Touka

One of the ancient dances and songs introduced from China. Many people sing and dance while stomping their feet on the ground to keep time, and it is also called Arale Hashiri. Hashiri seems to mean dance. Originally, it was a folk event in the Sui and Tang dynasties, and was performed at the lantern viewing event on the night of the first day of the New Year. In Japan, the first example of this was found in the entry for January 16, 693, the 7th year of the reign of Empress Jito in the Nihon Shoki, and it seems that after this, it gradually became established as one of the annual events of the Imperial Court, known as the Toka Festival. Details of the ceremony can be found in the Dairi Shiki and Saigu-ki. There are male and female Toka, and both are intended to pray for the longevity of the emperor and for a good harvest in the year. On the other hand, it seems that Toka also spread among the general public, and in 766 (Tenpyo Jingo 2), folk Toka in the Kinai region was banned for being disruptive to public morals. The lyrics initially used Chinese poetry, but as the event became more Japanese, songs such as "Waie" and "Takekawa" from the Saibara music festival came to be used. Towards the end of the Heian period, Toka fell into decline, and was no longer held as a festival.

[Tada Kazuomi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国から伝来した上代歌舞の一つ。大ぜいの人が足で地を踏みながら拍子をとりつつ歌い踊るもので、一名アラレハシリともよばれる。ハシリとは舞踏の意であるらしい。本来、隋(ずい)・唐の民間行事で、正月上元の夜の観灯会に行うのを例とした。わが国では、『日本書紀』持統(じとう)天皇7年（693）正月16日条にその初見例がみえ、これ以後しだいに踏歌節会(とうかのせちえ)として宮廷の年中行事の一つとなって定着したらしい。儀式のようすは『内裏式(だいりしき)』『西宮記(さいぐうき)』などに詳しい。男(おとこ)踏歌と女(おんな)踏歌とがあり、いずれも天皇の長久とその年の豊穣(ほうじょう)を祈ることを目的とした。踏歌は一方で民間にも普及したらしく、766年（天平神護2）には、風俗を乱すとの理由で畿内(きない)の民間踏歌が禁断されている。歌詞は当初は唐詩を用いたが、行事が日本化するとともに催馬楽(さいばら)の「我家(わいえ)」「竹河(たけかわ)」などが用いられるようになった。平安末ごろには衰退し、節会として行われることは絶えた。

［多田一臣］

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