Kan'ami

A Noh actor and writer from the Northern and Southern Court period. The first Tayu of the Kanze school. His real name was Yuzaki Kiyotsugu, he was commonly known as Saburo, and his stage name was Kanze. He was born into an old Yamada Sarugaku family in Yamato (Nara Prefecture), and later founded the Yuzaki-za (Kanze-za) troupe. In 1374 (Bunchu 3, Oan 7), he made his first foray into Kyoto, and performed at Imakumano with his eldest son Zeami, who was 12 years old at the time. The new art form captured the heart of the young Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. From then on, under Yoshimitsu's patronage, he and Zeami perfected Noh over two generations. Based on the theatricality of Yamato Sarugaku, to which the troupe belonged, he incorporated the merits of rival performing art Dengaku and the aestheticism of Omi Sarugaku, establishing the foundations of Noh, a form of theatre with a long life span unparalleled anywhere in the world, which has been performed to this day. Kan'ami's great achievements included the musical reforms he made, introducing the then-popular Kusemai into the main part of Noh and adding interesting rhythm and tempo to the traditional melody-oriented short song. His works include "Jinen Koji," "Sotoba Komachi," and "Shiino Shosho" (the original work for "Kayoi Komachi"), all of which are masterpieces full of vitality from the early period. In particular, the interesting dialogue, which makes full use of slang, is unparalleled. He also composed (and wrote the lyrics for) "Eguchi" and "Motomezuka," and wrote the original work for "Matsukaze." Although he left no writings on art theory, Zeami's "Fushikaden" (Kadensho) is a faithful recitation of Kan'ami's teachings. It describes the tactical theory of "flower" on how to capture the hearts of the audience, the essence of "yugen" beauty, and the direction of theater through the fusion of musical and dance elements, making it one of Japan's leading art theories. As an actor, he was a powerful master of yugen, and although he was a large man, he looked small when playing a female role, and in "Jigen Koji" he played the role of a beautiful teenage boy. It is known from Zeami's posthumous writings that he performed Noh in all areas of the arts until the end of his life, captivating people from the aristocracy to the general public in faraway lands. He died at the age of 52 while touring Suruga (Shizuoka Prefecture). In 1983 (Showa 58), events were held in various places to mark the 600th anniversary of his death.

[Masuda Shozo]

"Kan'ami Seiji" by Toyoichiro Nogami (1949, Yoshobo) " "Kan'ami and Zeami" by Dosan Toida (Iwanami Shinsho)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

南北朝時代の能役者、能作者。観世(かんぜ)流の初代大夫(たゆう)。実名結崎清次(ゆうざききよつぐ)、通称三郎、芸名観世。大和(やまと)（奈良県）の古い山田猿楽(さるがく)の家に生まれ、のちに結崎座（観世座）を創立する。1374年（文中3・応安7）初めて京都に進出し、12歳の長男世阿弥(ぜあみ)とともに今熊野(いまくまの)で演じた新しい芸能は、青年将軍足利義満(あしかがよしみつ)の心をとらえた。以後は義満後援のもとに世阿弥と2代にわたって能を大成した。座の属した大和猿楽の演劇性を基礎としながら、ライバル的芸能であった田楽(でんがく)の長所や、近江(おうみ)猿楽の唯美主義を取り入れ、世界でも類のない長い生命力をもつ演劇、現代まで演じ継がれる能の基礎を打ち立てた。当時流行していた曲舞(くせまい)を能の主要部分に導入し、従来のメロディ本位の小謡節(こうたぶし)に、リズムとテンポのおもしろさを加えた音楽上の改革も観阿弥の大きな功績である。作品に『自然居士(じねんこじ)』『卒都婆(そとば)小町』『四位少将(しいのしょうしょう)』（『通(かよい)小町』の原作）などがあり、いずれも創成期の生気に満ちた傑作である。とくに俗語までを駆使した会話のおもしろさは比類がない。ほかに『江口(えぐち)』『求塚(もとめづか)』の作曲（あるいは作詞も）、『松風』の原作などもある。芸術論としての著書は残していないが、世阿弥の『風姿花伝(ふうしかでん)』（花伝書）は観阿弥の教えを忠実に祖述したものである。いかにして観客の心をとらえるかという「花」の戦術論と、「幽玄」の美の本質、歌舞の二道、つまり音楽的要素と舞踊的要素の融合による演劇の方向が述べられ、日本を代表する芸術論である。役者としても力感に満ちた幽玄無上の名人であり、大男ながら女性の役に扮(ふん)すると細々とみえ、『自然居士』では10代の美少年を演じきったという。晩年に至るまであらゆる芸域にわたる能をみせ、貴族階級から遠国の一般大衆までを魅了したことが、世阿弥の遺著によって知られる。駿河(するが)（静岡県）に巡業中、52歳で客死。1983年（昭和58）には没後600年の催しが各地で行われた。

［増田正造］

『野上豊一郎著『観阿弥清次』（1949・要書房）』▽『戸井田道三著『観阿弥と世阿弥』（岩波新書）』

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