Brothers and sisters

A practice in which people who are not biological siblings make a promise and liken it to a relationship between brothers or sisters, or in rare cases, older brothers or older sisters. All four of these combinations are called "Kyoudaibun," and the promise of brotherhood is called "Chigiri" or "Nari" (becoming brothers). Stepbrothers are similar to stepbrotherhood, but stepbrothers and sisters who are established by marriage or adoption are excluded. There are two main types of stepbrotherhood. The first is when the same master, subordinates under a master, or subordinates become stepbrothers depending on their age or how old the master is. The second is when there is no master and the relationship goes a step further than that of close friends, making a covenant to become stepbrothers. In Oki Island, Shimane Prefecture, it was originally customary for both men and women to take a foster parent when they reached adulthood, and at that time a sake cup was exchanged between the master called Kana-oya and the children called Kanako (male) or Kanamusume (female), and at the same time the children also exchanged a sake cup as brothers or sisters, which is the first type mentioned above. Friends at a youth lodge or lodging house are called lodging children or lodging friends, and in some places they are called lodging brothers. This is also based on the idea that they are brothers under the same lodging parent. In Kitaazumi County, Nagano Prefecture, a new craftsman would receive a sake cup from his master and exchange a sake cup with his senior apprentice. Even today, it is not uncommon for craftsmen, entertainers, and other special companions to become brothers if they are under the same master or teacher. In contrast, the second type of brotherhood, which develops from a close friend relationship without a common master, is also recognized in various places. This practice is particularly popular in the Tsugaru region of Aomori Prefecture, where a celebration is held to celebrate the formation of brotherhood, and pairs of two people, and sometimes groups of several people, become brothers at the same time. This type of practice is also seen in the female Keyaki Kyodai found in Hamanaka, Oiwagawa, Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture, and the same-sex or opposite-sex Kyodaibun on Kozu Island in Izu. There are cases where the relationship between brothers lasts a lifetime, but in many cases it remains close until marriage, and then seems to loosen. Also, while the relationship between master and disciple expands to the entire family and is elevated to the level of being between "houses," brotherhood generally remains a personal relationship.

[Takeda Dan]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

実の兄弟姉妹でない者が約束を交わし、兄弟や姉妹、まれに兄妹か姉弟の関係になぞらえる慣行。これら4通りの組合せをいずれも「きょうだいぶん」とよび、兄弟分の約束を「兄弟契(ちぎ)り」「兄弟成り」などという。義兄弟も兄弟分と類似するが、婚姻や養子縁組によって成立する義理の兄弟姉妹は除かれる。兄弟分の型には大別して2種あり、第一は同じ親方、親分をいただく子方、子分同士が、年齢の上下や親方取りの新旧によって兄弟分となるもの、第二は親方取りがみられず、親友の関係を一歩進めて兄弟分の盟約を結ぶものである。島根県隠岐(おき)島ではもと男女とも成年時に仮親をとる習慣があり、そのとき鉄漿親(かなおや)とよばれる親方と鉄漿子(かなこ)（男）あるいは鉄漿娘(かなむすめ)（女）とよばれる子方の間に杯(さかずき)が交わされ、同時に子方同士も兄弟分ないし姉妹分の杯をしたというのは、前述の第一の型である。若者宿、寝宿の友だちを宿子、宿朋輩(ほうばい)というほか、宿兄弟とよぶ所がある。これも同じ宿親のもとの兄弟分という意識に基づくものである。長野県北安曇(きたあずみ)郡では職人の新入りは親方から杯をもらうとともに、兄弟子(あにでし)と兄弟杯を交わしたという。職人や芸人、その他特殊な仲間でも、同じ親方、師匠(ししょう)につく者たちの間で兄弟分となることは最近でも珍しくない。これに対し、共通の親方がなく、親友の関係から進められる第二の型の兄弟分も各地で認められる。青森県津軽地方ではとくにこの慣行が盛んで、兄弟分祝いをして2人1組で、場合によっては数人の集団で同時に兄弟分となった。山形県鶴岡(つるおか)市大岩川(おおいわがわ)の浜中(はまなか)にみられる女のケヤキキョウダイ、伊豆神津(こうづ)島における同性間あるいは異性間のキョウダイブンなどもこの型の慣行である。兄弟分の交際は一生続くという例もあるが、多くは結婚ぐらいまでは緊密なのに、その後は弛緩(しかん)していくようである。また親方・子方の関係が家族全体に拡張されて「家」同士にまで昇華されるのに対し、兄弟分のほうは個人関係にとどまるのが一般である。

［竹田　旦］

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