Sajiki - Box

The name of the upper class spectator seats in Japanese theaters. In ancient rituals, "zazuki" (temporary floors) were used as a place to invite the gods, and in the Heian period, it was used to refer to temporary seats set up for aristocrats to watch festivals, and in the Middle Ages, it became established as the name of high class spectator seats set up for Shinto rituals or performances such as sarugaku and dengaku. Theaters for kabuki and joruri puppet theater also inherited this style and provided box seats. In the early days, they were one-story, three feet high, with an open ceiling below, but in the Genroku period (1688-1704), they became two-story, and ornate blinds were used. Upper class spectators reserved seats through the teahouses that frequented the theaters, and watched from the box seats. The first floor box seats were nicknamed "Uzura" (quail) because the two bars that were installed to prevent patrons from entering the dirt floor resembled a quail cage. In 1720 (Kyoho 5), Edo Nakamuraza had box seats measuring 15 bays to the east, 16 bays to the west, and 9 bays across from the theater, for a total of 40 bays (about 73 meters).

After the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, most theaters were converted to chair seating, but vestiges of the name can still be seen today at the Kabukiza in Tokyo, the Shinbashi Enbujo, the Shin Kabukiza in Osaka, and the Minamiza in Kyoto. The term box seats is also used in sumo arenas.

[Yukio Hattori]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

日本の劇場における上級の観客席の称。古代祭祀(さいし)において神招(お)ぎの場とされた「さずき」（仮床）が、平安時代には貴族の祭り見物のために仮設される見物席の称に用いられ、さらに中世には神事あるいは勧進の猿楽(さるがく)や勧進田楽(でんがく)などの興行に際して設置される高級の観客席の名称として定着した。歌舞伎(かぶき)や人形浄瑠璃(じょうるり)の劇場もこれを継承し、桟敷席を設けた。初期には三尺高一層式で、下は吹抜けになっていたが、元禄(げんろく)期（1688～1704）には二層式になり、簾(すだれ)なども華美なものを用いるようになった。上等の観客はそれぞれ出入りの芝居茶屋を通じて席を予約し、桟敷で見物した。1階の桟敷を鶉(うずら)と通称するのは、土間の客が立ち入るのを防ぐために2本の横木をはめたのが、鶉の籠(かご)に似ていたからである。1720年（享保5）の江戸・中村座には、東15間、西16間、向(むこう)9間、合計40間（約73メートル）の桟敷があった。

　関東大震災（1923）以後、ほとんどの劇場が椅子(いす)席に改められたが、今日でも東京の歌舞伎座、新橋演舞場、大阪の新歌舞伎座、京都の南座などにその名残(なごり)をとどめている。なお、相撲(すもう)場でも桟敷席の称を使っている。

［服部幸雄］

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