentary practices. Contemporary documentary theatre seems to join this trend in the archival turn, as shown in the work of Milo Rau and others.