Kusatsu-bushi - Grass-crushing

This folk song first began to be sung in Kusatsu Onsen in Kusatsu Town, Gunma Prefecture. Kusatsu Onsen, which is said to have been discovered in the Kamakura Period, has a sulfurous spring with a sour taste and a strong hydrogen sulfide smell, and its high temperature means that bathers cannot stay in the water for long periods of time. Therefore, at the end of the Edo Period, a system of "jikan-yu" (time-limited baths) was established, during which bathers could only bathe for a limited time. However, because the medicinal properties of hot water are reduced when water is added to it, a method of stirring the water with a board was also used. This is called "yumomi." Both "jikan-yu" and "yumomi" require someone to give instructions to the bathers. Therefore, a person with extensive knowledge of the baths was selected as the "yucho." At the bathcho's clapper, the bathers would all stir the water with a board and sing the song. The songs were various in each area, but the most familiar was the "Hataori Uta" (Weaving Song), a variation of the "Niagari Jinku" (Jinku) sung by visitors from Saitama, and this song eventually became the "Kusatsu Bushi" with the accompanying chant "Choina Choina." Kusatsu Onsen also has the "Kusatsu Yumomi Uta" (Yohohohoi).

[Akira Saito]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

群馬県草津町の草津温泉で歌われ出した民謡。鎌倉時代に発見されたといわれる草津温泉は、その湯質が酸味硫化水素臭の濃い硫黄(いおう)泉で、温度も高く長時間入っていることはできなかった。そこで江戸時代末期から、時間を限って入る「時間湯」という制度が決められた。一方、高温の湯に水を入れてうめると薬効が落ちるので、湯を板でかき回す方法も用いられた。これが「湯もみ」である。「時間湯」にも「湯もみ」にも入湯客に指示する人が必要である。そこで湯に詳しい人を選んで「湯長」とした。湯長の拍子木を合図に入湯客が板で一斉に湯をかき回し、唄(うた)を歌った。唄は各地さまざまだったが、埼玉方面からきた客が歌った「二上り甚句(じんく)」の変化した「機織(はたおり)唄」がいちばん親しみやすく、この唄がやがて「チョイナチョイナ」の囃子詞(はやしことば)の入る『草津節』となった。草津温泉にはほかに「ヨホホホーイ」が入る『草津湯もみ唄』もある。

［斎藤　明］

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