Mibu Kyogen

Nembutsu Kyogen is a form of kyogen performed at Mibu-dera Temple in Mibu, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City. It is also called Mibu Dai-nembutsu or Yuzu Dai-nembutsu. It is held for nine days from April 21st to 29th, and is designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property by the nation. According to temple legend, in 1300 (Shoan 2), Engaku Shonin (Dogo), the founder of the revival of Mibu-dera Temple, held the Yuzu Dai-nembutsu Ceremony, and created the piece in an effort to explain to the masses the principles of rewarding good, punishing evil, and karma in an easy-to-understand way. The name Dai-nembutsu probably comes from the fact that kyogen was performed as entertainment at the Dai-nembutsu Ceremony. Although it is kyogen, its main feature is that it is a silent masked drama. All the plays are silent except for "Yudate" and "Bofuri" which are performed on the final day of the ritual. They are performed with gestures, mimicry, and dance, and all the characters except "Bofuri" wear masks. Originally, they were performed on the edge of the main hall, but now they are performed in the Dainbutsu-do (Kyogen-do), which is in the style of a Noh stage.

The event begins on January 28th, the anniversary of the death of Engaku Shonin, with a ceremony to vow for the performers of Kyogen, followed in March by a ceremony to make the sticks used in the Kyogen play "Bofuri," and various other ceremonies before the Kyogen performance begins. During the festival, the first performance of each day is "Horakuwari," and at the end of the final day, the pieces "Yutate" and "Bofuri" are performed. There are about 30 pieces in the repertoire. Pieces based on Noh include "Tsuchigumo," "Momijigari," "Nue," and "Dojoji," while pieces based on Kyogen include "Hanaori," "Setsubun," and "Nabeyatsubachi," while pieces unique to Mibu Kyogen include "Oketori," "Atagomode," "Daikokugari," "Yamahana Tororo," "Kanidon," and "Gaki Sumo." Sewamono stories such as "Oketori" and "Yamahata Tororo" are considered masterpieces for the beauty of their expression and the subtleties of human feelings. There are three instruments: the waniguchi, the shimedaiko, and the flute. The tsubaguchi and shimedaiko play a monotonous eight-beat rhythm called "ganden-den," and the flute is added from time to time. The performers are Mibu samurai who are said to have been descendants of Engaku Shonin, but are now members of the Mibu Dainenbutsu Ko. Similar Kyogen plays are also performed at Seiryoji Temple and Senbon Enma-do in Kyoto City, but the former, Saga Dainenbutsu Kyogen (a nationally designated important intangible folk cultural property), is a silent drama, while the latter includes spoken lines.

[Nobuo Watanabe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

京都市中京(なかぎょう)区壬生の壬生寺に伝わる念仏狂言。壬生大念仏、融通大念仏ともいう。4月21日から29日までの9日間行われ、国の重要無形民俗文化財に指定されている。寺伝によると、1300年（正安2）に壬生寺中興の祖、円覚上人(しょうにん)（道御(どうご)）が「融通大念仏会(え)」を催し、勧善懲悪、因果応報の理を大衆にわかりやすく説こうとしてつくったものという。狂言を大念仏というのは、大念仏会の余興に狂言を演じたことによるのであろう。狂言といっても無言の仮面劇であることが大きな特色である。結願(けちがん)日に演じる『湯立(ゆだて)』『棒振(ぼうふり)』以外は全曲黙劇で、身ぶりや物真似(ものまね)に舞を交えて演じ、また『棒振』以外の登場人物はすべて仮面を用いている。もとは本堂の縁の上で演じたが、現在は能舞台風の大念仏堂（狂言堂）で演じられる。

　行事は円覚上人の忌日1月28日に狂言を勤める人々の誓いの式から始まり、3月に狂言『棒振』に使う棒つくりの式があり、狂言の開始まで各種の儀式がある。開催期間中は、毎日初番に『炮烙割(ほうらくわり)』を演じ、最終日の最後には『湯立』『棒振』の曲を演じる。曲目は約30曲を伝えている。能から取材した曲に『土蜘蛛(つちぐも)』『紅葉狩(もみじがり)』『鵺(ぬえ)』『道成寺(どうじょうじ)』など、狂言から取材した曲に『花折(はなおり)』『節分(せつぶん)』『炮烙割（鍋八撥(なべやつばち)）』など、壬生狂言独特の曲に『桶取(おけとり)』『愛宕詣(あたごもうで)』『大黒狩』『山端(やまはな)とろろ』『蟹殿(かにどん)』『餓鬼角力(がきすもう)』などがある。『桶取』『山端とろろ』などの世話物は、表現の美しさと人情の機微をとらえた内容によって、傑作とされる。楽器は鍔口(わにぐち)、締太鼓(しめだいこ)、笛の3種で、鍔口と締太鼓が「ガンデンデン」という八拍子の単調なリズムで囃(はや)し、ときおり笛が入る。演者はもと円覚上人の一族と伝える壬生郷士、現在は壬生大念仏講の人々である。同様の狂言は京都市の清凉寺(せいりょうじ)と千本閻魔(えんま)堂にもあるが、前者の嵯峨(さが)大念仏狂言（国指定重要無形民俗文化財）は黙劇であり、後者には台詞(せりふ)が入る。

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