Battle of Kawanakajima in Shinshu

Joruri Gidayubushi. Historical piece. Five acts. Written by Chikamatsu Monzaemon. First performed at the Takemotoza in Osaka in August 1721 (Kyoho 6). Based on the "Kōyō Gunkan" (The Mirror of the Koyo War), which depicts the battle between Takeda Shingen and Nagao Terutora (Uesugi Kenshin), the love affair between Shingen's son Katsuyori and Terutora's daughter Princess Emon leads to discord between the two families, but the situation is resolved with the efforts of Takeda's military strategist Yamamoto Kansuke. The play was the first to feature a honyama without a plasterwork in the Tenmokuzan scene in the fourth act, and contributed to the development of stage props. In terms of content, the play is famous for the third act's opening scene, "Terutora's Meal Delivery," and is often performed in kabuki. Terutora, who is trying to win over Yamamoto Kansuke to his side, invites Kansuke's mother (Koshiji in Kabuki) to the mansion and serves him food, but the strong-willed old mother kicks it back and refuses. Enraged, Terutora tries to kill his mother, but is calmed by the pleas of Kansuke's wife Okatsu. Highlights include the eccentricity of Terutora in his eboshi hat costume as he serves the food, the resolute performance of Koshiji, who is said to be one of the "Three Old Women," and the pathos of Okatsu, who plays the koto and sings while lamenting her stutter.

[Toshiaki Matsui]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

浄瑠璃義太夫節(じょうるりぎだゆうぶし)。時代物。5段。近松門左衛門作。1721年（享保6）8月、大坂・竹本座初演。武田信玄・長尾輝虎(てるとら)（上杉謙信）の戦いを描いた『甲陽軍鑑』に取材した作で、信玄の子勝頼(かつより)と輝虎の娘衛門(えもん)姫の恋が原因で両家の不和を招くが、武田の軍師山本勘助の尽力で収まるという筋(すじ)。四段目の天目山(てんもくざん)の場で初めて張(はり)抜きの本山(ほんやま)を飾り、大道具の発展に貢献した作だが、内容的には三段目口(くち)の「輝虎配膳(はいぜん)」が有名で、歌舞伎(かぶき)でも多く上演される。山本勘助を味方につけようとする輝虎が勘助の母（歌舞伎では役名越路(こしじ)）を館(やかた)へよび、自ら膳部を運んでもてなすが、気丈な老母は膳を蹴返(けかえ)して拒絶する。怒った輝虎は母を斬(き)ろうとするが、勘助の妻お勝の嘆願によって収まる。烏帽子(えぼし)装束の輝虎が膳を運ぶ奇抜さや、「三婆(さんばば)」の一つともいわれる越路の毅然(きぜん)とした演技、どもりのために琴を弾き歌いしながらわびるお勝の哀れさなどが眼目。

［松井俊諭］

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