歌舞伎辞典
kabuki jiten by Tomoko Shimokawa
Kabukijiten
for
English
iOS app "Kabuki Jiten (Kabuki Dictionary)"
I'm Tomoko Shimokawa, the developer.
I love Kabuki, a traditional Japanese performing art.
I made this page because I want people all over the world to know the wonderfulness of Kabuki.
But I don't speak English.
I'm using a translation app.
I'm sorry if my English is wrong.
I would be happy if you could convey the charm of Kabuki as much as possible.
It is still under construction, but will be published.
The contents will be updated from time to time so please look forward to it!
History of Kabuki
Photo: Shijo Ohashi Higashizume, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
When and how did Kabuki start?
A woman named Izumo no Okuni is directly connected to the current Kabuki.
It is said that she was a shrine maiden of Izumo Taisha, but that is not certain either.
She is said to have been born around 1572.
She disappeared after she performed the "Kabuki Dance" at Edo Castle in 1607, and she is known as a mysterious woman who does not know after that.
The flow leading up to the current Kabuki can be thought of as follows.
① Yayako dance
"Yayako" is a baby,
which was originally a dance of a young child.
It seems that Izumo no Okuni was also dancing this.
② Kabuki dance, Nenbutsu dance
1603 ~
The etymology of "Kabuki" is "tilt (ka-bu-ku)".
this means
It means to have a flashy look and performance that is not common sense.
Izumo no Okuni was dancing with such a style.
I also danced the "Nenbutsu Odori", which dances while chanting Nenbutsu.
By the way,
the current Chinese character "歌舞伎 (Kabuki)" is
It is an expression of Chinese characters that has been established since the Meiji era (1868 and later).
It represents the meaning of singing, dancing and acting.
The dance of Izumo no Okuni became popular, and women called "Yūjo" imitated it.
The dance at that time had a very strong striptease element, and it seems that Izumo no Okuni was also doing it flashy.
③ Female Kabuki / Yūjo Kabuki
The actors of the female Kabuki were also "Yūjo", so
In 1629,
it was banned by the Shogunate because it disturbed the morals.
(If Yūjo is translated into English, the meaning will change and it will be misleading, so here we will use the Japanese name as Yūjo.)
④ "Wakashū" Kabuki
Around 1629 ~
The boy was dressed as a woman and played Kabuki,
Around this time, it seems that the color love between men was also flourishing.
After all, it is banned because the morals are disturbed again.
⑤ "Yaro" Kabuki
Around 1653 ~
Next, I thought that it would be forgiven if there was no sex appeal.
"Yaro Kabuki", which is composed of male actors with shaved bangs, has appeared.
The meaning of "Yaro" is close to that of an adult male.
Write "野郎" in Japanese kanji.
It may not be a very elegant word in modern times.
"Yaro Kabuki" played only by this man is the basis of the current Kabuki.
After that, not only dancing
We strengthened the elements of theater.
In "Edo" (currently Tokyo), a flashy and powerful performance called "Aragoto"
In "kamigata" (currently Kansai), there is a moist performance called "Wagoto".
It is thought that each of them developed and changed to the present form.
