Genzaemon Sano - Genzaemon Sano

Japanese: 佐野源左衛門常世 - さのげんざえもんつねよ

A fictitious name. He is said to have been a resident of Sano, Kozuke Province (present-day Takasaki City). He is famous as the protagonist of the Noh play "Hachiki." Hojo Tokiyori, the regent of the Kamakura Shogunate, became a monk and became a Saimyoji Nyudo. He traveled around the country disguised as a traveling monk, but was caught in a heavy snowfall in Sano, Kozuke Province, and stayed overnight at a poor house. The owner of the house, Sano Genzaemon Tokoyo, entertained the traveling monk by lighting a precious hachiki in the hearth. Tokiyori later rewarded his loyalty by restoring his territory and giving him three manors related to the hachiki. This story is one of the legends of Saimyoji Nyudo Tokiyori's travels around the country, but it is believed to have been spread by the Jishu sect of people in Sano, Kozuke Province.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

架空の人名。上野国佐野(現，高崎市内)の住人という。謡曲《鉢木》の主人公として名高い。鎌倉幕府の執権北条時頼が出家して最明寺入道となり，旅僧に身をやつして諸国行脚の途中，上野佐野で大雪に遭い，貧家に一夜の宿を借りた。その家のあるじ佐野源左衛門常世はたいせつな鉢の木をいろりにくべて旅僧をもてなしたので，時頼は後日その忠義を賞して彼の領地を復活し，鉢の木に縁のある3ヵ庄を与えた。この話は最明寺入道時頼の回国伝説の一つであるが，上野佐野の時衆が語りひろめたものとみられている。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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