Traditional Culture 壱  
   Traditional Japanese culture has Shinto as a base,though it has changed with the times, taking in other religions, but keeping a consistent Japanese-style element and tendency.
 Foreign exchange in the Heian and Edo periods helped to significantly mature  Japan's unique culture.
                 

                                    "Noh"
 Noh, the classic art form recognized around the world, is one branch of "nohgaku" (noh and “kyogen,” a comedic form), appointed in 2001 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. In the Muromachi Period, Kanami and Zeami, father and son, popularized a higher-quality musical composition for noh, leading it to become one of the traditional Japanese arts that the third shogun of the Muromachi shogunate, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (1358~1408), protected.                                                                              

 Starting with a noh stage with its original structure, it may be said that noh is an art combining stylized performance, noh masks, noh costumes, “utai” (chanting), “hayashi” (orchestra) and various other elements.Globally, noh boasts a high popularity and reputation alongside that of kabuki.

 

Kamakura "Takigi Noh"
 A long time ago,  fire was fearsome for people and it was thought of as the body of a god. Because of this, people worshipped fire and made offerings to the gods, beginning the Takigi Noh tradition. Originating in the middle of the Heian Period,  Takigi Noh held in Kofuku-ji Temple in Nara is recognized as a beginning.
 Kamakura Takigi Noh began in 1959, with 2011 the 53rd year. This Takigi Noh has the longest history, after the ones in Nara and Kyoto. It was developed in conformity with an ancient rite on a specially installed stage among the forests of Kamakura-gu Shrine. There is definitely a profound mysteriousness with noh performed as a Shinto ritual on a stage lighted up by a bonfire.

                                                                "Torii" of Kamakura-gu shrine

Opening
 As dusk falls around the precincts of Kamakura-gu Shrine, the noise of the audience stops suddenly. Tsunao Yamai, a noh actor of the Konparu school and executive producer of the event, appeared and explained about the order of the ceremony, programs and the performers.

Tsunao Yamai,executive producer
Photo credit: Kamakura City Tourism Association   
        
 At present, there are 200 to 250 pieces of music used for noh. The music can be divided mainly into five classes. If I classify it by a character, “the present noh” are the dramas which are played from this point forward. It is divided into two by “the dream noh” in which  a dead person plays the key role.   

 I would like to explain the characteristics of the noh stage. It consists of the “honbutai” (a main stage) and “hashigakari” (a bridge-like passageway).The main stage is a square with the passageway at stage right set among the spectators’ seats. These essential characteristics of the noh stage have not changed for more than 600 years. In addition, there are neither special decorations nor other devices except a pine tree drawn on a board installed at the rear of the main stage called the “kagami-ita.” However, there is no “kagami-ita” on the specially installed stage at Kamakura-gu Shrine, with real trees providing the backdrop for the main stage.
 The  “hayashi” (orchestra) consists of  flute (noh pipe),
“kotsuzumi” (small hand drum), “otsuzumi” (hand drum),
and “taiko” (drum), the only four kinds of musical
instruments used for noh. There are songs do not use
some of the drums,but all the music for noh can be
expressed by this combination.

  http://www.the-noh.com/jp/index.html

 

 

 Shubatsu 
 This is a Shinto ritual performed before facing the Shinto deities. A Shinto priest advocates the “haraekotoba” (sentences to express reverence for the gods) to the “"kami” (gods), with attendants preparing “shinsen” (sake, rice, fish and other offerings to the gods) and “tamagushi” (a twig of the “sakaki” tree), along with “shide” (paper streamers) and “yu” (cotton), which the priest presents before the altar. These are all part of the cleansing ritual before the altar to wash away crimes and impurities.

                                    Photo credit: Kamakura City Tourism Association   
Norito 
 “Norito” is a Shinto prayer expressing the will of the veneration. At the Kamakura-gu Shrine, the head priest gives the “norito” in front of the Gods at a main shrine. During worship with the “tamagushi,” the rule is to bow twice and clap twice.   

Shuto-houra
 After the Heian Period, “shuto” lived in large temples and performed the guard duty or administration in the temple rather than study or ascetic practices. They trained in martial arts, and engaged in battles under the name of Buddhism protection, and were called “sohei” (armed priests). “Shuto” blow a conch and declare, “Neither person nor demon may enter a place that is holier than this.”

Photo credit: Kamakura City Tourism Association

Hiire-shiki(lighting ceremony)
 The magistrates receive the sacred fire carried from 
the depths of the main shrine brought by a female
attendant. They light bonfires on both sides of the
stage and the bonfire is kept alive by youths in white clothing.
Both photos credit: Kamakura City Tourism Association

Sengi
This declaration is done by the regular magistrate (the mayor of Kamakura). When he says “Hajimema-sei,” that is the signal to start the Kamakura Takigi Noh.
 

                                           Konparu school "su-utai ":“Okina”
 Noh consists of the three performance elements of “utai” (chanting), “hayashi” (orchestra), “syosa” (movement), but singing without accompaniment and only performing “utai” (chanting) is called “su-utai.” “Senzai,” “Okina” (“shite,” leading player), “jiutai” (a chorus to take charge of the part of “utai”) sit on the stage and sing "Okina" calmly. As for “Okina,” it means old man.

                                                                 
                                                                   Photo credit: Kamakura City Tourism Association

 “Okina” is comprised of three different “mai” (dance), an old one is called "Shiki-sanban" and it’s a ritual music to pray for the entire world to be at peace. The program is played today only at the New Year holidays and at some special celebrations. Originally, on the occasion of the noh performance of the day, the ceremony music  was played first. It has the unique style that is different from other programs in various points and it is described as  “the noh that is not noh."

 「Dou dou tarari tararira・・・」; the old man calls his gods with  
an incomprehensible incantation, putting on a mask to become a god.
After finishing the dance, he takes off the mask and becomes
a person again. It is said that the onomatopoeia of this incantation
is like the sound of a waterfall that cleanses.

Konparu school “shimai “
 The “shite” (leading player) is dressed in a crested “hakama” and does not put on a noh mask or noh costume, and plays the key music of the noh play only with the “jiutai” (chorus) without the “hayashi” (orchestra).

        

 For the dancing there are many “kuse” (dance part in the middle of the music) and “kiri” (the last of the music) parts. Such dances in the form of requiems were performed for the stricken areas affected by the March earthquake disaster. Seemingly, in the slow movement, there is special physical aspect unlike in daily movements. I felt the very strong power and tension and the solemn thoughts to victims.

These three photos credit: Kamakura City Tourism Association

Izumi school "kyogen": “Busu”

 “Kyogen” (noh comedy) does not use a mask except in some exceptional situations and developed mimicry and the clown-like elements from “sarugaku” (medieval noh farce), and realistic expressions are outstanding including in the dialogue. The contents mainly deal with comical satire and stories of failure. This “busu” is a very famous tune in “kyogen.” “Busu” is a poison.

                                                                         
 The master orders servants Taro-kajya and Jiro-kajya to look after and be careful about the deadly poison called “busu.” They are worried about the “busu,” and they can’t help fearfully looking into the tub that contains it. Curious, they lick it and it turns out to be sugar. They eat all of it. As an excuse to the master, they tell him that they have broken important items of the master during his absence, so they ate the "busu"  to kill themselves but still cannot die. The master becomes furiously mad with the servants. The series of events are funnily drawn. Therefore, I enjoyed it very much.

                                       

 Kyogen"Busu"
Taro-kajya: Mansai Nomura,Shite
Jiro-kajya:  Haruo Tsukizaki
                                                                These three photos credit: Kamakura City Tourism Association

Shinsyu-tamawari-no-gi
 In a ceremony to have sake offered to the gods before the altar, this is performed as a cleansing before a program. It is only the regular magistrate and the deputy on the stage, but the noh players participate, too.
Photo credit: Kamakura City Tourism Association

Konparu school noh: "Funa-Benkei"
 The 80th headmaster of the Konparu noh school,
Yasuaki Konparu, plays a “shite” (leading player).
The first half of the dance is elegant; the latter half
is violent with the wielding of the Japanese halberd.
In this program the  effective “hayashi” (orchestra),
“ai” (name for a person in “kyogen” who appears in  
noh) and “waki” (a person drawing the performance
of the leading player) were vivid, and was rich for a change.

                                                                                   Noh "Funa-Benkei"
                                                                               Shizuka-gozen: Yasuaki Konparu,Shite
                                                                                          Photo credit: Kamakura City Tourism Association

 After Heike fell, Yoritomo of the Minamoto clan and his younger brother, Yoshitsune, fled to the Kinki district. Yoshitsune arrived at Daimotsu-no-ura in Settsu (currently a part of the city of Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture). Musashibo Benkei advised Shizuka-Gozen, the mistress of Yoshitsune, to return to the capital. Shizuka-Gozen dances the “Chu-no–Mai” at the farewell party, throws off her “eboshi” (formal headwear), then leaves in tears.

 

Photo credit: Kamakura City Tourism Association

 When Yoshitsune sets sail, the sea is hit by a sudden storm and the ghosts of the ruined Taira clan appears in the waves and, above all, a vindictive spirit of Tomonori of the Taira clan brandishes a Japanese halberd and attacks. When Benkei makes a prayer to Godai-myoo (five Buddhist deities) desperately, by the power of the prayer, the vindictive spirit perishes in the waves.  

                                                                   

                                 Tomonori Taira: Yasuaki Konparu,Shite 

These two pfotos credit: Kamakura City Tourist Association

 The vindictive spirit of Tomonori is totally different from Shizuka-Gozen. Both the situation and the feelings are different, as for the strength of the feeling for Yoshitsune, Shizuka loves him and other Tomonori has hatred, though both feelings are very strong. In addition, I felt that the way the story showed how Benkei was not disturbed by both characters was a good comparison and very interesting.

 The beauty of noh as a traditional entertainment is not only the noh costumes and noh mask or the movements, but also, it is said that the beauty of Japanese words constitute the stories. I am just surprised when I think that such words used 600 years ago have been passed down to today. It might be called a spiritual tradition passed on through the generations. I felt a mysterious sense of elation.

Photo credit: Kamakura City Tourism Association

Kamakura-gu Shrine
 The Emperor Meiji founded the shrine and dedicated it to Morinaga Shinno, first child of the Emperor Godaigo, as an enshrined deity in 1869. The shrine is also called by another name, Otonomiya. Morinaga Shinno was caught in the Kamakura conflict with Ashikaga Takauji, and he was later assassinated. Behind the main shrine are the ruins of the jail where Morinaga Shinno was confined by Ashikaga Takauji’s brother.
                      
Kamakura-gu Shrine 
Address:154,Nikaido,Kamakura,Kanagawa 
Access: From JR or Enoden Kamakura Station,take a Keikyu Bus heading for Otonomiya and get off at the last stop.(10 minutes)
Tel:+81-467-22-0318 
Open : 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. *December  to March until 4:00 p.m.
Free admission(admission fee for treasure house: 300yen)

Kamakura City Tourist Association: http://www.kcn-net.org/kamakura/

 

 Editor’s Note 
  Japanese are often said to be emotionless with a face that is like a noh mask. I found that I enjoyed the program this time, and the noh mask changed into various expressions by the movement of the noh actor and the angle that they put it on. Are noh masks made like that? Or is it strange to get the feeling of the noh actor coming through the noh masks?I still haven’t found the answer…