Tetsunojo KANZE (the eighth) (観世銕之亟 (8世))
Tetsunojo KANZE, the eighth (January 6, 1931 – July 3, 2000) was a Japanese Nohgakushi (Noh actor). His name was Shizuo. His setsugo (a name including setsu, 雪 [snow] in Chinese character) was Seisetsu.
The fourth son of Tetsunojo KANZE, the seventh (also known as Gasetsu KANZE). Studied under his grandfather (Kasetsu) and his father. 1934: Debuted as kokata (a child's role in a Noh play) in "Kurama Tengu" (an imaginary hero in Japanese period dramas and novels, literally, a long-nosed goblin that was believed to live in Mt. Kurama). 1938: Performed shite in "Kappo" (a name of the old Chinese region under the Tang Dynasty) for the first time. 1953: Performed "Dojo-ji" (Dojo-ji Temple). 1954: Participated in the International Theater Festival in Venice as a member of the first Noh Group Visiting Europe.
Partly because his oldest brother Hisao KANZE died and the second older brother quit Noh temporarily (the third brother died young), he succeeded to Tetsunojo in 1980, the next year when his father changed his name to Gasetsu. 1992: Received Minister of Education Award for Fine Arts. 1995: Designated as Individual Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasure). 1997: Received the Medal with Purple Ribbon.
His oldest son is Tetsunojo KANZE (the ninth) (also known as Akeo KANZE).