Face showing - face showing

One of the annual events of Kabuki. In the Edo period, it was the name of the performances that were held from November 1st to December 10th every year. It was also called "Tsuramise" in the old days, and began around the Manji and Kanbun eras (1658-73). In the Edo period, impresarios employed actors for one year, from November to October of the following year. In November, each theater performed for the first time with the members of the new year, and it was literally an opportunity to show the audience the new theater troupe. Kyogen writers were also replaced at the same time. However, there were also writers and actors who continued to belong to the same theater, called "chounen" or "inari". The new theater troupe was announced by the "Kaomise Ranking". Kaomise was highly valued as the most important event in the theater world, equivalent to New Year's Day. Inside, preparations began early according to custom, and various ceremonies were held. The front of the theater was decorated with various large and small signs, paper lanterns, and other props, and items such as sake barrels, rice sacks, and steamers that had been gifts from patrons were piled high. The teahouses also decorated their roofs with elaborate props, adding to the festive atmosphere. Kaomise was a festival that involved the entire theater town.

The kyogen performed at the Kaomise performance was called "Kaomise Kyogen" and was created by following various rules. In the Edo period, the kyogen performed each day was divided into two parts, the first being a jidaimono and the second a sewamono. These two were treated in the same "world" and the plots had to be connected. The first part always included a "Shibaraku" or "Danmari" scene and a dance drama, and the second prologue was a snowy comedy scene. At the end, the name of the role in the jidaimono story was revealed and it ended with a large pose in the style of the period. Kaomise Kyogen in Kamigata was set to three acts, and was a fairy tale-like storyline that intertwined with revenge and family strife, and there was no dance drama. In both Edo and Kamigata, the story development was scattered as the highlight was the main focus, and it was created with the aim of fully demonstrating the characteristics and art of each actor. The actor review book, published every New Year, focuses on the roles each actor plays in the Kaomise Kyogen plays.

Kaomise performances were held throughout the Edo period, but due to personal circumstances of actors and problems with theater management, the principle of employing actors collapsed at the end of the Edo period, and with that, Kaomise lost its substance. Currently, as a matter of entertainment policy, gorgeous special performances called Kaomise Performances are held once a year at the Minamiza in Kyoto, the Kabukiza in Tokyo, and the Misonoza in Nagoya.

[Yukio Hattori]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

歌舞伎(かぶき)年中行事の一つ。江戸時代には、毎年11月1日から12月10日ごろまで行われた興行の称。古くは「面見世(つらみせ)」ともいい、万治(まんじ)・寛文(かんぶん)（1658～73）ごろから始まった。江戸時代、興行主が俳優を雇用する契約期間は1年で、11月から翌年10月までと定めていた。11月は各座とも初めて新年度のメンバーで興行し、文字どおり観客に新しい座組を見せる機会であった。狂言作者も同時に入れ替わる。もっとも、「重年(ちょうねん)」「居(い)なり」といって、引き続いて同じ座に所属する作者、俳優もあった。新座組は「顔見世番付」によって公表される。顔見世は、芝居社会では正月に相当するもっとも重要な行事として重んじられた。内部では慣習に基づいて早くから準備にとりかかり、さまざまの儀式を行った。また、劇場の正面には大小さまざまな看板、提灯(ちょうちん)、作り物などを飾り、ひいきから贈られた酒樽(さかだる)、米俵、蒸籠(せいろう)などの積物(つみもの)を高く積み上げた。芝居茶屋も、屋根の庇(ひさし)の上に趣向を凝らした作り物を飾り、華やかな雰囲気を盛り上げた。顔見世は芝居町全体をあげてのお祭りであった。

　顔見世の興行に上演する狂言を「顔見世狂言」と名づけ、いろいろの約束を守って創作された。江戸の例で記すと、1日の狂言を一番目と二番目に分け、一番目を時代物、二番目を世話物とする。この両者は同じ「世界」のなかで扱い、筋も連絡がなければならない。一番目にはかならず「暫(しばらく)」か「だんまり」、舞踊劇の場面が含まれ、二番目の序幕は雪降りの世話場であることが原則であった。最後に、時代物の筋における役名を現し、時代様式の大見得(おおみえ)で終わる。上方(かみがた)の顔見世狂言は3幕と定められ、おとぎ話的な筋に仇討(あだうち)や御家騒動を絡ませたもので、舞踊劇はなかった。江戸・上方とも総体に見せ場中心につくられるため筋の展開は散漫で、それぞれの役者の持ち味や芸を十分に発揮させることを目的にして制作されたものである。毎年正月に出版された役者評判記は、顔見世狂言でのそれぞれの持ち役を中心に評判してある。

　顔見世は江戸時代を通じて行われたが、俳優の個人的事情や劇場経営上の問題から、幕末には俳優の雇用原則が崩れ、それに伴って顔見世もその実質を失った。現在では興行政策の面から、京都・南座、東京・歌舞伎座、名古屋・御園(みその)座で毎年1回顔見世興行と銘打ち、華やかな特別興行が行われている。

［服部幸雄］

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