# The Waki — Plays character guide

> The Waki in Plays by Zeami Motokiyo.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Waki, Nishikigi

**First appearance:** 0006-act-i

## Snapshot

The side-actor, often a priest or traveler, whose journey into a strange place opens the door for the spirits who will speak.

## Who they are

The Waki is the traveler or holy man whose curiosity brings him to the strand, the shrine, or the haunted field where the play's true action unfolds. He is the audience's stand-in, asking the questions that let the shite reveal their story, and his presence creates the tension between ordinary sight and the unseen world. Without his willingness to stop and look, the spirits would have no one to address.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plays_2_se/characters/waki
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plays_2_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plays_2_se/characters