Takekurabe

A medium-length novel by Higuchi Ichiyo. It was serialized intermittently in Bungeikai from January 1895 (Meiji 28) to January 1896. It was published in Bungei Club in April 1896. The main characters are children on the verge of puberty who live in front of Daionji Temple near Yoshiwara. The story begins with a fight between the Omotemachi group (Midori, Shotaro, Sangoro, etc.) and the Yokomachi group (Nobuyuki, Chokichi, etc.) at the Senzoku Shrine festival on August 20th. During the fight, Midori, the "queen of the children's group," is humiliated by the violent Chokichi, but she mistakenly believes that Nobuyuki is behind Chokichi, and from then on she becomes estranged from Nobuyuki. Midori's sister is a prostitute, and she is also promised to be her successor. Nobuyuki is the son of the monk Ikugusa, and is destined to become a monk as well. Although she was unaware of it herself, Midori is actually attracted to Nobuyuki. Eventually, she has her first period and becomes more feminine, but "one frosty morning" an artificial daffodil is delivered to the gate of her house. It is the day Nobuyuki will become a monk. A timeless masterpiece of a subtle psychological novel, permeated with melancholy. Mori Ogai and Koda Rohan also praised it highly.

[Yasushi Oka]

"Complete Works of Higuchi Ichiyo 1" (1974, Chikuma Shobo) "Nigorie and Takekurabe" (Shincho Bunko) "Complete Works of Higuchi Ichiyo 2" (1979, Shogakukan)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

樋口一葉(ひぐちいちよう)作の中編小説。1895年（明治28）1月～96年1月『文学界』断続連載。96年4月『文芸倶楽部(くらぶ)』一括掲載。吉原近くの大音寺前に住む思春期まぢかの子供たちが主人公で、8月20日千束(せんぞく)神社の祭りでの表町組（美登利(みどり)、正太郎、三五郎ら）と横町組（信如(しんにょ)、長吉ら）とのけんかから始まり、このとき「子供中間(なかま)の女王様(にょおうさま)」美登利は乱暴者長吉に恥ずかしめられたが、長吉の後ろには信如がいると誤解し、以後、彼女と信如とは疎遠になる。美登利の姉は遊女で、彼女もやがてその「跡継ぎ」を約束されており、信如は生ぐさ和尚(おしょう)の息子で、彼も出家になる運命である。美登利は、自分でも無意識だったが、実は信如に心ひかれていた。やがて彼女は初経（初潮）を迎え、女らしくなったが、「或(あ)る霜の朝」彼女の家の門に「水仙の造り花」が差し入れられた。信如が僧となる日だった。精妙な心理小説で哀愁がただよう不朽の名作。森鴎外(おうがい)、幸田露伴(ろはん)も絶賛した。

［岡　保生］

『『樋口一葉全集1』（1974・筑摩書房）』▽『『にごりえ・たけくらべ』（新潮文庫）』▽『『全集　樋口一葉2』（1979・小学館）』

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