22.5cm White bamboo
Kumatori is a method of creating perspective by using colors and shades of colors.It is said that Ichikawa Danjuro I started kumadori in kabuki. It is said that he got the idea for kumadori from joruri puppets.
Kabuki began in the Edo period (1603-1867), but in those days playhouses were dimly lit without electric lighting, making it difficult to see the actors' expressions.
The colors of kumadori also have meanings: red for justice, blue for evil, brown for demons, and there are about a
hundred different shapes.