Iron parent - Kaneoya

A temporary parent is appointed when a girl comes of age, and is equivalent to a boy's genpuku parent or eboshi parent. Sometimes it is shortened to kanaoya. They are also called tetsujo-oya, hane-oya, yoji-oya, and fude-oya. For children, they are called tetsujo-ko, tetsujo-ko, fude-ko, haguro-ko, etc. It was a widespread custom for girls to dye their teeth black with tetsujo as a sign of reaching adulthood. Iron scraps such as old nails were roasted and placed in strong tea, and sake and candy were added to make an tetsujo water solution, and gallnut powder was used as a mordant, and the children took turns dipping their brushes or toothpicks in the mixture to dye their teeth. It was difficult at first, so they would ask an aunt or an older woman they were close to to help them. This was the tetsujo-oya. They were called "Juusangane" and girls reached adulthood around the age of 13, but the age gradually became later and eventually they began to wear them at marriage. There were also cases where the matchmaker (Nakōdō) also served as the Tetsujōyōya.

[Takeda Dan]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

女子の成年時にたてる仮親で、男子の元服(げんぷく)親、烏帽子(えぼし)親などにあたる。カナオヤとなまる所もある。鉄漿付け親、羽根(はね)親、楊枝(ようじ)親、筆親などともいう。子のほうは鉄漿子、鉄漿付け子、筆子、歯黒(はぐろ)子など。女子は成年に達したしるしに鉄漿をつけ、歯を黒く染める習わしが広くみられた。古釘(ふるくぎ)などの鉄くずを焼いて濃い茶の中に入れ、酒や飴(あめ)を加えてつくった鉄漿水と、媒染剤として五倍子(ふし)の粉とをかわるがわる筆や楊枝につけて歯を染めた。初めはむずかしいので叔母や親しい年配の女性に頼んでつけてもらった。これが鉄漿親である。「十三がね」といい、女子の成年は13歳ごろであったが、しだいに時期が遅れ、やがて婚姻に際してつけるようになった。仲人(なこうど)が鉄漿親を兼ねる例もあった。

［竹田　旦］

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