A traveling priest (Waki) who visited seventh big temple in Nara stopped in Zaigenji Temple. This is a historic site where Ariwara no Narishira was living with his daughter Kino Aritsune, so the priest mourned for the couple. There, a young woman (the priest mourns traces of the couple Shite) was drawing water from an old well and turning to Kozuka but when she called out, she told the story of Narishira.
In the olden days, Narishira lived here in Ishigami with his daughter, Kiyutsume then separately he sneaked into Takayasu in Kawachi.The wife thought that there is her husband spirit and wrote “The wind blows Shiranami Ryutayama, you are alone in the middle of the night”, so Narishira also stopped going to Kawachi after that.
These two are young friends and long ago they played side by died in a well in a wooden fence. After a long time, the man wrote “Tsutsuizutsu, Tsutsuizutsu is a younger sister who looks like a younger sister”, the woman replied “Someone should open up without you, whose hair is not too shouldered”. At the end of such a story, she revealed that she was the woman of Izutsu and the daughter at that time, and she disappeared behind Izutsu_ the well (Coming middle).
When the priest spent the night at this temple, the enthusiastic spirit of the everlasting daughter (later Shite) appeared wearing a crown of Narihira’s keepsake and a straight garment this time. While humming memories, the woman dances a beautiful dance (Yonomai) , puts her sleeves on the well, and looks like it used to be. Then, now that he was wearing Narihira’s clothes, he felt nostalgic for Narihira himself. However, when it is around dawn, the priest’s dream disappears and the woman also disappears.
Highlights:
Zeami is also a masterpiece of fantasy Noh, which it is praised as “Kamihanaya” [the finest work].
Based on the 23rd stage “Tsutsuizutsu” of the Ise Monogatari, the men and women who appear here are interpreted as the daughters of Ariwara no Narihira and Kiyutsune. The waiting woman, Izutsu’s woman (= Aritsune’s daughter), wears a keepsake of Narihira, reflects herself in the well, and recollects the old days. The creation of the well with pampas grass is the loneliness of autumn. Makes the feeling stand out.
～April 18, 21st Hesei period Umewaka Gensho played Noh Umegae Etenraku at Kyoto Kanze Kaihan Theater with event “Kyoto Spring Umewaka Noh”. Excerpting from the commentary by Gensho Umewaka issued on the day～
This Umegae Etenraku book has the characteristic that the dance part is in the tone of the board (Hanshikichou).
Because this is followed to the creation of the second Minoru generation, it’s been gone for a long time but father 55th Umewaka Rokuro revived and performed about 40 years ago. Since then, I have performed three or four times and in recent years I have performed Etenraku for the first time at the National Noh Theater.
So by the way, the front performance is not so different but will become middle(nakahairi) from beginning to end and before coming middle something it will be followed by something and come middle.
The performers are wearing a long skirt_Hakama for the costume of the back and long silk or dance clothes and wearing a hat as a torryattobe.
The later performance’s type itself is not much different from usual, therefore as mentioned above the dance is in tune with the board,but unlike the current Noraku of Fuji Taiko, there is not much change in speed, and the dance becomes moist.
Kiri enters the curtain with the song. As you can see, there is no noticeable change throughout but this play is a production that reveals the feelings of grief. Many people think that the tone of this board (Hanshikichou) wading may arouse the feeling of love for her husband.
And you, how do you feel about it when seeing and then hearing it?
Highlights:
The highlight of “Umegae” is the scene where a ghost wife dances with her love for her husband. The scene where a wife who dances wearing a torryattobe (a headgear used for costumes of dance) and a dance costume, which is a keepsake of her husband, dances [gaku], which is said to be a dance that imitates dance, is the climax of this song. It has become.
The title of the song is based on the phrase “Ume gae”, which is sung before the dance, “The bush warbler is on the branch, the warbler nests, the wind blows the bush warbler, and the warbler dwelling in the flowers.” This part is elaborately designed to incorporate the lyrics and melody of “Etenraku Ima-sama”, which sings the lyrics of the current style in the gagaku “Etenraku”.
On the stage, a work of Kakkodai is placed, and Mai and aconite, which are the keepsakes of her husband, Fuji, are hung on it. After dressing as a man wearing them, the shite is said to be a “transformed boy”. This is based on the story in “Lotus Sutra” that an eight-year-old dragon woman turned into a man and gained enlightenment, and the Buddhist theory of a metamorphosis boy and the shite of men’s clothing are superimposed. It is presumed that Nichiren was set as a monk at Mt. Nichiren, the head temple of the Nichiren sect, because Nichiren actively preached the female Buddhahood by the Lotus Sutra.
“Umegae” is a work that uses the same material as the Noh “Fuji Taiko”. “Fuji Taiko” is a current Noh play in which a frenzied wife dances due to the killing of Fuji, but this song is characterized by being tailored in the style of a Japanese tan, and the ghostly wife is the shite. It’s a dream come true. Even if you become a ghost, you will continue to think of your husband, beat the drums, and dance, and the joy of a woman who will be released from the grudge will rise.
Sumiyoshi Taisha and Tennoji were known as temples and shrines with a music hall (a place that controls gagaku performers). The paradise of Tennoji was called “Sanpougakuso” together with the paradise of Dairi and the paradise of Kofukuji Temple in Nanto. In addition, it is recorded that Sumiyoshi Taisha, which was worshiped by successive Ashikaga Shoguns, often performed dance in Shinto rituals. Since murders between entertainers are often seen in medieval records, materials like this song may have been circulated in the streets for the audience at that time.
(Megumi Inoue)
A monk (Waki) from all over the world, on the way to visit Tennoji Temple he came to Eguchi no Sato in Settsu Province. This was once a prosperous landing site and was also the place where many prostitutes were. The place was also where a monk Saigyo Hoshi asked for an overnight inn, but he wasn’t accepted and he suddenly hummed remembering when he song with himself that “ In the world, I will sad if you’re the one who misses the temporary inn because of the difficulty”, then, the woman in the village(Shite) appeared and answered him that she doesn’t sad if it is.
However, it was wondering if a deceased person would drop in at an inn that likes, so she song that “If you ask the world as a person who doesn’t enjoy it, you’ll just think that you shouldn’t stay in a temporary inn.” She said that she was the ghost of the prostitute at that time and she disappeared (Coming middle).
When the monk is trying to mourn the current of the ghost, strangely the singing voices of the prostitutes (Shite and 2 people of Tsure) can be heard in the clear river of the moon, and could see the night boat of Eguchi’s river in the dim and distant place. There is the mourning singing voice of the old prostitutes. The cosmetics are scattered Spring flowers and can’t be faded by the morning frost of autumn leaves of the fall. Moreover, the prostitute dances with her beautiful sleeves inspiring (Yo no Mai).
Hesitation is left from keeping in mind a lot of things in this tentative world. When she thought that she was the one who screamed the person and she talked that she should go home even if she left the delusion, her figure suddenly changed to Samantabhadra, the boat as became a white elephant and she got on the white cloud as it was with light, then she went to the far west sky.
Highlights:
The highlight of Noh “Eguchi” is probably the latter half of the scene where the prostitutes play boats. The appearance of two maids and Mr. Eguchi appearing on a ship is impressive. Utakata’s dream-like overnight boating on the waterfront of Eguchi surrounded by rivers … While expressing the time of joy, the coldness of causal retribution and the impermanence of the world are appealed. Eguchi-kun, who is a prostitute who is involved in color affairs and is also an incarnation of Samantabhadra, who can be said to be the height of the world, highlights the luster, gorgeousness and fragility of the world, and the brilliance of the truth behind it. There is a deep taste in the place where it is made. The graceful and beautiful dance is more than just grace … A profound world spreads out in the afterglow.
Also, “Eguchi” probably touches on the mystery of Buddhism, and a part of Kiri’s song is often sung as a memorial song at nights, funerals, and memorial services.
It isn’t only still performed at the head of various Noh plays but also is completely different from other Noh plays general, it is a kind of festival that prays for the peace of the land of Taihei Tenka, it is the purification of the stage which was transmitted from the distant primitive Sarugaku.
The player is Okina-old man（Shite）, Chitose (Tsure), Sanbansho (Kyougen), but because the lyrics spell a happy fragment, there is no meaning that is consistent. In other ways, I can speak that you should look at the song and this verse is also called “God’s song “ in particular. In addition, there are many unusual productions, but the one that is usually performed is a format called “Yokka- no- Shiki”. In the Edo period, the number of days for promotion was four days until the time of Jokyo but it has been more than ten days since Kamen and it’s said that the fourth and subsequent days were all passed by this fourth day ceremony.
Before the performance, the performers who worshiped at Bekka received the sacred sake from the altar in the dressing room on the day of the performance, and prior to holding the mask (kyogen) then appear in the order of Shite, Chitose, Sanbansho, musicians, Jiyo and Kyougen guardianship. Shite statues in front of him and sit in front of the Jiyoza. Then we plan to open the face box holder in front of it, and line up local songs behind the musicians. It is all the best of the dress. The whistle is blown out, and Shite begins to sing when he hears the chords of the three small drums. During the Chitose dance, Shite goes out with her own face, sings and dances Kagura. When it is finished the mark face will be taken off, and Shite will salute and leave the stage (as the old man returns). It is continued in the dance of Sanbansho.
Highlights:
The stage of Noh is always quiet and tense, but unlike other Noh, this “Okina” has a unique atmosphere of sacred rituals. During the performance of “Okina”, it is forbidden to enter or leave the highlights. As a participant and witness of the Shinto ritual, the audience also enters the unspeakable realm. It won’t talk too much. I would like you to experience the Ikina- old man on the actual stage.
