Otogishuu

A position held in the late Muromachi to early Edo periods. They served their lord by his side and performed storytelling day and night. As their main role as storytellers was to listen to their lord's stories, they were also called the Otogoshu, and in the Edo period they were also called the Danpan or Anzai shu. They were first seen in the Ouchiji Jitsuroku (Chronicles of the Ouchi Clan) from Suo during the Tenbun era (1532-1555). They were popular among many feudal lords during the Warring States period, including the Takeda, Mori, Gohojo, Oda, and Tokugawa clans, but the one who employed them the most was Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who employed over 30 people including Tomita Tomonobu and Omura Yuko. In addition to special skills, Otogishu were required to have a wide range of experience, a wide range of knowledge, and good speaking skills, as they were required to discuss military affairs and politics, so they were often elderly ronin who knew a lot about historical facts and the past. During the Edo period, young boys were gradually used as playmates for the young lord.

[Masaki Kubota]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

室町末～江戸初期の役職の一つ。主君の側(そば)に侍し、日夜の御伽を勤めた。御伽の主用が主君の咄(はなし)相手でもあったので御咄衆ともいわれ、江戸時代になると談判(だんぱん)、または安西(あんざい)衆ともいわれた。天文(てんぶん)年間（1532～55）の周防(すおう)の『大内氏実録』にみえるのが初見。武田、毛利、後北条(ごほうじょう)、織田、徳川氏など広く戦国大名間で流行したが、もっとも多く召し抱えていたのは豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉で、富田知信(とみたとものぶ)、大村由己(ゆうこ)ほか三十数名とされる。御伽衆は、特殊な技術のほか、武辺談や政談の必要から、相応の豊富な体験や博学多識、話術の巧みさが要請されたため、故実や昔のことをよく知っている年老いた浪人が起用されることが多かった。江戸期にはしだいに少年が起用されるようになり、若殿の遊び相手となっていった。

［久保田昌希］

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