Japanese noh is conventionally understood as a solemn, highly formalised art ground- ed in religious sacrality, aesthetic austerity, and strict role specialisation. This article examines ran noh (chaos noh), an unusual yet culturally significant performance practice in which performers deliberately transgress these norms by acting outside their customary roles and introducing parody and humour. Focusing on the case study in Kyoto, the paper argues that ran noh functions as a form of ritualised, conservative transgression. Rather than undermining noh’s authority, such performances depend on deep communal knowledge, reinforcing social bonds and reaffirming the technical, spiritual, and hierarchical foundations of n?gaku through moments of carefully circumscribed play.