市川一 族の代 表的演 目の公 演

Palais Garnier, Paris

23 – 30 Mars 2007

勧
進
帳
Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI 1839 - 92 Ichikawa Danjuro IX
as Benkei in Kanjincho

Hiroshige c 1820 Momijigari

口上

紅
葉
狩
スキツ ガル トレ ーボー
51c アパー トー ルス ヒ
ロンド ン
SW2 2SQ
ユナー テド キン ガド ン

020 8674 5786

trevorskingle@hotmail.com

The actors Ichikawa Danjûrô IX and Onoe Kikugorô V playing

the roles of Princess Sarashina and Taira no Koremochi
in the dance-drama "Momijigari" by Kôchôrô Hôsai
 Kanjincho (The Subscription List) While Princess Sarashina is dancing, Koremochi and his
servants fall asleep. When Princess Sarashina finds out that
they have slept while she was dancing she leaves in a fury.

The Mountain God appears and finds the three sleeping men.
He thinks that they might be at risk of being eaten by the
Togakushi mountain witch. Unable to wake them up he
leaves.

Princess Sarashina then changes from a beautiful lady to the

Sadanobu III Kanjincho 1950
Togakushi mountain witch.
Saito Musashibo Benkei: Ichikawa Danjûrô JÛNIDAIME
(XII) (Naritaya) tachiyaku Koremochi wakes up having had a strange dream in which
the Mountain God told him that Princess Sarashina is really a
witch. Koremochi tells his servants to help him to kill the witch
Togashi Saemon: Ichikawa Ebizô XI JÛICHIDAIME (XI) -
but they both run away leaving Koremochi to subdue the witch
(Naritaya) tachiyaku
on his own.
Minamoto Yoshitsune: Ichikawa Kamejirô NIDAIME (II)
Using his miracle sword Koremochi pursues the witch who,
(Omodakaya) onnagata
losing her power, is trapped in a tree.
Yamabushi: Kame, Kataoka, Suruga and Hitachibo

Nagauta - Literally "long song"

Kanjinchô - A subscription list
Kabuki Jûhachiban - A collection of 18 plays of the Ichikawa
Danjûrô line of actors, selected by Ichikawa Ebizô V in 1840
as the most representative plays in aragoto style
Tobi roppoh - An exaggerated movement. An actor springs or
leaps across the stage or Hanamichi, while vigorously moving
his arms and legs in all directions.
Matsubamemono - Nô drama or Kyôgen (Nô farce) adapted to
Kabuki, using a giant pine tree backdrop (matsubame in
Japanese) as the main stage setting.

The opening music, katashargiri, is always played at the start

of a play of Noh origin. The introductory vocal, ozatsuma - a

(Onizoroe) Momijigari (Contemplating Maples) 紅葉狩
Sarashina (Witch of Togakushi) - Ichikawa Ebizô
JÛICHIDAIME (XI) - (Naritaya) tachiyaku
Taira no Koremochi - Ichikawa Danjûrô JÛNIDAIME (XII)
(Naritaya) tachiyaku
Ugenta and Sagenta
Shosagoto – dance drama
Nagauta - Nagauta (Literally "long song")
Tokiwazu - One style of narrative music
Gidayû - A style of musical narration in the puppet theatre
Matsubamemono - Nô drama or Kyôgen (Nô farce) adapted to
Kabuki, using a giant pine tree backdrop (matsubame in
Japanese) as the main stage setting
Momiji - The maple leaves in Autumn
Shin Kabuki Jûhachiban - A collection of 32 favourite plays
selected by Ichikawa Danjûrô IX
This scene is autumn in Togakushi mountain. Taira no
Koremochi arrives to view the maple trees with his two
servants, Ugenta and Sagenta, to find other visitors and
Ugenta ask who they are. A lady-in-waiting answers that her
mistress, a noblewoman, is there secretly. Ugenta tells her
Koremochi’s name but she doesn't tell him the name of her
mistress. Ugenta tells Koremochi who expresses interest but
doesn’t pursue the matter. Then a lady-in-waiting invites
Koremochi to enjoy the maple tree viewing together with her
mistress, who knows who Koremochi is. Princess Sarashina,
a very beautiful woman, appears on the stage with her ladies-
in-waiting and offers sake to Koremochi. Koremochi is
delighted and proceeds to enjoy the sake and the dancing of
Princess Sarashina’s ladies-in-waiting. Koremochi says that
he would like to see Princess Sarashina dance and she
obliges him.
form of heroic recital, sets the scene telling of the state of
affairs between Minamoto Yoritomo and Minamoto Yoshitsune
and the journey Yoshitsune is making with his loyal retainers,
mountain priests, or yamabushi, who are collectively referred
to as shite. They are escaping from Yoritomo accompanied by
Saito Musashibo Benkei, a heroic yamabushi of immense
stature and Yoshitsune’s most loyal retainer.
It is the Ataka barrier in Ishikawa Prefecture. Togashi Saemon,
an intelligent, well-educated aristocrat, appears accompanied
by his men and explains that he is the guardian of the barrier
and enjoins his men to be vigilant in their attempt to intercept
Minamoto Yoshitsune and his party, who are believed to be
fleeing north disguised as wandering priests.
Yoshitsune enters, followed by four retainers. He is dressed
as a porter with a wide straw hat and carries a load on his
back. When the party arrives at the barrier Benkei, an ex-
priest, announces to the guards that they are priests wishing
to pass the barrier. He tells them that they have been sent to
collect funds for the restoration of Tôdaiji Temple at Nara, and
are touring the northern districts. But Togashi and his soldiers
refuse to allow them to continue unless they can prove they
are genuine priests. Since they claim to be collecting funds
Togashi asks Benkei if he has a kanjinchô, or list of
contributors. Benkei is rather taken aback by this request.
Benkei's momentary confusion confirms Togashi's suspicions.
Benkei, of course, has no kanjinchô but he goes to the back of
the stage and returns with a blank scroll, which he unwinds
and begins reading aloud. Togashi deliberately advances
towards him and suddenly starts forward and glances at the
scroll. Benkei realizes that Togashi has seen that there is
nothing written on it and although Togashi says nothing he
knows for certain now that the scroll is a fake. Nevertheless
he appreciates Benkei's courageous ingenuity and is
prepared to let him go on with the deception. Togashi asks

Benkei about the costume and equipment of a priest and the

meaning of some difficult Buddhist terms. Benkei answers all
these questions correctly. Togashi is very impressed by
Benkei's display of knowledge, and says there is no longer
any suspicion. He thanks Benkei for having given him the
chance to come into contact with Buddhism and asks to make
his own offering to the fund. However just as Benkei's party is
about to go through the barrier one of Togashi's soldiers calls
his attention to the porter in the rear, saying the porter
resembles Yoshitsune. Togashi can't ignore this. Benkei vainly
tries to prove that the porter is not Yoshitsune. Benkei then
pretends to be angry and severely beats Yoshitsune, declaring
that, if he is suspect, Togashi is welcome to detain him.
Togashi is sure that the porter is Yoshitsune yet as he watches
Benkei beat his master he is deeply moved by Benkei’s
predicament; the conflict between his loyalty to Yoshitsune
and the need to succeed in their deception. When Benkei
offers, if necessary, to beat the porter to death Togashi begs
him to restrain himself.
Kojo (Spring Ritual)
口上
Formal stage announcement – Kojo, or Spring Ritual, are
announcements from the stage, showing the close
relationship between the actors and the audience in kabuki.
When the occasion is especially important, like the taking of a
distinguished acting name, or commemorating the death of a
great actor, the announcement becomes a separate act. The
top members of the company assemble in formal costume to
offer their congratulations and the audience is always
delighted by this blend of kabuki style and glimpses of the
private lives of their favourite actors

The crisis over, Benkei's party goes on with their journey.
Once out of sight, Yoshitsune thanks Benkei for saving his life
and the retainers extol Benkei's courage and resourcefulness.
Benkei, however, apologizes for beating his master. He says
he would rather die than beat his master, on whom he sets a
higher value than his own life. Finally, for the first time in his
life, Benkei bursts into tears. Benkei leaves the stage by the
hanamichi with his "Tobi roppoh (flying walk)"
Kabuki Jûhachiban - A collection of 18 plays of the Ichikawa
Danjûrô line of actors, selected by Ichikawa Ebizô V in 1840
as the most representative plays in aragoto style
Shin Kabuki Jûhachiban - A collection of 32 favourite plays
selected by Ichikawa Danjûrô IX