Ishidomaru - Ishidomaru

A legendary figure widely known in premodern times. He was the son of Kato Shigeuji, the party leader of Matsuura, Karukaya-no-sho, Chikuzen (Fukuoka Prefecture). At the age of 13, he visited his father, Karukaya Doshin, who had become a monk, at Mt. Koya, but his father, knowing that he was his son, left him without telling him his name. Later, after the death of his mother and sister, Ishidomaru climbed Mt. Koya and became Karukaya's disciple, calling himself Dounenbo, but in the end, he did not give his name as father and son, and both father and son passed away at the same time. They are enshrined as father and son Jizo at Zenkoji Temple in Shinano.

This tale was originally a sermon, and was popularized by the Koya Hijiri. From "The Origin of the Jizo of Zenkoji Temple" came the Noh play "Karukaya", followed by the sermon joruri "Karukaya", which gave rise to several other types of sermon joruri. Eventually, Namiki Sosuke and Josuke wrote the joruri "Karukaya Doshin Tsukushi no Iedzuto" (first performed at the Toyotakeza in 1735), and Ishidomaru's name became widely known. In 1806 (Bunka 3), Kyokutei Bakin's reading book "Ishidomaru Karukaya Monogatari" was published, and Ishidomaru also became famous in kabuki, shinnai-bushi, and biwa-uta.

[Kazuo Sekiyama]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

前近代に広く知られた伝説上の人物。筑前(ちくぜん)（福岡県）苅萱(かるかや)の庄(しょう)松浦(まつら)の党総領、加藤左衛門繁氏(しげうじ)の子。13歳のときに、出家していた父の苅萱道心(どうしん)を高野山(こうやさん)に訪ねたが、父はわが子と知りながら名のらずに別れる。のちに石童丸は母や姉と死別してから高野山に登り、苅萱の弟子となって道念坊と称したが、ついに親子の名のりはせず、父子ともに同時刻に往生を遂げ、信濃(しなの)善光寺の親子地蔵として祀(まつ)られる。

　この説話は、もとは説教（唱導）であり、それを広めたのは高野聖(こうやひじり)であった。『善光寺親子地蔵縁起』から謡曲『苅萱』を経て、説経浄瑠璃(じょうるり)『かるかや』が生まれ、そこから数種類の説経浄瑠璃が生じ、やがて並木宗輔(そうすけ)・丈輔(じょうすけ)作の浄瑠璃『苅萱桑門筑紫いえづと(かるかやどうしんつくしのいえづと)』（1735・豊竹座初演）ができて、石童丸の名はあまねく知られるようになった。また、1806年（文化3）には曲亭馬琴の読本(よみほん)『石堂丸苅萱物語』まで刊行され、歌舞伎(かぶき)や新内節、琵琶唄(びわうた)でも有名になった。

［関山和夫］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例