This is Iwai Hanshirō Ⅳ (五代目岩井半四郎) playing the (female) role of Shigenoi (重の井) - the same character described on the previous page.

His family crest - Maru ni Mitsu-ogi - is seen on his kimono. Kabuki actors who play female roles are so good at acting that they often look more feminine on stage than most women.

The purple cloth on his forehead is called ‘Murasaki no Boushi (purple cap)’ is an immediate sign that we are looking at a man playing the role of a woman - an 'onnagata'.

His ability to portray a woman extends even to the way his fingers elegantly hold the cloth bag.