Kanjincho - Kanjincho

Kabuki script. Historical piece. One act. Written by Namiki Gohei III. It was first performed in March 1840 (Tenpo 11) at the Kawarasakiza in Edo, with Ichikawa Danjūrō ​​VII (who changed his name to Ebizo at the time) as Benkei, Ichikawa Kuzō II (later the 6th Danjūrō) as Togashi, and Danjūrō ​​VIII as Yoshitsune. The Nagauta music was composed by Kineya Rokusaburo IV (later Rokuō), and the choreography was by Nishikawa Senzō IV. When Danjūrō ​​VII established the "Kabuki Juhachiban" (the eighteen Kabuki plays) for the Ichikawa family, he borrowed a theme from the first Danjūrō ​​as one of the plays, copied the stage and direction of the Noh play "Ataka" based on the lyrics, and created a new style of theater based on Nagauta. It is the forerunner of the so-called "Matsubamemono" (Matsubame-mono).

The story is about how Minamoto no Yoshitsune and his servant, disguised as mountain ascetics who are donating funds to Todaiji Temple, pass through Ataka Barrier in Kaga Province, which is guarded by Togashi Saemon, thanks to the clever tricks of Musashibo Benkei. Benkei reads out a blank scroll, calling it a donjoncho, and when Yoshitsune is caught by the guards, he strikes him down with his kongo stick, thus escaping the trap. The story is basically the same as "Ataka," but the play is distinctive in that it is structured to incorporate a "mountain ascetic dialogue" from the lecture, in which Benkei brilliantly gets around Togashi's questions about the history of mountain ascetics, and Togashi senses Benkei's anguish as he beats his lord as part of a scheme, and lets him through out of compassion. Danjūrō ​​VII's intention of injecting the strengths of Kabuki into the simple and elegant style of Noh was improved and refined by Danjūrō ​​VII in the Meiji period, and it was performed at the Imperial Drama in 1891 (Meiji 24). After that, Koshiro Matsumoto VII performed it 1,600 times in his lifetime, making it one of the most popular plays. The content captures the popular sentiment of those who favor the judge, and the overall healthy and dynamic feel suits the tastes of modern people. The Nagauta is a masterpiece, and there are many highlights in the performance, from the reading of the Kanjincho, the dialogue between the mountain ascetics, the power of the two sides coming to a close when Togashi calls them back, the pathos of the master and servant who escape the crisis and are lost in emotion, Benkei's dance of longevity, happily drunk on the sake given to Togashi, and finally Benkei's Tobiroppo as he retreats from the curtain.

[Toshiaki Matsui]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

歌舞伎(かぶき)脚本。時代物。1幕。3世並木五瓶(ごへい)作。1840年（天保11）3月、江戸・河原崎座(かわらさきざ)で7世市川団十郎（当時は海老蔵(えびぞう)と改名）の弁慶、2世市川九蔵(くぞう)（後の6世団蔵）の富樫(とがし)、8世団十郎の義経(よしつね)により初演。長唄(ながうた)の作曲は4世杵屋六三郎(きねやろくさぶろう)（後の六翁）、振付けは4世西川扇蔵(せんぞう)。7世団十郎が市川家の家の芸「歌舞伎十八番」制定にあたって、その一つとして初世の演じた題材を借り、能の『安宅(あたか)』の詞章をもとに、能の舞台と演出を写し、長唄を地にした新形式の演劇を創造したもの。いわゆる「松羽目物(まつばめもの)」の先駆である。

　富樫左衛門の守る加賀国安宅ノ関を、東大寺勧進の山伏に身をやつした源義経主従が武蔵坊(むさしぼう)弁慶の知略で通過する物語。弁慶が白紙の巻物を勧進帳と称して読み上げ、番卒に見とがめられた義経を金剛杖(こんごうづえ)で打擲(ちょうちゃく)した機転によって虎口(ここう)を脱する。大筋は『安宅』とまったく同じだが、山伏の故実に関する富樫の質問を弁慶が鮮やかに切り抜ける「山伏問答」を講釈から取り入れ、計略のため主君を打ち据える弁慶の苦衷を富樫が察し、情けによって通してやるという構成にしたのが作劇上の特色。能の簡素で典雅な様式に歌舞伎の長所を注入した7世団十郎の意図を、明治期に9世団十郎が改良洗練し、1891年（明治24）の天覧劇でも上演、その後は7世松本幸四郎が生涯に1600回も演じたことで屈指の人気演目になった。内容が判官(ほうがん)びいきの大衆感情をとらえ、総体に健康的でダイナミックな感覚が現代人の好みにあっている。長唄が名曲で、演出も勧進帳読み上げから、山伏問答、富樫の呼び止めで双方詰め寄るあたりの迫力、危機を逃れた主従が感慨にふけるところの哀感、富樫に贈られた酒で快く酔った弁慶の延年の舞、最後に幕外を引っ込む弁慶の飛六方(とびろっぽう)まで、見どころは多い。

［松井俊諭］

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