Shōdan in Okina

Shōdan are recurring modules that appear across Noh plays. At the same time, a shōdan can be understood as a component of a dan, the larger unit corresponding to a shared event or dramatic scene in a play’s progression. Taking this latter view, Okina can likewise be divided into shōdan grouped into larger dan. Because the shōdan on this page belong exclusively to Okina, we forgo a general explanation of the form here and focus instead on the musical aspects of each shōdan. The cards below lead to pages with musical analysis; follow the link at the bottom of each to reach the Aspects and Intermedia sections, where you can learn more about the shōdan’s other elements and their combined dramatic effect.