Blessing arts - Shukufukugei

Japanese: 祝福芸 - しゅくふくげい

A performing art that consists of chants of blessings, statements, words of praise, etc. In ancient times, there were people called "hokaibito" (hokai) who stood at the gates of houses to say blessings and beg in return. In the Middle Ages, such performers as Senzumanzai, Monoyoshi, Matsubayashi, etc. appeared, and they visited the Imperial Court, temples, and houses at the beginning of the year to perform blessings and also traveled around villages. In the Edo period, the types of performers increased further and became more diverse, including Manzai, Sekizoro, Ubara, Tsurusome, Ebisumai, Daikokumai, Daikagura, Harukoma, Torioi, etc., and they traveled around the country from the end of the year to the beginning of the year, performing blessings at the places they visited to earn a living.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

祝福の唱え言や言い立て，ほめ詞などを内容とする芸能。古代には〈ほかいびと〉(ほかい)と呼ばれ，家々の門（かど）に立って祝言を述べ，その代償として物を乞う存在があった。中世になると千秋万歳（せんずまんざい），物吉（ものよし），松囃子などといった祝言職が現れ，年の初めに禁中や諸寺，諸家に伺候して祝福の芸を演じ，また村々をめぐり歩いた。江戸時代になると祝言職の種類がさらに増え，万歳，節季候（せきぞろ），うばら，つるそめ，えびす舞，大黒舞，太神楽，春駒，鳥追などと多種多様になり，年末から年始にかけて諸国をめぐり歩き，訪問先で祝福芸を演じて生活の糧を得た。

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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