Okame

A clown mask of a middle-aged woman used in Sato Kagura (folk Kagura). It has a low nose, flat forehead and chin, and round, protruding cheeks, giving it a puffy appearance. It is commonly called Sanpei-jiman, but there are also some that are surprisingly made with only the nose low, which is called Ippei-shiman. It has narrow eyes, fair skin, and a somewhat sexy, affable, and happy-looking face. In Edo-style Sato Kagura, it is paired with a male role imitating a Hyottoko or Daruma doll to perform a light-hearted, off-topic comedy, but it often ends up being the one who scolds the male. Also called Otafuku, it is decorated on lucky rakes for the New Year, and in the past, there was a gate attendant wearing this mask called Ofuku-san. According to the Daigenkai, "Ota" refers to the appearance of Otogoze, and "fuku" refers to the swelling of the chin. The shape of the mask is also related to the "oto" in Kyogen masks. The "Ofuku" head of Bunraku puppet theater also has a similar facial expression. Since it is not the facial expression of a beautiful woman, it became a derogatory term for an ugly woman with a chubby chin, calling her Okame or Otafuku. The name Okame is said to come from the name of a shrine maiden named Kamejo at a certain shrine in the late Muromachi period. Okame is also sometimes considered to be the mask of Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto.

[Masahiro Nishikado]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

里神楽(さとかぐら)（民間の神楽）に使われる中年女性の道化面。鼻が低く、額(ひたい)やあごが平らで、ほおが丸く出っ張って下膨(しもぶく)れにつくられ、俗に三平二満(さんぺいじまん)ともいわれるが、意外に鼻だけが低い一平四満というべき作りもみられる。目が細く、色白で、どこか色っぽいうえに愛想のよい福々しい顔相である。江戸系の里神楽ではひょっとこやだるまなどのもどきの男役と対(つい)で軽妙に脱線滑稽(こっけい)を演ずるが、最後はたしなめ役に回ることが多い。お多福(たふく)ともよばれ、正月の縁起物の熊手(くまで)などに飾り着けられたり、かつてはこの面をかぶったお福さんという門付(かどづけ)がいたりしたが、『大言海』によれば、「おたハ乙御前(オトゴゼ)、……ふくハ頤(オトガヒ)ノ脹(ハ)レタル」ようすをいったものだとある。形状的にも狂言面の「乙(おと)」との関係が考えられる。また、人形浄瑠璃(じょうるり)の首(かしら)「お福」も同様の面相である。美女の相でないので、下膨れの醜女をお亀(かめ)とかお多福といって侮蔑(ぶべつ)することばともなった。お亀の名は、室町時代末のある神社の巫女(みこ)の亀女の名から出たともいう。なお、おかめを天鈿女命(あめのうずめのみこと)の面とすることもある。

［西角井正大］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例