Nod

It is a kind of spirit summoning and fortune telling method, also called kokuri. Three bamboo or chopstick-shaped sticks about 30 cm long are used, the top third of which is tied with hemp rope and opened into a tripod shape. A tray or rice cooker lid is placed on top of the sticks, and three people sit around it, gently placing one hand on the tray. When you say "Kokkuri-san, Kokkuri-san, please raise your leg," one of the three sticks will lift up. When this happens, the person will understand that the Kokkuri-san has possessed the person and will ask various questions. For example, if a person has an appointment to come, they will ask "Please raise your right leg" or "Please raise your left leg," and the stick will rise accordingly. It is said that the bamboo should be female, and that it is good if one of the three people sitting there is a woman. The characters for "kokkuri" are written as "kitsune, tanuki" (fox, dog, raccoon), and it is said that the person is possessed by the spirits of these three animals.

Kokkuri-san seems to have been played since the Edo period, but it became very popular around 1886, and was widely played in the entertainment district. It is said that the participants were asked to play the shamisen, raise their three legs in various ways, and perform jinku dances. Of course, it was also played as entertainment in ordinary households. People would try to predict whether someone would come or not, or to judge good or bad luck by raising their right or left leg. It is said that the origin of this game was brought to Japan by American sailors, but no one knows for sure. Of course, it is not only played in America, but all over the world. In Motegi Town, Haga County, Tochigi Prefecture, this game is called Hokuri-sama, and is said to have become popular around 1935. Here, a furoshiki (wrapping cloth) was placed over a tray and the hand was placed inside. It is said that night is better than day to summon Hokuri-sama.

[Oto Tokihiko]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

こくりともいう一種の降神術、占法である。竹や箸(はし)状の30センチメートルくらいの棒を3本用い、その上部3分の1ほどのところを麻縄で縛り三脚状に棒を開き、その上に盆や飯櫃(めしびつ)の蓋(ふた)をのせ、それを囲んで3人の者が座り、片手をその盆の上にそっとのせる。「こっくりさん、こっくりさん足をあげてください」というと、3本の棒の一つが持ち上がる。そうすると、こっくりさんが憑(つ)いたと解しいろいろなことを問い出す。たとえば、約束した人が来るならば、「右足をあげてください」とか「左足をあげてください」とかの質問をし、それに応じて棒があがる。竹は女竹(めだけ)がよいといい、3人のうち1人は女が座るとよいという。こっくりを狐狗狸と書くのは当て字で、この三つの動物の霊が憑くなどという。

　こっくりさんは江戸時代から行われたようであるが、明治19年（1886）ごろ非常に流行し、花柳界などで盛んにこれが行われた。三味線を弾いて3本足をいろいろとあげさせ、甚句踊りなどをさせたという。もちろん一般家庭でも娯楽として行われた。たれさんがくるか・こないかとか、吉凶を判じたりするのを、右とか左とかの足のあげ方によって試みたのである。この遊びのおこりについては、アメリカの船員によってわが国に伝えられたというが、確かなことはわからない。もちろん、アメリカに限らず世界の各地で行われている。栃木県芳賀(はが)郡茂木(もてぎ)町ではこの遊びをホックリサマといって、昭和10年（1935）ごろに流行したという。ここでは、盆の上に風呂敷(ふろしき)をかぶせ、その中に手を入れた。ホックリサマを呼ぶには昼より夜がよいという。

［大藤時彦］

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