Children's Dance - Chigomai

Japanese: 稚児舞 - ちごまい

A dance performed by young boys. Because young boys are pure and untainted, they are believed to be possessed by gods, and their dance was also considered a divine dance. Old performing arts had a deep connection to Shinto rituals, so young boys often participated. Mikomai is often performed by young boys. The Hana-mai dance at the Flower Festival held in Toei-cho, Toyone-mura, Kitashitara-gun, Aichi Prefecture, and Tsugu, Shitara-cho, the children's dance at the Kagura dance of Yahiko Shrine in Yahiko-mura, Nishikanbara-gun, Niigata Prefecture, the children's dance at the Sanzoro Festival in Mitsuhashi, Shitara-cho, and the Godan Kagura dance at Hakusan Nakai Shrine in Shirotori-cho, Gujo City, Gifu Prefecture, are all children's dances that are performed within the context of Kagura. There is also Children's Dance in Bugaku, which can be said to be a kind of children's dance, and it is significant that pure children dance. It was very significant that young boys danced in the Ennen festival, and young boys also performed in the Taasobi and Dengaku festivals. The Ayako dance of Onadani, Kurohime-cho, Kashiwazaki City, Niigata Prefecture, is a type of Furyu dance from the early modern period and is related to the Yayako dance of early Kabuki, and it seems that historically it had a religious meaning as well as the beauty of young girls.

[Kyoko Goto]

Longevity as seen in the Illustrated Biography of Honen Shonin
The ennen of young children after Emperor Goshirakawa dedicated the sutra of Nyoho. A copy of the Illustrated Biography of Honen Shonin, held at the National Diet Library .

Longevity as seen in the Illustrated Biography of Honen Shonin

Ayako Dance
This is a folk performing art handed down in the Shimotsuke and Takaharada districts of Onnadani, Kashiwazaki City. It consists of a small song dance performed by young women, a hayashi dance performed by men, and kyogen. There are 11 types of small song dance, including the Kogiriko Dance, Hitachi Dance, and Obaragi Dance, and they are important in understanding early Kabuki dance. They are open to the public on the second Sunday of September every year. The photo shows the Obaragi Dance. Nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property Kashiwazaki City, Niigata Prefecture © Niigata Prefecture Tourism Association ">

Ayako Dance

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

稚児の舞う舞。稚児は清浄で汚れがないところから、神が依(よ)り憑(つ)くと考えられ、その舞は神の舞とも考えられた。古い芸能は神事と深い関係をもっていたので、稚児が参加する場合が多かった。神子(みこ)舞は稚児によって舞われることが多い。愛知県北設楽(きたしたら)郡東栄(とうえい)町、豊根(とよね)村、設楽町津具(つぐ)で行われている花祭の花の舞、新潟県西蒲原(にしかんばら)郡弥彦(やひこ)村の弥彦(いやひこ)神社の神楽(かぐら)の稚児舞、設楽町三都橋(みつはし)の参候祭(さんぞろまつり)の稚児舞、岐阜県郡上(ぐじょう)市白鳥(しろとり)町の白山中居(はくさんちゅうきょ)神社の五段神楽など、いずれも神楽のなかで行われている稚児舞である。舞楽(ぶがく)にも稚児舞楽があるが、これも一種の稚児舞といってよく、清浄な稚児が舞うところに意味があった。延年(えんねん)では稚児が出て舞うところに大きな意味があったし、田遊(たあそび)にも田楽(でんがく)にも稚児による舞があった。また、新潟県柏崎(かしわざき)市黒姫町女谷(おなだに)の綾子(あやこ)舞は近世初頭の風流(ふりゅう)踊の系統で、初期の歌舞伎(かぶき)踊のややこ踊とも関係をもっており、少女の美しさと同時に宗教的意味も歴史的にはあったらしい。

［後藤　淑］

[参照項目] | 綾子舞 | 弥彦神社 | 延年 | 神楽 | 田遊 | 稚児 | 田楽 | 花祭 | 舞楽 | ややこ踊

『法然上人絵伝』にみる延年
後白河院の如法経奉納のあとの稚児延年。『法然上人絵伝』　写国立国会図書館所蔵">

『法然上人絵伝』にみる延年

綾子舞
柏崎市女谷の下野、高原田両地区に伝わる民俗芸能。若い女性による小歌踊、男性が演ずる囃子舞、狂言からなる。小歌踊は「小切子踊」「常陸踊」「小原木踊」など11種あり、初期歌舞伎踊を知るうえで重要である。毎年9月第2日曜日に現地公開される。写真は小原木踊。国指定重要無形民俗文化財　新潟県柏崎市©公益社団法人新潟県観光協会">

綾子舞

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