Yachiyojishi

This is the title of a Jiuta (Chinese folk song) and Sokyo (Japanese harp) piece. It was originally a shakuhachi piece, but Masajima Kengyo arranged it for kokyu (Japanese fiddle), and then Fujishima Kengyo (a Nogawa school jiuta poet active in the mid-18th century) arranged it for shamisen. The short lyrics at the beginning and end sing of pine trees and snow, and include the line "Yoyo wa ikuchiyo yachiyo furu," and the piece was given this title because it incorporates the shakuhachi piece "Shishi" into the three-stage tegoto (the middle section with only instruments). Unlike other "shishimono" (lion-themed) plays, even beginners are allowed to learn this piece, and the tegoto (techo) parts are used in nagauta (long songs) such as "Funabenkei" and "Wakanatsumi," and in kabuki geza (stage) music, such as the "Inner Garden Scene" in "Kagamiyama Kokyo no Nishikie" and in the fighting scenes of "Sukeroku," as "Yachiyo Shishi Aikata Kuzushi," giving it an old-fashioned feel.

[Kiyoko Moteki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

地歌(じうた)、箏曲(そうきょく)の曲名。本来は尺八曲のものを、政島検校(まさじまけんぎょう)が胡弓(こきゅう)曲に編曲し、さらに藤島検校（野川流地歌の人。18世紀なかばに活躍）が三味線曲に編曲したといわれる。前後にある短い歌詞は松と雪を歌っており、一部に「世々は幾千代八千代ふる」とあることと、尺八本曲の「獅子」を三段の手事(てごと)（中間部の楽器のみの部分）に取り入れたことから、この曲名がついている。他の「獅子物」と異なり、初心者でも習うことを許され、手事の部分は『船弁慶』や『若菜摘(わかなつみ)』などの長唄(ながうた)とか、歌舞伎(かぶき)の下座(げざ)音楽では『加賀見山旧錦絵(かがみやまこきょうのにしきえ)』の「奥庭の場」や『助六』の立回りにも「八千代獅子合方(あいかた)くずし」として古風な趣(おもむき)で用いられている。

［茂手木潔子］

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