Date Musume Koi no Hikanoko - Date Musume Koi no Hikanoko

Japanese: 伊達娘恋緋鹿子 - だてむすめこいのひかのこ

Ningyo joruri. Sewamono. Eight volumes. Kakugaki (play on the basis of a single page) (Kishohobenhinsho Okijuryobon). Commonly known as "Oshichi of the Tower." Written by Suga Sensuke, Matsuda Kazuyoshi, and Wakatake Fueyuki. First performed in April 1773 (An'ei 2) as a side play in Kita-Horie, Osaka. Earlier versions of Oshichi-kichi's three-part joruri (play on the basis of a single page) included "Oshichi the Grocer" and its adaptation "Enshoku Edo Murasaki," but this work is a further rewrite of the latter. The new twist of having Oshichi strike the fire watchtower bell (later a drum in Kabuki) instead of setting fire to it was a success. Today, the "Fire Watchtower" scene at the end of the sixth volume is the one that is mostly performed, but the skillful form passed down to Yoshida Namba-no-jo, in which the puppeteer controls Oshichi as she climbs the ladder without showing her figure, has become popular and has become a spectacular scene.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

人形浄瑠璃。世話物。8巻。角書〈起請方便品書置寿量品〉。通称《櫓のお七》。菅専助，松田和吉，若竹笛躬作。1773年(安永2)4月大坂北堀江市の側芝居初演。お七吉三物の浄瑠璃としては，これより先に《八百屋お七》やその改作《潤色江戸紫》などが行われていたが，本作は後者をさらに書き替えたもの。お七が放火をするのではなく，火の見櫓の半鐘(のちの歌舞伎では太鼓)を打つという新しい趣向が成功した。今日もっぱら上演されるのは六の巻末尾の〈火の見櫓〉の段だが，お七が梯子を登るさまを人形遣いがその姿を見せずに操るという吉田難波掾に伝えられた技巧的な型が人気を呼び，華やかな景事の一幕となっている。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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