Matsubayashi

A form of entertainment performed at New Year's celebrations. Lower-ranking people would visit the homes of higher-ranking people to perform this. It began at the latest in the mid-Muromachi period and continued through the Edo period, but today it remains in the repertoire of Kyogen (Izumi school), and only traces remain in folk performing arts and annual events. Matsubayashi seems to have originated from the practice of cutting down pine trees to welcome the New Year deity at the end of the year, and the word "hayashi" was used, meaning the division, multiplication and pacification of the soul, but it was later adapted to the song, dance and music term "hayashi" and was also written as matsubai and matsusou. The Muromachi period versions had a strong elegance to them, and were performed at the Imperial Court, the Shogunate and upper-class families. There were cases where nobles and feudal lords performed, but most were performed by Jige (dominants), Tonobara (nobles and samurai), Routou (samurai), town ladies, and Shomonji (divine persons), and each group competed with decorations, costumes, dances, Noh, and dances. In the Edo period, the Nohgaku performance ceremony held at the Shogun's residence on January 3rd was called Matsubayashi. Today, as a private event, although it is no longer held on New Year's Day, there are the Hakata Dontaku (May 3rd-4th, Fukuoka City), which is a refined Matsubayashi, and the Kikuchi Shrine Matsubayashi Noh (October 13th, Kikuchi City, Kumamoto Prefecture), which is a Nohgaku-style Matsubayashi. There are also cases where Sagicho is called Matsubayashi (Sado City, Niigata Prefecture), and Matsubayashi was also held during Sagicho inside the Imperial Court.

[Masahiro Nishikado]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

正月の祝言に行われた芸能。下位者が上位者の家に参って行うもので、遅くとも室町時代中期に始まり江戸時代まで行われたが、今日では狂言（和泉(いずみ)流）の演目に残るほか、民俗芸能や年中行事に痕跡(こんせき)をとどめているにすぎない。松囃子はもと年の暮れに年神を迎えるための松を伐(き)ってくる松迎えに起源するものらしく、魂の分割、増殖、鎮魂を意味する「はやし」の語が用いられたようだが、歌舞音曲用語の「囃子」に転用され、松拍、松奏とも書かれた。室町時代のものは風流(ふりゅう)的色彩の濃いもので、宮中、幕府、上流諸家に参って行われた。公卿(くぎょう)や大名が演じた例もあるが、多くは地下(じげ)（領民）の松囃子、殿原(とのばら)（公卿侍）の松囃子、郎党（武家）の松囃子、町女房の松囃子、声聞師(しょうもんじ)（神人(じにん)）の松囃子などで、それぞれに飾り、仮装、舞踊、能、舞々(まいまい)などを競った。江戸時代は正月3日の将軍家で行われる能楽各流による演能の儀を松囃子と称した。今日の民間行事として、日取りこそ正月でなくなったが、風流系の松囃子の博多(はかた)どんたく（5月3～4日、福岡市）と、能楽系の松囃子の菊池神社御松囃子能（10月13日、熊本県菊池市）などがある。左義長(さぎちょう)を松囃子とよぶ例もあるが（新潟県佐渡(さど)市）、宮中でも左義長のおりに松囃子が催されたことがあった。

［西角井正大］

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