Noh stage - Noubutai

A stage dedicated to performing Noh and Kyogen. Today, it is common for a Noh stage and audience seating to be housed in a single building, known as a "Noh theater," but this style remains from the days when the stage itself was installed separately outdoors, with its own roof inside a building. Stages around the time of the perfection of Noh under Kan'ami and Zeami were likely to have been outdoors or worship halls of temples and shrines, as seen in the Takiginou (firewood Noh) of Kofuku-ji Temple in Nara and the Gosha Nobori (shrine-top Noh) of Kasuga Wakamiya Shrine, which are still performed today. Zeami's Sarugaku Dangi records that the standard number of sajiki (boxes) surrounding a temporary stage for Kanjin Noh at that time was 62 to 63 ken, and since each box was five shaku (Kyoto ken), we can see that even coliseum-style performance halls with a diameter of about 20 ken (about 40 meters) were built.

The oldest existing stage is the North Noh Stage (National Treasure) of Nishi Honganji Temple in Kyoto. Built in 1581 (Tensho 9), it was bestowed by Tokugawa Ieyasu to Shimotsuma Shoshin, who was a performance advisor to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a Noh enthusiast, and was later moved to Honganji Temple. It is a simple and beautiful stage with a gabled roof. It is deeper than it is wide, the floor is laid out differently from today, and the Jiutaiza (chants' theater) is thought to have been added later, indicating that the Noh stage style was just about to be completed. The South Noh Stage of the temple is said to be a remnant of Fushimi Castle. The Noh stage at Itsukushima Shrine was renovated during the Edo period, but is said to have been built in 1568 (Eiroku 11), and is unique in that it is a Noh stage on the sea. During the Edo period, the main stage in the inner citadel of Edo Castle was the standard, and the style of other stages was determined by the status of the feudal lord. The audience seats were in a separate building, and Noh and Kyogen were viewed from the outside. This was called Machiiri Noh, and was only allowed for spectators during shogunate celebrations and Buddhist ceremonies. There were times when 500 people, 10 groups per day, were allowed to enter the open-air Shirasu sandbar. It is said that each person was given an umbrella in case of rain. Indoor Noh performances, such as at night, were performed on a stage set up in a Japanese-style room. After World War II, a Japanese-style room stage from the Momoyama period built under a tatami mat was discovered at Nishi Honganji Temple, and a performance was held there. This form of Japanese-style room Noh has been passed down in Kurokawa Noh, a form performed by farmers in Yamagata Prefecture, who set up a temporary Noh stage in a private home and perform an all-night Noh performance for the gods. Sado is also a place where Noh is popular among the local people, with around 60 Noh stages remaining.

Noh theaters with an indoor Noh stage, dressing rooms, and viewing area have been around since the Shiba Noh Theater in Momijiyama, Tokyo, opened in 1881 (Meiji 14). Noh theaters, which have been in a new style for the past 100 years, continue the style of informally opening practice Noh performances to the public on the stage of the head of a school during the Edo period, and since many of them are still run by schools or influential people in those schools, they are more used as practice stages than as places for viewing, and it is difficult to think of them as complete. There are many elements that are inappropriate for a theater, such as lighting, acoustics, and spatial treatment. The National Theater Noh Theater, which opened in 1983 (Showa 58) at a huge cost of 4.6 billion yen, is an extension of the previous idea, and leaves room for dissatisfaction as a performance space and viewing space. On the other hand, the Kongo Noh Theatre and the Tessenkai Noh Theatre Training Institute Stage, which still have their box seats, are considered friendly and well-liked. However, the open-air Noh theatres have been moved indoors and the performances are now viewed from a closer distance, which has required greater attention to detail in the performance, bringing about changes in the expression of Noh.

There are permanent Noh theaters in Tokyo, Kamakura, Atami, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Kanazawa, Matsuyama, Fukuoka, Miyazaki and other cities, and the number of public Noh theaters, such as the National Theater Noh Theater, is also increasing. They usually have a capacity of around 300-700 people, but there are more than 70 Noh theaters nationwide, including smaller ones. In addition, outdoor Noh performances, such as Noh on stages outside the theaters and takigi Noh, became popular after World War II.

Noh theatres have their own unique style. They are made entirely of cypress. The main stage (also called the stage) is 6 meters square and has four corners with pillars to support the roof. The "metsuki pillar" is particularly important, and serves as a target for the performer whose field of vision is narrowed by the Noh mask. In recent years, some Noh theatres have removable pillars, and they are often omitted in stage Noh, but it is true that having four pillars actually expands the acting space. Since Noh places the greatest importance on footwork, the floor is designed to be elastic, and several large jars are placed under the floor as resonators for the footsteps. The roof and the "fuebashira" have rings for hanging the "Dojoji" bell. The edge of the "waki pillar" is often where the waki sit, and the jiutai seat to the right of it sits in two rows at a right angle to the front. The area at the back of the main stage is called the "atoza," and is where the musicians and the back guardians are located. It is also called "yokoita" because of the way the boards are laid out. Atoza is covered with a eaves, which, together with the kagamiita board at the back, acts as an excellent sound reflector. The "kiritoguchi" (cut door entrance) on the right side of the atoza is also called the "kobyoguchi" (cowardly entrance), and is used as an entrance and exit for the jiutai and the back guardians, as well as for the exit of characters who are killed on stage. The "kininguchi" (noble entrance) at the back of the jiutai seat and the "shirasubashigo" (white sand ladder) at the front are no longer used in today's performances. The kagamiita (kagami board), which serves as the background for all Noh and Kyogen, has an old pine tree painted on it. It is said that the bridge is modeled after the Yogo Pine tree, where the god of Kasuga Shrine descends, and the Kano style was the standard in the Edo period, but in recent years many Noh stages have been unpopular due to the arbitrary and new interpretations of painters. The "hashigaki" (bridge) extending to the left of the "shite pillar" is a passageway for the performers and musicians to enter and exit the stage, and is also used as a space separate from the stage for important performances, emphasizing the perspective of the performance. The bridges are numbered "Ichinomatsu", "Ninomatsu", and "Sannomatsu" from the stage side, and are excellent points of scenery and also serve as targets for performances. The position and angle of the bridges have changed over the years, and in the time of Zeami, there were no mirror panels and the bridges were placed in the center at the back, almost like an amphitheater. The Kasuga Shrine Noh Theater in Kurokawa, Yamagata Prefecture, has bridges on both the left and right. The longest modern stage is the National Theater Noh Theater, which is about 17 meters long. The effect of the performance will be greater if the bridge is long and connects to the stage at a deep diagonal angle.

The Kagami-no-Ma is separated by a hashikake and a five-colored donsu curtain that is raised by two bamboo poles. After finishing his costume in the dressing room, the shite puts on his Noh mask here for the last time and concentrates in front of a large mirror, while the musicians perform the Oshiera in front of the stage. Performances are sometimes held in the Kagami-no-Ma, so it can be said to function as both a dressing room and a stage. Near the curtain is a bugyo window, which can be used to watch the progress of the play, and is also called a storm window or a lookout window. Adjacent to the Kagami-no-Ma is the dressing room at the rear of the stage. It is usually divided into rooms for the shite, waki, kyogen, and musicians. There are white sand dunes around the Noh stage. On outdoor stages and in separate buildings, the reflected light from these has an effective indirect lighting effect. Nishi Honganji's North Noh Stage does not use small white stones, but rather large black stones angled at an angle as an auxiliary acoustic device. In Noh theaters, the spectator seating area, called the "kensho," surrounds the stage, and today most of these are chair seats. There are usually different admission fees for the front seats, side front seats, middle front seats, and jiura. There are few examples of Noh theaters with a kensho in the jiura area. Some Noh theaters also have a second floor.

[Masuda Shozo]

"Complete book of Nohgaku 4: Noh performance" edited by Toyoichiro Nogami, annotated and supplemented by Haruo Nishino and Yoji Matsumoto (1979, Tokyo Sogensha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

能および狂言を演じるための専用の舞台。今日では、能舞台と観客席を一つの建物に収めた「能楽堂」という形態が普通になっているが、建物の中に能舞台自身の屋根をもち、舞台そのものは野外に独立して設けられていた時代の様式を残している。観阿弥(かんあみ)・世阿弥(ぜあみ)の能の大成期前後の舞台は、今日も伝わる奈良興福寺の薪能(たきぎのう)や、春日(かすが)若宮の御社上(ごしゃのぼ)りの能にみるように、野天であったり、寺社の拝殿などを利用したものであろう。世阿弥の『申楽談儀(さるがくだんぎ)』には、当時の勧進能の仮設舞台を取り囲む桟敷(さじき)数の標準を62～63間と記してあり、一桟敷が五尺（京間）とあるから、直径約20間（約40メートル）ほどのコロシアム風の興行場までつくられたことがわかる。

　現存最古の舞台は、京都の西本願寺北能舞台（国宝）である。1581年（天正9）建造のもので、能のマニア豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉の演技顧問であった下間少進(しもつましょうしん)が徳川家康から拝領し、のち本願寺に移したもので、入母屋造(いりもやづくり)の簡素で美しい舞台である。間口より奥行が深く、床の張り方も現在とは異なり、地謡座(じうたいざ)はあとからの増築と思われることから、能舞台様式の完成直前であったことがわかる。同寺の南能舞台は伏見(ふしみ)城の遺構と伝える。厳島(いつくしま)神社の能舞台は江戸時代の改修を経ているが、1568年（永禄11）創建といわれ、海上の能舞台という点に特色がある。江戸時代には江戸城本丸の表舞台を基準とし、ほかの舞台は大名の格式などによって様式が定められるに至った。観客席は別棟の建物であり、大気を隔てて能と狂言が鑑賞された。町入(まちいり)能と称して幕府の祝事、法会の際に限って町人の陪観を許し、1回500人、1日に10組を野天の白洲(しらす)に入場させたこともある。降雨のときの用意に傘を各自に下付したという。夜間などの屋内の能は、座敷に舞台をしつらえて演じられた。西本願寺では、第二次世界大戦後になって、畳の下につくられた桃山時代の座敷舞台が発見され、演能が行われた。この座敷能の形は、民家に臨時の能舞台をつくり、神を迎えて徹夜の能を捧(ささ)げる、山形県の農民による黒川能に継承されている。また、佐渡は民衆による能の盛んな所で、60ほどの能舞台が残っている。

　能舞台と楽屋、見所(けんしょ)（見物席）を屋内に収めた能楽堂は、1881年（明治14）の東京の芝紅葉山(もみじやま)の芝能楽堂以来の形式である。ここ100年余りの新しい様式である能楽堂は、江戸時代の家元の舞台における稽古(けいこ)能を非公式に公開していた形を受け継ぎ、現在も流儀または流儀の有力者による経営も多いため、鑑賞の場としてよりも稽古舞台としての性格が強く、完成された姿とは考えにくい。照明や音響、空間処理など、劇場としては不適格な要素も多い。1983年（昭和58）に開場し、46億円の巨費を投じた国立劇場能楽堂も、その延長線に発想がとどまり、演技空間、鑑賞空間として不満が残る。一方、桟敷のままの金剛能楽堂、銕仙(てっせん)会能楽研修所舞台などは、逆に親しく好ましい能楽堂とされている。しかし、開放的な野外の能楽堂が屋内へ移され、近距離から見るようになったため、演技のきめの細かさが要求されるようになったことは、能の表現に変化をもたらしている。

　東京、鎌倉、熱海(あたみ)、京都、大阪、神戸、金沢、松山、福岡、宮崎ほかに常設の能楽堂があり、国立劇場能楽堂ほか、公共の能楽堂も増える傾向にある。300～700人程度の収容力をもつのが普通であるが、小規模なものまで含めると全国に70以上の能楽堂がある。また、能楽堂を出たステージの能、薪能など野外の能の流行が、第二次大戦後に顕著である。

　能楽堂には独自の様式がある。総檜(ひのき)でつくる。京間三間（約6メートル）四方の本舞台（舞台ともいう）の四隅に柱を立てて屋根を支える。「目付(めつけ)柱」はとくに重要で、能面で視野を狭められた演者の目標となる。近年はこの柱の取り外せる能楽堂もあり、ステージ能などでは省略されることが多いが、4本の柱でくぎられているほうがかえって演技空間としての広がりをもつことも事実である。能は足の運びをもっとも重視するため、床は全体の弾力がくふうされて張られており、床下には足拍子の共鳴装置として数個の大きな甕(かめ)を配置する。屋根と「笛柱」には『道成寺(どうじょうじ)』の鐘を吊(つ)るための鐶(かん)がある。「ワキ柱」のきわは多くワキの座る場所であり、右手の地謡座には地謡が正面と直角に2列に正座する。本舞台の後方は「後座(あとざ)」といい、囃子方(はやしかた)と後見の場所である。板の張り方から「横板(よこいた)」ともいう。後座には庇(ひさし)がかかり、後方の鏡板(かがみいた)とともに優れた反響板の効果をもつ。後座右手の「切戸口(きりとぐち)」は「臆病口(おくびょうぐち)」ともいい、地謡方と後見の出入口であると同時に、舞台で斬(き)られた役などの退場にも用いる。地謡座奥の「貴人口(きにんぐち)」、正面の「白洲梯子(しらすばしご)」は今日の演能では用いない。あらゆる能と狂言の背景である「鏡板」には、老松が描かれる。春日神社の神の降りる影向(ようごう)の松をかたどるという伝えもあり、狩野(かのう)風が江戸時代の定めだったが、近年は画家の恣意(しい)や新解釈で不評の能舞台も多い。「シテ柱」の左手に延びた「橋懸(はしがか)り」は、演者や囃子方の登退場の通路であると同時に、重要な演技の場所で、演技の遠近を強調し、舞台とは別の空間としても用いられる。橋懸りには舞台のほうから順に「一ノ松」「二ノ松」「三ノ松」があり、これは優れた点景であり、演技の目標ともなる。橋懸りのつく位置と角度は時代による変遷があり、世阿弥時代には、鏡板がなく、橋懸りは後方中央につけられ、ほとんど円形劇場に近かった。山形県黒川能の春日神社能楽堂は、左右両方に橋懸りをもつ。近代の舞台でもっとも長いのは国立劇場能楽堂の約17メートルである。橋懸りは長くかつ斜めに深い角度で舞台に接したほうが演技効果が高い。

　橋懸りと2本の竹竿(たけざお)で跳ね上げる五色の緞子(どんす)の「揚幕(あげまく)」を隔てて「鏡ノ間」がある。楽屋で扮装(ふんそう)を終えたシテは、ここで最後に能面をかけ、大きな鏡を前に精神集中を図り、囃子方は出を前にして「お調べ」を演奏する。鏡ノ間で演技の行われることもあり、楽屋と舞台の両方の機能をもつ部屋ともいえる。揚幕に近く舞台の進行を見るための「奉行(ぶぎょう)窓」があり、「あらし窓」「物見窓」ともいわれる。鏡ノ間に接して舞台後方に「楽屋」がある。シテ方、ワキ方、狂言方、囃子方の部屋に分かれているのが普通である。能舞台の回りには「白洲」が設けられている。野外、別棟の舞台では、この反射光が間接照明としての効果がある。西本願寺北能舞台は、白い小石でなく、黒い大きめの石に角度をもたせて音響の補助装置としてのくふうがある。能楽堂においては、観客席である「見所(けんしょ)」は舞台を取り囲む形で設けられ、今日では椅子(いす)席が多い。正面席、脇(わき)正面席、中(なか)正面席、地裏(じうら)の順で入場料に差があるのが普通。地裏に見所を設けた能楽堂は例が少ない。2階席のある能楽堂もある。

［増田正造］

『野上豊一郎編修、西野春雄・松本雍解題・補注『能楽全書4　能の演出』（1979・東京創元社）』

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