Intro:

Major League Baseball All-Stars visit the Kabuki Theater in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday (16th November).

Script:

Major League Baseball stars Jerry Blevins and Hector Santiago got a close-up look at one of Japan's unique cultural treasures - as they visited the famous Kabukiza Kabuki Theater in Tokyo's Ginza district.

Blevins, a pitcher for the Washington Nationals and Santiago, a Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitcher, were greeted at the landmark theatre by Somegoro Ichikawa, one of Japan's most celebrated kabuki actors.

The two MLB players, who are part of a group of stars currently on an exhibition tour of Japan, made the visit before game five of their series in Tokyo.

Somegoro Ichikawa gave the pair a personal introduction to kabuki, a Japanese performing arts genre known for stylish dramatisation and elaborate make-up and costumes worn by some of its performers.

Traditionally only males perfom in kabuki, although today some local troupes use female actors.

The three exhanged gifts, with Ichikawa saying he hopes they will learn some Japanese culture while on their visit - while Blevins remarked how impressed he was with the kabuki style of performance.