Uji Kaga no Jo - Uji Kaga no Jo

Japanese: 宇治加賀掾 - うじ・かがのじょう

Year of death: 21 January 1711 (9 March 1711)
Year of birth: Kan'ei 12 (1635)
A famous joruri performer in the Kamigata region in the early Edo period. His real name was Tokuda Tarozaemon, and his pen name was Takeo. He started out as Ujigadayu, and at age 43 he took on the name Kaga no Jo Uji Yoshizumi. He was born in Uji, Wakayama, and his family ran a paper business. At age 17 he aspired to enter the entertainment industry, and trained in Noh and other musical styles, but gave up on his initial goal of becoming a Noh actor and turned to the world of joruri. He performed Harima-bushi and incorporated the Isejima Miyauchi style, gradually forming a first-rate style. He made his debut in the Isenaka Jizo play, and at age 41 he launched the Ujiza troupe at Shijo Kawara in Kyoto, where he achieved great success. He competed with Yamamoto Tosajyo throughout the show, competing with him in art. At the age of 43, he worked with Tennoji Gorobei, later known as Takemoto Gidayu (Chikugonojo), as a wakidayu in "Saigyo Monogatari," but Gidayu left the company the following year and became his lifelong rival. From early on, he had named Chikamatsu Monzaemon as the author, but did not reveal his name. At the age of 49, he performed "Yotsugu Soga," which became the first work confirmed as a Chikamatsu work and was well received. Since then, he dominated the world of Joruri in Kyoto, and also performed in Osaka, making his style popular, and showed his talent as a performer by taking on the role of theater owner at Shijo Nawate in Kyoto. His style was described as delicate, with "detailed, weak, and wobbly rhythms," and he liked to narrate classical subjects. He incorporated many Noh plays into his narration, captivating Kyoto audiences. Not only in music, but also in stage direction, he came up with new ideas one after another, and was proactive in cooperating with Kabuki, making a great contribution in bringing a breath of fresh air to the world of Joruri. The achievements of Chikamatsu and Gidayu cannot be discussed without mentioning his existence. <References> "Kojoruri Shohonshu/Kagajohen" 5 volumes, Shinta Junichi "Uji Kagajo Nenpu" ("Kagajodanmonoshu" edited by Yokoyama Shigeru)

(Junichi Shinta)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：正徳1.1.21(1711.3.9)
生年：寛永12(1635)
江戸前期,上方の浄瑠璃の名太夫。本名徳田太郎左衛門。号竹翁。はじめ宇治賀(嘉,加)太夫と名乗り,43歳で受領して加賀掾宇治好澄と名乗る。和歌山宇治に生まれ家は紙商を営む。17歳で芸道入りを志し,謡曲他の音曲を修業したが,当初の能楽師の道を諦め,浄瑠璃界に転じた。播磨節を語り,伊勢島宮内の節を取り入れ,次第に一流を形成してゆく。伊勢中の地蔵の芝居に初出演し,41歳京四条河原で宇治座の旗上げをし成功を収める。山本土佐掾と終始拮抗して芸を競う。43歳「西行物語」に天王寺五郎兵衛こと,のちの竹本義太夫(筑後掾)をワキ太夫に抱えるが,義太夫は翌年離反独立し生涯の好敵手となる。早くから近松門左衛門を作者としていたが名前を示さず,49歳で上演の「世継曾我」が近松確定第1作となり,好評を得る。以来京都の浄瑠璃界に君臨し,大坂にも出演してその節を流行らせ,京の四条縄手の芝居主を兼ねるまでの興行的手腕をもみせた。その芸風は「節くばり細やかに弱々たよたよとして」と評されるように繊細で,古典的な題材などを語るのを好み,謡曲を語り物中に多く取り入れ,京の観客を魅了した。音曲面のみでなく,舞台演出面でも新機軸を次々と考案し,歌舞伎との提携にも積極的で,浄瑠璃界に新風をもたらした功績は大きい。近松,義太夫の活躍は彼の存在を抜きにしては語れない。<参考文献>『古浄瑠璃正本集/加賀掾編』全5巻,信多純一「宇治加賀掾年譜」(横山重編『加賀掾段物集』)

(信多純一)

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