More a Flower Than a Flower: Manga Featuring the World of Noh Concludes

By Yayoi Kawatoko / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

11:10 JST, March 27, 2026

After portraying the world of noh with delicate, beautiful artwork and meticulously researched depictions for 24 years, the manga series “Hana yorimo Hana no Gotoku” (“More a Flower Than a Flower”) released its 24th and final volume in February.

The manga has published more than 2.5 million copies and depicts the journey of Norito Sakakibara, a young noh performer and the descendant of a prestigious family of noh artists dating back to the Edo period (1603-1867). The manga illustrates his experiences on stage and how he reflects on himself and his art and grows as a noh performer. Norito’s feelings in everyday life, such as from romance and rivalry, overlap with noh plays, making it easy for modern readers to relate to him.

We spoke with manga artist Minako Narita, who has been creating manga for 49 years, about the appeal of the traditional Japanese performing art that flourished during the Muromachi period (1336-1573) and captivated her.

Love at first sight

“I chose Norito as the protagonist because he had a mysterious, enigmatic quality,” Narita said. “Perhaps it was because he had so much room to grow.”

Narita was drawn to “Hagoromo,” a story from her high school’s classical literature textbook. She fell in love with noh after seeing “Aoi no Ue” for the first time during spring break before becoming a third-year high school student.

Narita said that she knew almost nothing about noh when she began drawing the series. “There are so many rules, and you cannot make even a single mistake. It is incredibly difficult,” Narita said. “Since I was a complete novice, I aimed to see 100 performances a year, traveling all over the country to do so. I bought almost every introductory book on noh available and drew the manga while studying.”

To learn more about noh, she helped air out costumes, attended kimono dressing demonstrations, visited backstage areas and noh-related facilities, and even went overseas to watch performances. She is meticulous about details, even going so far as to create her own “tone” sheets for the patterns on the costumes that she can use in her illustrations. While the series was running, she studied Japanese-style painting at a correspondence art college and incorporated the techniques she learned there, such as drawing color artwork on silk, into her work. To match the title, she made sure to draw flowers in the color artwork as much as possible.

Many noh plays appear in the story. The climax features a scene in which Norito performs “Dojoji” — a play considered the gateway to success for noh performers — for the first time. Then, his grandfather, who is his master, asks him, “What is the ‘flower’ of noh?” Norito then realizes the essence of noh through his grandfather’s performance of “Tomonaga,” and the story draws to a close.

“I decided from the very beginning that the story would open and close with ‘Tomonaga,’” Narita said.

Narita explained that the appeal of noh lies in its lack of explanation. “There are only a few props, which allows the audience to use their imagination,” she said. “A miracle occurs when the performer’s imagination and experience align with those of the audience. It’s just irresistible.”

When asked to name her favorite works, she said, “I watch ‘Tenko’ while chanting along, totally into it. I absolutely love ‘Tomonaga,’ too, and I chant along to ‘Hagoromo’ as well. With ‘Jinenkoji,’ I’m always surprised that everyone listens in silence. I cannot help but want to laugh.”

Her love for noh seems to know no bounds.

Getting trash from U.S.

Narita was born in 1960 and grew up in Aomori Prefecture. She made her debut as a manga artist in the summer of 1977 while still in high school and gained popularity with works set in the United States, such as “Alien Street” and “Cipher.”

“I asked my cousin in the U.S. to regularly send me kitchen trash, things like large juice containers and cardboard egg cartons. They helped inspire my imagination,” she said.

“Even while depicting American culture, I’ve always loved Japanese culture,” she said.

Narita revealed that the idea of “More a Flower Than a Flower,” just popped into her head.

Recently, interest in traditional Japanese culture has been growing, due in part to the success of the film “Kokuho.” Even so, she said, “I feel a sense of crisis. If our generation doesn’t try hard now, the best things about Japan may disappear. Someone must preserve them.”

An exhibition of drawings by Narita is being held at the Former Residence of Theodora Ozaki in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, through April 14. It is closed on Thursdays and reservations are needed for admission. Tickets cost ¥1,000 in advance and ¥1,500 at the door.