Ashiraikan - Ashiraiai

Japanese: アシライ間 - あしらいあい

...Hachiki, Tsuchigumo, etc. In addition to the four types mentioned above, there are the "Kuchiake" intervals in "Tsurukame" and "Kantan" that appear at the beginning of a piece to give a clue for the beginning of the performance, the "Kyo-e" intervals in "Matsukaze" and "Utou" that teach the waki about famous places, and the "Ashirai" intervals in "Ataka" and "Dojoji" that contribute to the development of the plot through interactions with the shite, waki, and tsure. Some Noh pieces have no Ai, and some have more than two types of Ai in the first Noh, such as the "Kyo-e" interval and the "Katari" interval.

From [Ashirai [Bow]]

…(h) A type of Ai (ma). An Ai who plays a major role in a Noh play, such as the temple attendant in “Dojoji” or the attendant of Togashi (Waki) in “Ataka”, is called “Ashirai-ma”. (2) A term used in Nagauta music. …

*Some of the terminology that refers to "Ashirai-kan" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

Japanese:

…《鉢木》《土蜘蛛》など。以上4種のほかに，一曲の最初に出て開演の糸口を与える〈口開（くちあけ）間〉が《鶴亀》《邯鄲》などに，ワキに名所を教える〈教エ間〉が《松風》《善知鳥（うとう）》などに，シテ･ワキ･ツレなどと交渉をもって筋の進展に加わる〈アシライ間〉が《安宅（あたか）》《道成寺》などにある。能の曲目によりアイの出ないものもあり，また，〈教エ間〉と〈語リ間〉というように一番の能に2種以上のアイが出るものもある。…