Shirasu - Whitebait

Japanese: 白洲 - しらす

(1) A place where white sand is spread, such as in front of a door or in a garden. (2) A courtroom in the Edo period where criminal proceedings and other such matters are tried. It got its name from the fact that the garden was covered with gravel. Suspects, such as farmers, townspeople, and low-ranking ronin, sat on straw mats laid on top of the gravel. Townspeople who were given orders from the government and high-ranking ronin sat on a wooden floor called the "shitaen" (also called the "itaendai" or "ronindai"), while samurai, monks, and Shinto priests sat on a step higher called the "uwaen" (also called the "tatami-raku" or "shitadori"). Investigators and scribes sat on the further upper level, the "uwadori," and the magistrate sat in the room on the top step. The floor above the "uwadori" was covered with tatami mats, and those who sat there were called "uwamono," and those who sat below the "shimo-raku" were called "shitamono." (3) In a Noh stage, this refers to the space between the stage and the spectators' seats.

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

（１）玄関先や庭前などの白い砂を敷いた所。（２）江戸時代，訴訟犯罪等の審理を行う法廷。庭に砂利を敷き詰めていたのでこの名がある。被疑者の百姓・町人・下級浪人はその上にむしろを敷いて座った。御用達町人や高級浪人は下椽(したえん)（板椽，浪人台とも）という板敷に，武士・僧侶・神職は上椽(うわえん)（畳椽，下通りとも）という一段高い所に座った。さらに上段の上通り(うわどおり)に吟味役や書役が座り，奉行は最上段の座敷に着座した。上椽以上は畳敷で，そこに座る者を上者(うわもの)，下椽以下に座る者を下者(したもの)と呼んだ。（３）能舞台において舞台と観客席との間をいう。

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