The Hundredth Year

Rakugo. Also known as "The Head Storekeeper's Hundred Years." A loudmouth storekeeper of a large store scolds his servants before leaving the store, and on the way there he changes his clothes and takes a boat trip to view the cherry blossoms with geishas and geisha. He gets drunk and climbs up the bank, where he plays tag, when he bumps into his boss. The storekeeper is shocked and returns to the store, pretends to be sick, and goes to sleep. The next morning, when he is called by the boss, he is unexpectedly praised for his work and gently advised to be more considerate of those below him. At the end, the boss says, "I wonder why I said it had been a long time since we last met yesterday," and "When I saw you in such a state, I thought this was the end of my hundred years." This is also performed in Kamigata Rakugo, but it is also one of the great works in Tokyo. The 6th San'yutei Ensho was excellent.

[Kazuo Sekiyama]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

落語。別名『番頭百年目』。ある大店(おおだな)の口やかましい番頭が、奉公人たちをしかってから店を出て、途中で身なりを変え、芸者や幇間(ほうかん)を連れて花見船を出した。酔って土手に上り、鬼ごっこをしていると、旦那(だんな)にばったり出会う。番頭は仰天して店へ帰り、病気のふりをして寝てしまう。翌朝、旦那に呼ばれて行くと、意外にも日ごろの勤務ぶりを褒められ、もう少し下の者をいたわってやれと優しく諭される。最後に旦那が「きのう会ったとき、お久しぶりといったのはどういうわけか」「あんなざまでお目にかかり、もうこれが百年目（おしまい）と思いました」。上方(かみがた)落語でも口演されるが、東京でも大作の一つである。6代目三遊亭円生(えんしょう)が優れていた。

［関山和夫］

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