This section aims to illustrate the diversity of Japanese Shakespeare production with examples taken from the very earliest and the very latest productions in Japan. They are intended to provide a broader context for examination of Deguchi's work which should not be taken as normative. For other studies of contemporary productions of Shakespeare in Japan see Mulroyne and Sasayame, 'Shakespeare on the Japanese Stage' (Cambridge 1998) and Minami, Carruthers and Gillies eds., 'Performing Shakespeare in Japan' (forthcoming).