An unusual item

A term used in the entertainment industry. Originally it meant something that was seasonal, but it is often used in plays and movies to refer to works that quickly incorporate and adapt events or trends that occur in society. It is said to have started with the kabuki kyogen play "Yugiri Nagori no Shogatsu," which was adapted from the death of the prostitute Yugiri from Ogiya in Shinmachi, Osaka and performed at the Araki Yojibei Theater in February of the following year, in January 1678 (Enpo 6). At the time, it was also called "one-night kyogen." Chikamatsu Monzaemon's joruri plays include many excellent works, albeit unusual, such as "Sonezaki Shinju," which is said to have been adapted from the double suicide of Ohatsu Tokubei in just three days. After that, many joruri and kabuki plays were created to meet the tastes of the public, who enjoyed the news, and they also became popular in kodan, where they were called "kaimono reading." Today it has become a common term and is widely used in the entertainment and publishing industries, but the term "kiwamono" is generally seen as hasty and tends to be looked down upon artistically.

[Toshiaki Matsui]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

芸能用語。本来は季節に応じたものの意味だが、多く使われるのは演劇、映画などで、社会に発生した事件や流行をすぐ取り入れて脚色した作品をいう。1678年（延宝6）1月、大坂新町・扇屋の遊女夕霧(ゆうぎり)の死を翌2月から荒木与次兵衛座で脚色上演した歌舞伎(かぶき)狂言『夕霧名残(なごり)の正月』がその始まりとされ、当時は「一夜漬(いちやづけ)狂言」ともいった。近松門左衛門の世話浄瑠璃(じょうるり)には、お初徳兵衛の心中事件を3日のうちに脚色したという『曽根崎(そねざき)心中』をはじめ、際物ながら秀作が多い。その後もニュースを喜ぶ大衆の嗜好(しこう)に応じ、浄瑠璃や歌舞伎に多くつくられ、講談でも「際物読み」と称して流行した。今日では一般用語になり、芸能界、出版界などで広く使われるが、普通「際物」というと拙速とみなされ、芸術的に軽視される傾向が強い。

［松井俊諭］

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