Deer Dance - Shishiodori

This is a solo lion dance found in Miyagi and Iwate prefectures. Eight to twelve people wearing deer heads form a group and dance with vigorous leaps and bounds. It is broadly divided into the Taiko dance style, in which a shimetaiko drum is attached to the abdomen, and the Maku dance style, in which a large cloth curtain is hung down and held in both hands. As seen in the Deer Dance of Inase Tsuruhagi, Esashi Ward, Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture, the Taiko dance style carries a bamboo pole decorated with thin white paper or a sacred bamboo pole called a sasara on the back. The Maku dance style is limited to the Tono and Shimohei regions of Iwate Prefecture. During Bon Festival and temple and shrine festivals, the dancers parade through the gardens of temples and shrines, as well as in the gardens of houses, and dance in various formations with female and male deer (mejishi) dancing around a dancer called Nakadachi, who acts as the conductor. There are many pieces, such as "Hidden Female Deer," "Scarecrow Dance," "Pistol Dance," and "Tosa." In addition, the deer dances of Tsukumoshi, Tono City, Iwate Prefecture, and Tokunami, Otsuchi Town, Kamihei County, include a grave dance (tomb lion) for the dedication of altars (memorial memorial services), and are danced in front of memorial tablets and at graveyards during Bon Festival. The Yatsushika and Itsushika dances found in the Uwajima region of Ehime Prefecture are said to have been introduced from Sendai when Hidemune Date, the lord of the Uwajima domain, was transferred from Sendai in 1615 (Genwa 1). They have many similarities in lyrics and melody with the deer dances found south of Sendai.

[Nobuo Watanabe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

宮城・岩手両県に分布する一人立ちの獅子舞(ししまい)。シカの鹿頭(ししがしら)をかぶった者が8頭ないし12頭出て1組となり、激しく跳びはねて踊る。腹に締太鼓をつける太鼓踊系と、大きな布幕(ぬのまく)を垂らしてこれを両手に持って踊る幕踊系に大別される。岩手県奥州(おうしゅう)市江刺(えさし)区稲瀬(いなせ)鶴羽衣(つるはぎ)の鹿踊などにみるように、太鼓踊系は背に細い白紙で飾った腰竹あるいはササラとよぶ神籬(ひもろぎ)を負う。幕踊系は岩手県遠野(とおの)・下閉伊(しもへい)地方に限られる。盆や寺社の祭りなどに寺社の庭や家々の庭に練り込み、中立(なかだち)という指揮役の踊り手を中心に雌鹿(めじし)・雄鹿(おじし)が陣形をさまざまに組んで踊る。曲目は「雌鹿隠し」「案山子(かかし)舞」「鉄砲踊」「土佐(とさ)」など多数ある。このほか岩手県遠野市附馬牛(つくもうし)や上閉伊(かみへい)郡大槌(おおつち)町徳並(とくなみ)の鹿踊などには回向(えこう)（仏供養）のための墓踊（墓獅子）があり、盆に位牌(いはい)の前や墓地で踊る。なお、愛媛県宇和島(うわじま)地方に分布している八つ鹿(やつしか)、五つ鹿(いつしか)は、1615年（元和1）宇和島藩主伊達秀宗(だてひでむね)が仙台から移封の際、仙台から移入したものという。仙台市以南の鹿踊と歌詞や旋律などに共通点が多い。

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