Noh had existed before Zeami entered the scene, but its form changed drastically through Zeami, which is deeply connected to how he theorized Noh. Zeami played a central role in deviating from Sarugaku, which was a ‘faithful dramatization’ of stories from the originals. It was a change into a production structure as a representation of the ‘intended meanings’ of honsetsu (key foundational texts).

Zeami is the first person to author a treatise on Noh. It is well known that this treatise of his was written in the style of treatises on waka poetry and renga poetry; his intention was to make Noh into a form of literature equal to waka and renga styles of poetry. His theorization is inseparably linked to the establishment of genres in works. Here, we can see how he was following the categorization of Chokusen Wakashu that had been used since Kokin Wakashu and the worldview of renga poetry. Waka poetry in Kokin Wakashu is arranged according to categories such as shiki (season), ga (celebration), ribetsu (parting), kiryo (travel), mononona (acrostics), koi (love), aisho (lament), and zou (miscellaneous). In renga poetry as well, various aspects of the universe and human nature are portrayed in one volume, as described by Yoshitomo, who had an influence over Zeami: ‘rise and decline, joy and sorrow come and go, no different from how things are in the floating world’ (Tsukuba Mondo). Zeami defined Waki-Noh, which is the first category of Noh, as ‘shugen (celebration)’, not only to follow in the wake of Okina but also to make it the foundation for showing the ‘intended meanings’ of various Noh numbers, with diverse phases of the mortal world and afterlife, including shura (scenes of fighting), monogurui (madness), and oni (demon), shown thereafter. His consciousness of the arrangement of Chokusen Wakashu and his intention of modelling after the ways renga poetry is recited are also connected with the ‘enhancement of peace and fun’, ‘longevity, happiness, and harmony’, and ‘celebration of a long life’, which are the ultimate goals of Noh.