Sukeroku-related Edo cherry blossoms

Kabuki play. Historical domestic drama. One act. Commonly known as "Sukeroku." One of the 18 major Kabuki plays. Hanakawado Sukeroku, a gangster who is in fact Soga Goro, sneaks into Yoshiwara to investigate the treasured sword Tomokirimaru, and finds out that the sword in the possession of Ikyu, a rich samurai with a beard who is in unrequited love with his lover, Miuraya Agemaki, is Tomokirimaru. He kills Ikyu and takes back the sword. Other main characters include Sukeroku's brother, Shirozakeuri Shinbei, who is actually Soga Juro, his mother Manko, Agemaki's younger sister, Keisei Shiratama, Ikyu's subordinate, Kanpera Monbei, and Asagao Senpei. The story is simple, but with the splendid Nakamachi of Yoshiwara as the backdrop, there is much to see, such as the lavish journey of Agemaki, Shiratama and other courtesans, Agemaki's abusive behavior towards Ikyu, the "Debut" in which Sukeroku shows off his beautiful dance on the flower path to the fullest using the Katobushi style, the exchange of threats and abuse with Ikyu and his gang, the humorous element of picking a fight with a visitor and making him walk through their legs, the affection of Sukeroku's mother who counsels him, and, although it is often omitted, the thrill of the "Mizu-iri" scene in which Sukeroku, having killed Ikyu, hides in the main water of a rain barrel.

Originally a love story from Kamigata, "Sukeroku Shinju" (Sukeroku Love Suicide), it was de-naturalized in Edo and transformed into a story of a gangster's life. It began with "Hana-yakata Aigo no Sakura" (Flower House Guardian Cherry Blossoms), which was first performed by Ichikawa Danjūrō ​​II at the Yamamura-za in April 1713 (Shotoku 3), and after the revival "Shikireiyawaragi Soga" (1716), it was treated as part of the Soga Kyogen, and the structure in which Goro changes his name to Sukeroku in order to investigate the treasured sword became a regular feature, and the current form was basically established by the third performance (1749). The use of Kawato-bushi as a base began in 1733 (Kyoho 18) with Ichimura Takenojo's "Hanabusa Funjin Soga," and today's Kyogen titles were born from the joruri title of the play, "Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Sakura." It was in 1832 (Tenpo 3) with the performance by Danjūrō ​​VII that it was selected as one of the 18 Kabuki plays. The Onoe Kikugoro family has used other joruri instead of Kawato-bushi, and in recent years has settled on the Kiyomoto base "Sukeroku Kuruwa no Momoyogusa."

[Toshiaki Matsui]

"Kabuki on Stage 17: Sukeroku Yuen Edo Sakura and Others" edited by Haruo Suwa (1985, Hakusuisha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

歌舞伎(かぶき)劇。時代世話物。1幕。通称「助六」。歌舞伎十八番の一つ。侠客(きょうかく)花川戸(はなかわどの)助六実は曽我(そが)五郎は、宝刀友切丸(ともきりまる)詮議(せんぎ)のため吉原へ入り込み、愛人の三浦屋揚巻(あげまき)に横恋慕する金持ちの武士髭(ひげ)の意休(いきゅう)のもつ刀こそ友切丸と知り、意休を討って刀を取り返す。ほかにおもな登場人物は、助六の兄白酒売新兵衛実は曽我十郎、母満江(まんこう)、揚巻の妹分の傾城(けいせい)白玉(しらたま)、意休の子分のかんぺら門兵衛、朝顔仙平など。物語は単純だが、絢爛(けんらん)たる吉原仲の町を背景に、揚巻・白玉ら傾城の豪華な道中、揚巻の意休への悪態、助六が河東節(かとうぶし)を地に花道で美しい振(ふり)を見せる「出端(では)」、意休一味との啖呵(たんか)と悪態のやりとり、遊客に喧嘩(けんか)を売って股(また)をくぐらせる滑稽(こっけい)味、助六を意見する母の情愛、また省略されることも多いが、意休を斬(き)った助六が天水桶(おけ)の本水(ほんみず)に隠れる「水入り」のスリルなど、見どころは多い。

　本来は上方(かみがた)で生まれた「助六心中」の情話が江戸で脱化して侠客物になった作品で、1713年（正徳3）4月山村座で2世市川団十郎が初演した『花館愛護桜(はなやかたあいごのさくら)』に始まり、再演の『式例和(しきれいやわらぎ)曽我』（1716）以後は曽我狂言の一部に扱われ、五郎が宝刀詮議のため助六と変名するという構成が恒例になり、三度目の上演（1749）で現行の形式がほぼ定まった。地に河東節を使ったのは1733年（享保18）市村竹之丞(たけのじょう)所演の『英分身(はなぶさふんじん)曽我』からで、その浄瑠璃名題(じょうるりなだい)『助六所縁(ゆかりの)江戸桜』に基づいて、今日の狂言名題が生まれた。歌舞伎十八番に選ばれたのは1832年（天保3）の7世団十郎所演からである。なお、尾上(おのえ)菊五郎家では河東節にかえて他の浄瑠璃を使い、近年は清元(きよもと)地の『助六曲輪菊(くるわのももよぐさ)』に定まっている。

［松井俊諭］

『諏訪春雄編著『歌舞伎オン・ステージ17　助六由縁江戸桜ほか』（1985・白水社）』

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