Kita Shichidayu

A Noh actor in the early Edo period. The son of a doctor in Sakai, he was an amateur, but he was a master who founded the Kita school. His real name was Chono. He danced Noh skillfully at the age of seven, and was called Nanatsudayu. He was adopted by Kongo Yaichi, and took the name Kongo Saburo, and for a time he succeeded Kongodayu, and married the daughter of Konparu Zenkyoku. He was later employed by Tokugawa Hidetada, and around 1619 (Genwa 5), ​​he was recognized as a member of the Kita school, in addition to the four schools that had existed since the Northern and Southern Courts (Kanze, Konparu, Hosho, and Kongo). He incurred the wrath of the four schools and was temporarily demoted due to the issue of transmitting secret plays, but he was the Noh actor with the greatest achievements throughout the Edo period. The Seven Dayu are nicknames given to members of the Kita family, including the 9th Kita Kono (Kenbosai), who is famous for his works such as "Jufukusho," "Akumabarai," "Kamenfu," and "Menmekikisho," as well as five others.

[Masuda Shozo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸初期の能役者。堺(さかい)の医師の子で素人(しろうと)出だが、喜多流を創始した名人。実名長能(ちょうのう)。7歳で器用に能を舞い、七ツ大夫といわれた。金剛弥一(こんごうやいち)の養子として金剛三郎と名のり、金剛大夫を継いだ時期もあり、金春(こんぱる)禅曲の娘を妻とした。のち徳川秀忠(ひでただ)に抱えられ、1619年（元和5）ごろ、南北朝以来の四座（観世、金春、宝生(ほうしょう)、金剛）に加えて、喜多一流として認められた。四座の反感を買い、秘曲伝授問題で一時失脚するが、江戸期を通じてもっとも業績ある能役者であった。なお、七大夫は喜多宗家の通り名で、『寿福抄』『悪魔払』『仮面譜』『面目利(めんめきき)書』などの著で名高い9世喜多古能(このう)（健忘斎）ほか5人が名のっている。

［増田正造］

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