Underwater flowers

These toys (gangu) are made by coloring and compressing the stems of the yamabuki tree, the cores of alder trees, or small pieces of wood into small pieces, and when they are placed in a glass of sake or water, they release bubbles and become beautiful floating flowers, birds, or dolls. They are mainly based on various flowers, and are so named because they open in the water. In haiku (Japanese verse), they are also called sake-chu-hana (flowers in sake), and are a seasonal word for summer. During the Edo period, from the Enpo era (1673-81), these toys were enjoyed as a drinking game by floating them in sake cups. The Haikai Edo Shindo, published in 1678 (Enpo 6), contains the verse, "Sake-chu-hana (flowers in sake) never stop, at the morokoshi no Yoshinogawa (Yoshino River)." They were also called cup-chu-hana (flowers in a cup). Also, in "Saikaku Tsurezure" published in 1695 (Genroku 8), there is an entry that says, "One time I tried to make a cherry blossom into a flower in sake," and the illustration shows a sign that reads, "A long-winded sake-flower-making flower karakuri." It seems to have been brought to Nagasaki from China. From around the Meiwa era (1764-1772), it was sold at a toothpick shop in Asakusa Kannon in Edo, and became a local specialty. Even today, it can be seen at night stalls during summer festivals.

[Ryosuke Saito]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ヤマブキの茎、タラの木の芯(しん)や細かい木片に、彩色して小さく圧縮し、酒または水を入れたコップの中などに入れると、泡(あわ)を出しながら美しい花鳥、人形となって浮かぶ玩具(がんぐ)。おもに各種の花を題材とし、水中で開くのでこの名がある。俳諧(はいかい)では酒中花ともいい、夏の季語。江戸時代、延宝(えんぽう)年間（1673～81）のころから酒席の遊びとして、これを酒杯に浮かべて楽しんだ。1678年（延宝6）刊の『誹諧(はいかい)江戸新道』に、「酒中花やみぬ唐(もろこし)のよし野川」の句がある。杯中花ともよばれた。また1695年（元禄8）刊の『西鶴(さいかく)つれづれ』には、「桜をある時酒中花にしかけて」とあり、その挿絵に、「長さき酒中花つくり花からくり」と記した看板を描いている。中国から長崎あたりに伝えられたものらしい。明和(めいわ)年間（1764～72）ころからは、江戸・浅草観音の楊枝店(ようじみせ)で売られ、名物となった。現在も夏の縁日の夜店などにみられる。

［斎藤良輔］

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