Tamura

Noh piece. Second piece. Five-school current piece. Based on "Konjaku Monogatari." Treated as an asura-noh, it is a kind of miraculous Noh that is completely different from other Noh. A monk from the eastern provinces (waki, wakitsure) visits Kiyomizu-dera Temple in the capital. A boy (mae shite) who is a flower guardian appears among the cherry blossoms in full bloom and tells the origin of this temple, which was built by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, and tells the monk about the many famous places in the capital under the moon, before disappearing into Tamurado. At the monk's request, a person at the temple (ai kyogen) tells the story of Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Tamurado. The second shite is the spirit of Sakanoue no Tamuramaro. He sets out to exterminate demons by imperial order, and demonstrates how he exterminated them with the power of the Thousand-Armed Kannon. There are scenes that emphasize the appearance of ancient military commanders, or where they are dressed in Chinese costumes. This is a masterpiece that beautifully contrasts the playful atmosphere under the cherry blossoms in the first half with the dignity and bravery of the latter half.

[Masuda Shozo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

能の曲目。二番目物。五流現行曲。『今昔物語』による。修羅能として扱われるが、他の能とはまったく違った一種の霊験能である。東国の僧（ワキ、ワキツレ）が都の清水(きよみず)寺に参詣(さんけい)する。満開の桜のなかを花守(はなもり)の童子（前シテ）が現れて、坂上田村麻呂(さかのうえのたむらまろ)の建立によるこの寺の縁起を語り、月の下の都の名所の数々を教え、田村堂に消える。門前の者（間(あい)狂言）が、僧の求めに清水寺、田村堂のいわれを語る。後シテは坂上田村麻呂の霊。勅命によって鬼神退治に出(い)で立ち、千手観音の力によって鬼神を絶滅したありさまを演じてみせる。古代の武将という姿をとくに強調し、あるいは中国風の扮装(ふんそう)をする演出がある。前段の桜の下に喜戯する風情と、後段のりりしさ、勇ましさがみごとに対比した傑作。

［増田正造］

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