Kakuju

...Three major roles of old women in Kabuki are selected and called the "Three Old Babies." They are Mimyou in "Moritsuna Jin'ya," Kakuju in "Domyouji" in "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami," Kansuke's mother in "Twenty-four Filial Piety" and Kansuke's mother and Koshiji in "Terutora Haisen." Other major roles of old women include Okaru's mother in "Chushingura" (The Rokudanme) and the mother in "Hikimado," but all the roles selected as the Three Old Babies are from historical dramas, and are proud, masculine characters who decide the fate of their sons and their families. ...

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention "Kakuju" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…歌舞伎の老女の大役を三つ選んで〈三婆〉と呼ぶ。《盛綱陣屋》の微妙（みみよう），《菅原伝授手習鑑》の〈道明寺〉の覚寿（かくじゆ），《廿四孝》の勘助母または《輝虎配膳》の勘助母，越路。老女の大役は，ほかにも《忠臣蔵》〈六段目〉のおかるの母や《引窓》の母などがあるが，三婆に選ばれているのはいずれも時代物で，気位が高く男まさりで，息子たちや一族の運命を決定づけるような役ばかりである。…

※「覚寿」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