Kakubei Lion

Lion dance is an acrobatics performed by boys and girls. In the Showa era, it became a local performing art of Tsukigata Village, Nishikanbara County, Niigata Prefecture (now Minami Ward, Niigata City), but originally it was a street performing art. A master would travel around the country all year round with several lion cubs, and would return to the village on June 25th to make an offering at the Jizo Festival in Tsukigata Village. Only the master was registered in Tsukigata or nearby, and the lion cubs were orphans and other adopted children from other places. The costume includes a small red lion's head, a kimono with long sleeves and a sash, a breastplate with a swastika crest, hakama, white gloves, wooden clogs, and a hip drum on the stomach. The performances include one-person performances such as the golden shachihoko, crab crawling, lion's chrysanthemum, and waterwheel on the banks of the Yodo River, as well as paired performances such as the shoulder tower, the river crossing of the Oi River, and horse riding with a Chinese doll. There are several stories about its origin, including that it was taught by Mito ronin Kakubei, but its existence can be traced back to the Horeki period (1751-1764). It is also called Echigo Lion, Kambara Lion, or Tsukigata Lion. It adorned Edo customs and became the subject of jiuta, Tomimotobushi, Nagauta dance drama, and geza music.

[Masahiro Nishikado]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

少年少女たちの演ずる軽業(かるわざ)の獅子舞。昭和に入ってからは新潟県西蒲原(にしかんばら)郡月潟(つきがた)村（現、新潟市南区）の郷土芸能となったが、もとは門付(かどづけ)の巷間(こうかん)芸能であった。親方が数名の獅子の児(こ)を連れて一年中諸国を巡って歩き、6月25日の月潟村の地蔵祭には帰村して奉納した。親方だけが月潟または近隣に籍を置き、獅子の児は他所(よそ)の孤児などもらい子だった。扮装(ふんそう)は、小さな赤い獅子頭(がしら)を頭に頂き、筒袖(つつそで)の着物に襷(たすき)を掛け、卍(まんじ)紋の入った胸当てをし、裁着袴(たっつけばかま)をはき、白い手甲をつけ、日和下駄(ひよりげた)を履いて、腹に腰鼓をつける。芸には、金の鯱(しゃちほこ)、蟹(かに)の横這(よこば)い、獅子の乱菊、淀(よど)の川瀬の水車などの一人芸と、二人一組芸の肩櫓(かたやぐら)、大井川の川越(かわごし)、唐子(からこ)人形の御馬乗りなどがある。由来譚(たん)は水戸浪人角兵衛の伝授など数種あるが、その存在が宝暦(ほうれき)期（1751～64）まではさかのぼれる。越後(えちご)獅子、蒲原獅子、月潟の獅子ともいう。江戸風俗を飾り、地歌、富本節(とみもとぶし)、長唄(ながうた)舞踊劇、下座(げざ)音楽などの題材となった。

［西角井正大］

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