Ihara Saikaku

Japanese: 井原西鶴 - いはらさいかく

A haiku poet and ukiyo-zoshi author from the early Edo period. Born into a wealthy merchant family in Osaka, his real name is said to be Hirayama Togo.

[Akira Asano]

The Appearance of the Haiku Master Saikaku

Saikaku became independent as a haiku poet in 1662 (Kanbun 2) at the age of 21. As a disciple of Nishiyama Soin and a brilliant scholar of Danrin haiku, Saikaku was known for his "crazy, light-hearted" haiku, as he wrote in the preface to his first anthology, "Ikudama Manku" (1673). He later expanded his free-spirited world of haiku, which he called the "Dutch style," and during the Enpo era (1673-1681), he founded the "Yakazu Haikai" (a haiku performance in which participants competed to write the most verses in a day, imitating the number of large arrows used in archery), attracting public attention. In May 1877 (Enpo 5), he recited 1,600 haiku by himself, and in May 1880, he recited 4,000 haiku by himself, and published it the following year under the title "Saikaku Daiyasu." In the preface, he declared, "I have already begun to practice the form of haiku based on freedom." During this time, in April 1875, at the age of 34, he lost his wife and experienced family misfortune with three young children. Saikaku's fierce self-assertion, using rapid recitation and folk poetry as weapons, led to his position as the leader of a new group of haiku lovers. In a letter dated June 20, 1880 to Shimozato Kanshu, he wrote, "Recently, Master Nishiyama Soin has announced to the world the nature of the first haiku of the previous generation in Japan, and this is my time to do so," advertising his position. This group had close ties to the world of Kabuki and Joruri theatre, as well as to pleasure quarter society, and gradually grew into a huge force. This prompted the birth of the ukiyo-zoshi writer Saikaku.

[Akira Asano]

The Emergence of "Amorous Man"

In October 1682 (Tenwa 2), eight volumes of "Amorous Life of a Man" were published by a completely unknown publisher named Magobei Kashin of Shianbashi Aratoya, Osaka. With its innovative concept and expression, it became a monumental work that heralded the beginning of the Ukiyo-zoshi era in literary history. Saikaku was 41 years old at the time. This work was published in three Kamigata versions and three Edo versions with illustrations by Hishikawa Moronobu, and was also circulated as a picture book by Moronobu, gaining many readers throughout the country and around the country.

[Akira Asano]

The Birth of the Novelist Saikaku

The success of "Ichidai Otoko" gave Saikaku confidence and courage, and he published his second work, "Shoen Ookagami" (Amorous Two-generation Man), in eight volumes, in 1684 (Jokyo 1) through the Osaka commercial bookshop Ikeda-ya. He entered the world of publishing journalism himself and set out on the path of a professional commercial writer. Around this time, Nishiyama Soin, the head of Danrin Haikai, had already passed away (in March 1682), and Saikaku's distrust and despair towards haikai gradually intensified. On June 5, 1684, he staged an extraordinary event in the grounds of Sumiyoshi Shrine in Osaka, where he recited 23,500 verses in one day and one night, starting with the opening verse "With divine power and sincerity, the great arrow number that holds the root of life." The following year, he turned away from pleasure-town society and sought material for his novels from the streets and towns, publishing five volumes of "Saikaku Shokokubanashi," a collection of tales and anecdotes from various provinces, through Ikedaya. Inspired by the popularity of kabuki plays at the time, he then published "The Tale of Wankyu Issei," a work based on a famous real-life figure. In these works, Saikaku made full use of his innate storytelling techniques and finally discovered the pathos and bravery of people who, despite being tossed about by unfavorable fate, lived single-mindedly as a fictional theme. During this period, Saikaku also became deeply involved in the theatrical worlds of kabuki and joruri. In the New Year of 83 (Tenwa 3), he published the actor review journal "Naniwa no Kao wa Ise no Oshiroi" (The Face of Naniwa is the Face of Ise), and in 85 (Jokyo 2), he created new joruri pieces "Koyomi" and "Gaijin Yashima" for his long-time favorite, Kaga no Jo of Uji. These two pieces were performed in competition with "Kenjo no Tenarai and Shinreki" and "Shusse Kagekiyo," which were written by Chikamatsu Monzaemon for the up-and-coming Takemoto Gidayu, and are famous for causing a groundbreaking event in the history of joruri.

[Akira Asano]

Popular author Saikaku

In the following year, 1686 (the 3rd year of the Jōkyō era), in February, Morita Shōtarō published Koshoku Gonin Onna (Five Lovers), and in June, Ikeda-ya published Koshoku Ichidai Onna (A Woman Who Lives in Love), marking the beginning of a period of full-scale development for Saikaku's Ukiyo-zōshi. In the former, he brilliantly succeeded in giving form to a well-known tale of tragic love in a tense, theatrical scene, while in the latter, he used the concept of the "penance story" (a tale of repentance) that had been around since the days of kana zōshi to depict the ups and downs of a woman's life, showing a profound insight into life that offers a glimpse into its depths. From this point on, a diverse range of works appeared one after another. These works include "Twenty Unfilial Faithful Men of Japan" (November 1686), "A Catalogue of Male Sexuality" (January 1687), "The Pocket Inkstone" (March 1687), "The Introduction of Martial Arts" (April 1687), "The Eternal Storehouse of Japan" (January 1688), "Tales of the Samurai Code" (February 1688), "Tales of the Impermanence of Storms" (March 1688), "The Households of Three Red Light Districts" (June 1688), "New Comedy" (November 1688), "The Rise and Fall of Amorous Sex" (mid-1688), "Hitometamaboko" (January 1689), and "Ouinhiji" (January 1689). This proliferation of themes led to a prolific output, and this was the result of Saikaku becoming a popular author and becoming the focus of commercial publishing, and writing in an elaborate style in response to requests from bookshops. It can be assumed that Saikaku the writer was surrounded by informants from all over the country, and that he also had helpers who were involved in his creative activities. In Saikaku's studio, the editor Saikaku's new talent was on full display. In his diverse works, the novelistic themes directed at the ever-changing fate of human beings and the public's hearts and minds, torn between good and evil, show further deepening.

[Akira Asano]

The World of Town Figures

In the New Year of 1688 (Genroku 1), the first work by a townsman, "Nihon Eitaigura" (Nihon Eitaigura), in six volumes, was published jointly by the Santo Shorin Publishing Company, Morita Shōtarō in Osaka, Kanaya Chōbei in Kyoto, and Nishimura Baifuken in Edo. This work, which depicts the light and dark of the economic society faced by Genroku townsmen and the changing fates of the common people living there, became a best-seller and gained a wide readership nationwide. It was planned to be followed by "Jinninki" (Jinninki), in eight volumes, but this was left unfinished and it is believed that most of it was absorbed into the posthumous collection of manuscripts "Saikaku Oridome" (1694). The collections of his posthumous writings, "Saikaku Zoku Tsuredure" (1695), "Yorozu no Fumihogu" (1696), and "Saikaku Nagori no Tomo" (1699), which were compiled by his disciple Hojo Dansui, are also thought to have been written around this time. After the spring of 1689, his production of Ukiyo-zoshi suddenly declined, and he showed a noticeable movement to return to haiku, which he had once abandoned, and his haiku style even seemed to have a calm and composed feel. Around this time, he seems to have suffered from eye disease and other health problems, but in January 1692, the last town poet published during his lifetime, "Sekenmune Sanyo" (5 volumes), was published by Itamiya Taroemon in Osaka, Uemura Heizaemon in Kyoto, and Yorozuya Seibei in Edo. Focusing on the 24 hours of New Year's Eve, the collection contains 20 stories depicting the joys and sorrows of townspeople's lives, but the moral teachings and tendencies towards social advancement are absent, and instead the stark realities of townspeople's lives are told in a skillful, storytelling style. The works include those reminiscent of modern realist novels, and one can point out the strong spirit of the author, who sees the hopeless real life as "pitiful yet amusing" (Volume 5, "Lord Heitaro"). Therein lies the depth of human contemplation that the writer Saikaku reached, and an original world that is unmatched by any other has emerged.

[Akira Asano]

The End of Saikaku

On August 10, 1693 (6th year of Genroku), he left behind the death poem "Fifty years is the end of a human life, but even that is too much for me, I have overlooked the moon of this world for the last two years," and died at the age of 52 in a thatched hut in Suzuyacho, near Tanimachi 3-chome, Chuo-ku, Osaka. The manuscript of his last work was edited by Hojo Dansui and published in the winter of that year under the title "Saikaku's Okimiyage," and its 15 chapters, which depict men who have fallen into poverty as a result of courtesans, are a fitting tribute to Saikaku's final work, which began with "Koshoku Ichidai Otoko." His works depict the poignant beauty of the emotions shown by people who have fallen into the depths of despair, such as the protagonist of "Hito ni wa tsurai na ni omote ni wa ... Saikaku, who continued to show boundless affection for the various aspects of the ever-changing human world, had a clear view of the truth of life, and this is the true value that can withstand criticism from later generations. His gravestone, engraved with the four characters "Senkou Saikaku," was built by his surviving brothers, Hojo Dansui and Shimoyama Kakuhei, at his family temple, Bodaiji Seiganji, 4-chome, Uehonmachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka.

[Akira Asano]

Saikaku and Modern Literature

Saikaku's literature continues to have a variety of influences on modern writers. Ozaki Koyo's "Kyaramaku" (1870) and Koda Rohan's "Ihara Saikaku" (1870) are examples of works that highly praise Saikaku's style and ingenuity, and his influence is remarkable. Higuchi Ichiyo also made use of Saikaku's style in her works "Otsugomori" (1894) and "Takekurabe" (1895). During the period of naturalist literature, an understanding of Saikaku developed that was guided by the theory of Western realism. These include Katai Tayama's Ink Pot (1909) and Hakucho Masamune's About the Classics (1927), but Mayama Seika was particularly devoted to Saikaku, eventually producing a full-scale study such as A Study of Saikaku's Vocabulary (1948). Other examples include Rintaro Takeda's Ihara Saikaku (1937), Sakunosuke Oda's New Theory of Saikaku (1942), and Osamu Dazai's New Interpretation of Stories from Various Provinces (1945), and Junnosuke Yoshiyuki's ambitious modern translations have also been much talked about.

[Akira Asano]

Saikaku: Criticism and Research, Volumes 1 and 2, by Terunobu Yasutaka (1948, 1950, Chuokoron-Shinsha) ▽ Saikaku's Chronological Research, by Noma Mitsutatsu (1952, Chuokoron-Shinsha) ▽ Saikaku Monogatari, edited by Asano Akira and Taniwaki Masashi (1978, Yuhikaku) ▽ The Complete Works of Saikaku, Definitive Edition, 14 volumes, 15 books, edited by Inbara Taizo, Terunobu Yasutaka, and Noma Mitsutatsu (1949-1975, Chuokoron-Shinsha) ▽ The Complete Works of Japanese Classical Literature, Volumes 47 and 48, edited by Noma Mitsutatsu and others (1957, 1960, Iwanami Shoten) ▽ The Complete Works of Japanese Classical Literature, Volumes 38-40, Ihara Saikaku Collection, edited and translated by Terunobu Yasutaka and others (1971-1973, Shogakukan) ▽ "Tenri Library, ed. "Saikaku (Pictorial Book)" (1965, Tenri Library)"

"The Life of an Amorous Man"
Volume 8, by Ihara Saikaku, Kamigata edition, post-published in 1682 (Tenwa 2), owned by the National Diet Library

"The Life of an Amorous Man"

"Eitaigura of Japan"
Volume 5 by Ihara Saikaku, published in 1688 (Jokyo 5), held at the National Diet Library

"Eitaigura of Japan"

"Public Calculations"
Volume 1, by Ihara Saikaku, published in 1692 (5th year of Genroku), held at the National Diet Library

"Public Calculations"

"Souvenirs from Saikaku"
Volume 1: Written by Ihara Saikaku, edited by Hojo Dansui, 1693 (6th year of Genroku), Preface, National Diet Library

"Souvenirs from Saikaku"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

江戸前期の俳諧(はいかい)師、浮世草子作者。大坂の富裕な商家に生まれ、本名は平山藤五(ひらやまとうご)と伝える。

［浅野　晃］

俳諧師西鶴の登場

西鶴が俳諧師として独立したのは1662年（寛文2）21歳のことである。西山宗因(そういん)門下の談林俳諧の俊秀としての西鶴の特徴は、処女撰集(せんしゅう)『生玉万句(いくだままんく)』（1673）の序に記すように、「狂句、かる口」の句作であった。その後、「阿蘭陀(おらんだ)流」と称された自由奔放な俳諧的世界を拡大化して、延宝(えんぽう)年間（1673～81）、矢数(やかず)俳諧（弓術の大矢数をまねて、1日の間につくった句数の多さを競う俳諧興行）を創始して世間の注目を集める。77年（延宝5）5月に、1600句を独吟し、ついで80年5月には4000句を独吟、翌年『西鶴大矢数』と題して刊行した。その序に「自由にもとづく誹諧の姿を我仕はじめし已来也(このかたなり)」と宣言している。この間、75年4月、34歳のとき妻を失い、3人の幼児を抱える家庭的な不幸を経験する。速吟と風俗詩を武器とする西鶴の激しい自己主張は、新しい俳諧愛好者集団の統率者としての立場を生む。80年6月20日付けの下里勘州(しもざとかんしゅう)あての書簡に「今度西山宗因先師より、日本第一前代之俳諧の性と世上に申わたし、さてさてめいぼく此度(このたび)也」と書き、自らの立場を宣伝している。この集団は、歌舞伎(かぶき)、浄瑠璃(じょうるり)の演劇の世界、また遊里社会とも密接な関係をもち、しだいに巨大な勢力に成長する。これが浮世草子作家西鶴の誕生を促すのである。

［浅野　晃］

『好色一代男』の出現

1682年（天和2）10月、大坂・思案橋荒砥屋(しあんばしあらとや)孫兵衛可心というまったく無名の人物を版元として世に出た『好色一代男』8冊は、その斬新(ざんしん)な構想と表現とによって、文学史上浮世草子時代の開幕を告げる記念碑的作品となった。ときに西鶴41歳。この作品は、上方(かみがた)版3種、菱川師宣(ひしかわもろのぶ)の挿絵入りの江戸版3種の刊行、また師宣の絵本としても流布し、上下都鄙(とひ)にわたって多くの読者を獲得した。

［浅野　晃］

小説家西鶴の誕生

『一代男』の盛況は西鶴に自信と勇気を与え、第二作『諸艶大鑑(しょえんおおかがみ)（好色二代男）』8冊を、1684年（貞享1）大坂の商業書肆(しょし)池田屋から刊行し、自ら出版ジャーナリズムの渦中に入り、職業的な商業作家としての道を歩むことになる。このころ、談林俳諧の総帥西山宗因すでに亡く（1682年3月没）、俳諧に対する不信と絶望は西鶴の胸中にしだいに激しくなる。大坂・住吉神社の境内で、「神力誠を以(もって)息の根留(とむ)る大矢数」を発句とする、一日一夜2万3500句独吟興行という破天荒の事件を起こしたのは、84年6月5日のことであった。翌年には、小説の題材を遊里社会から一転して広く市井巷間(こうかん)に求め、諸国の珍譚(たん)奇譚集『西鶴諸国ばなし』5巻を池田屋から刊行し、続いて、当時評判の歌舞伎劇に刺激されて、実在の有名な人物をモデルとした『椀久一世(わんきゅういっせい)の物語』を発表する。これらの作品において、西鶴は生得の話芸的方法を駆使しつつ、ようやく小説的な主題として、傾斜する運命に翻弄(ほんろう)されながらもひたむきに生きる人間たちの哀れさやけなげさを発見してくるのである。この時期、西鶴は歌舞伎や浄瑠璃の演劇界へも深入りをみせる。83年（天和3）正月、役者評判記『難波(なにわ)の㒵(かお)は伊勢(いせ)の白粉(おしろい)』を刊行し、85年（貞享2）には、かねて贔屓(ひいき)の宇治加賀掾(かがのじょう)のために浄瑠璃『暦(こよみ)』『凱陣八嶋(がいじんやしま)』を新作する。この二つの作品は、近松門左衛門が新進の竹本義太夫(ぎだゆう)のために書いた『賢女(けんじょ)の手習并(ならびに)新暦』『出世景清』と競演になり、浄瑠璃史上画期的な事件を引き起こしたことで有名である。

［浅野　晃］

流行作家西鶴

翌1686年（貞享3）に入ると、2月には大坂・森田庄太郎より『好色五人女』、6月には池田屋から『好色一代女』を刊行し、西鶴浮世草子は本格的な展開の時期を迎える。前者では、巷間で著名な悲恋物語を演劇的な緊張した場面のなかでみごとに形象化することに成功し、後者では、仮名草子以来の「懺悔物(さんげもの)」の構想を利用して1人の女性の流転の生涯を描き上げ、人生の深淵をのぞかせる人生観照の深さを示している。これ以後、多彩な作品群が続々と出現する。『本朝二十不孝』（1686.11）、『男色大鑑(なんしょくおおかがみ)』（1687.1）、『懐硯(ふところすずり)』（1687.3）、『武道伝来記』（1687.4）、『日本永代蔵(にっぽんえいたいぐら)』（1688.1）、『武家義理物語』（1688.2）、『嵐無常物語(あらしはむじょうのものがたり)』（1688.3）、『色里三所世帯(いろざとみところしょたい)』（1688.6）、『新可笑記』（1688.11）、『好色盛衰記』（1688年中）、『一目玉鉾(ひとめたまぼこ)』（1689.1）、『本朝桜陰比事(おういんひじ)』（1689.1）の諸作である。こうした題材の拡散による多作現象は、西鶴が流行作家として商業出版界の焦点となり、書肆の求めに応じて趣向を凝らして執筆した結果である。作家西鶴の周囲には、全国各地の情報提供者の存在、さらには創作活動に立ち入った助力者の介在も推定できる。西鶴工房において、編集者西鶴の新しい才能が発揮されているのである。多彩な作品群において、転変きわまりない人間の運命と、善悪二途に揺れ動く世の人心に向けられた小説的主題はいっそうの深化を示してくる。

［浅野　晃］

町人物の世界

1688年（元禄1）正月、町人物の第一作『日本永代蔵』6巻が、大坂・森田庄太郎、京都・金屋長兵衛、江戸・西村梅風軒と三都書林連名で出版される。元禄(げんろく)町人が直面した経済社会の光と影、そこに生きる町人大衆の転変たる運命を描いたこの作品は、ベストセラーとして全国的に広範な読者層を獲得することになる。続いて『甚忍記(じんにんき)』全8冊を刊行する予定であったが、これは未定稿として残され、遺稿集『西鶴織留(おりどめ)』（1694）にその大部分が吸収されたものと推定される。門人北条団水(だんすい)によって整理された遺稿集『西鶴俗つれづれ』（1695）、『万(よろず)の文反古(ふみほうぐ)』（1696）、『西鶴名残(なごり)の友』（1699）の諸編もまたこの前後に執筆されたものと思われる。89年春以降、浮世草子の制作は急に衰えをみせ、一度は捨て去った俳諧へ復帰する動きが目だち、その俳風も淡々とした落ち着きさえ感じられる。このころ、眼病その他健康上の障害に悩んだようだが、92年正月、生前刊行された最後の町人物『世間胸算用(せけんむねさんよう)』5巻が、大坂・伊丹屋太郎右衛門(いたみやたろうえもん)、京都・上村(うえむら)平左衛門、江戸・万屋(よろずや)清兵衛から刊行される。大晦日(おおみそか)の24時間に焦点をあわせて、町人生活の悲喜こもごもの姿を描いた20編を収めているが、そこには立身出世を説く教訓や談理の傾向は影を潜め、赤裸々な町人生活の現実が巧みな話芸的方法にのって語り出されている。近代のリアリズム小説を思わせる作品を含み、絶望的な現実生活を「哀れにも又おかし」（巻5「平太郎殿(へいたろうどの)」）と見つめる強靭(きょうじん)な作家精神を指摘することができる。そこに作家西鶴が到達した人間観照の深さがあり、他の追随を許さない独自の世界が出現している。

［浅野　晃］

西鶴の最期

1693年（元禄6）8月10日、辞世の句「人間五十年の究(きはま)り、それさへ我にはあまりたるにましてや　浮世の月見過しにけり末二年」を残して、大阪市中央区谷町3丁目にほど近い錫屋(すずや)町の草庵(そうあん)で、52歳の生涯を終える。絶筆となった草稿を北条団水が編集し、『西鶴置土産(おきみやげ)』と題してこの年の冬追善出版するが、遊女遊びの果てに零落した男たちを描いた15章は、『好色一代男』で出発した西鶴の最期を飾るにふさわしいものとなった。「人には棒振虫同前に思はれ」（巻2）の主人公のように、どん底に落ち込んだ人間たちが、ぎりぎりのところで示すせつないまでの心情の美を描いた作品がみられ、人間的な感動を表現している。転変きわまりない人世の諸相に限りない愛着を示し続けた西鶴は、人生の真実をはっきりと見据えたのであり、ここに後世の批評に堪えうる真価がある。「仙皓(せんこう)西鶴」の4字を刻んだ墓は、大阪市中央区上本町4丁目の菩提寺(ぼだいじ)誓願寺に、遺弟北条団水と下山鶴平の両名によって建立されている。

［浅野　晃］

西鶴と近代文学

西鶴の文学は近代の作家たちにもさまざまな影響を与え続ける。尾崎紅葉の『伽羅枕(きゃらまくら)』（1870）や幸田露伴(ろはん)の『井原西鶴』（1870）など、西鶴の文体や趣向の妙を評価し、その影響が著しい。樋口一葉(ひぐちいちよう)も『大つごもり』（1894）、『たけくらべ』（1895）に西鶴調を生かした。自然主義文学時代には、西欧写実主義理論に導かれた西鶴理解が展開する。田山花袋(かたい)の『インキ壺(つぼ)』（1909）、正宗白鳥(まさむねはくちょう)の『古典について』（1927）などがあるが、なかでも真山青果(まやませいか)の西鶴傾倒は著しく、ついに『西鶴語彙(ごい)考証』（1948）のような本格的な研究を生む。また、武田麟太郎(りんたろう)の『井原西鶴』（1937）、織田作之助(おださくのすけ)の『西鶴新論』（1942）、太宰治(だざいおさむ)の『新釈諸国咄(ばなし)』（1945）などがあり、吉行淳之介(よしゆきじゅんのすけ)の意欲的な現代語訳が話題になったこともある。

［浅野　晃］

『暉峻康隆著『西鶴――評論と研究』上下（1948、50・中央公論社）』▽『野間光辰著『西鶴年譜考証』（1952・中央公論社）』▽『浅野晃・谷脇理史編『西鶴物語』（1978・有斐閣）』▽『潁原退蔵・暉峻康隆・野間光辰編『定本西鶴全集』全14巻15冊（1949～75・中央公論社）』▽『野間光辰他校注『日本古典文学大系 47・48　西鶴集』（1957、60・岩波書店）』▽『暉峻康隆他校注・訳『日本古典文学全集 38～40　井原西鶴集』（1971～73・小学館）』▽『天理図書館編『西鶴（図録）』（1965・天理図書館）』