Obesaka

...This song was sung as a folk entertainment in the early modern period. "Ama no Yama" refers to the slope called Obezaka between the Inner Shrine and the Outer Shrine of Ise, and it is said that in the past there were female entertainers who would sing sad songs while playing the sasara and ask for donations. Two beautiful women named Osugi and Otama performed an act in which they would accept donations from the audience with a drumstick. It is likely that the impression of the female entertainers who walked around singing "Ama no Yama Bushi" gave birth to the characters with the proper names Osugi and Otama. ...

*Some of the terminology that refers to "Obezaka" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…近世の民間の門付芸（かどづけげい）としてうたわれた唄。〈間の山〉は伊勢の内宮と外宮の間にある尾部坂（おべざか）という坂道のことで，往時ささらをすりながらあわれな唄をうたって喜捨を請う女芸人がいたと伝えており，お杉･お玉という2人の美人が，客の投銭を撥（ばち）で受けとめる芸をしたという。おそらく《間の山節》をうたって歩いた門付の女芸人の姿の印象がお杉･お玉という固有名詞をもつ人物を生み出したのであろう。…

※「尾部坂」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報