Outlines of research activities are as follows:

Research on Noh consists of several working groups: a research group of the investigation of the materials left by Yoshida Togo in the Yoshida Bunko in Niigata; a survey of Zeami's Noh treatises ; the historical development of Noh especially in the provinces during the Edo period; and modern Noh history (the analysis of a transcription of the Sarugaku Kikigaki [Sarugaku Records] in possession of the Theatre Museum). Furthermore, as we have projects analyzing performance records and videotapes, new records are actively gathered. We also plan to organize the Sangaku Symposium for the second year in a row.
With a focus on the process of handing down tradition, the research on Ningyo joruri bunraku aims at script and direction analyses. In addition to philological research, we conduct scientific investigation into actual performances, and plan to organise revival performances of rare plays with prominent Bunraku performers.
The research on Folk Performing Arts, which started with the "Studies of Theatre Archives course" of the 21st century COE programme, also continues: not only investigations into Bun'ya bushi ningyo joruri but also fieldwork in regions where the Bun'ya bushi ningyo joruri has been performed are our intention. This research integrates Folk Performing Arts and Modern Theatre research.
The Kabuki research aims at script research and the reconstruction of plays and performances in collaboration with other research fields.
With the Global COE programme, we have also started interdisciplinary collaboration on an international scale. Specifically, the plan includes a survey of the materials on baroque theatre in the Czech Republic and in Slovakia, academic exchanges with German theatre museums, comparative research on Asian-Japanese and Japanese-European folk performing arts, and comparative international research on stage structures.