In the latter part of the Second Sho Dynasty of the Ryukyu Kingdom, Tamagusku Chokun, the magistrate in charge of entertainments at the royal court, produced this genre of performance art by deftly combining classical dance and music to produce a kind opera, Kumi-odori. It was first shown in 1719 at the as part of "the Ukanshin" entertainments for the Chinese investiture envoys. Tamagusku was influenced heavily by the Noh, Kyogen, puppet theater, and Kabuki he learned while in Edo (Tokyo). In the Meiji Period (1868-1912) Kumi-odori was performed in the playhouses of Okinawa and it became dear to the hearts of common folk.
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