Akutaro - Akutaro

The title of a Kyogen piece. Kyogen about becoming a monk. Carrying a naginata (long sword), Akutaro (shite) visits his uncle, drinks heavily, and falls asleep on the roadside on the way home. Worried, his uncle follows him, and seeing this, he takes away his sword and kosode (short sleeves), places his monk's robes at his bedside, and tells him that from now on he will take the name Namu Amida Butsu before leaving. When Akutaro wakes up, he thinks that what he heard in a dreamlike state is a message from the Buddha, and decides to become a monk. Just as he is about to enter the world of monkhood, a monk passes by chanting the name "Namu Amida Butsu." Thinking that Akutaro is being called by his name, he replies, and the monk chants the name enthusiastically, teasing him, but eventually he explains the sacred origin of the name, and they conclude the piece by saying that from now on they will both rely on Amida with all their heart. "Akutaro" is a common noun for a rough man or mischievous child, but in this piece it is a proper noun, depicting the innocent quest for truth that lies in the heart of a violent man. A similar piece is "Akubou." The kabuki dance "Akutaro" was adapted by Okamura Shikou and premiered in 1924 (Taisho 13) by Ichikawa Ennosuke II at the Ichimuraza Theatre.

[Kobayashi, Responsible]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

狂言の曲名。出家狂言。長刀(なぎなた)を携えて伯父を訪ね、大酒を飲んだ悪太郎（シテ）は帰途道端で寝込んでしまう。心配して跡をつけてきた伯父は、このようすをみて、長刀や小袖(こそで)などを取り上げて僧衣を枕元(まくらもと)に置き、今後は名を南無阿弥陀仏(なむあみだぶつ)とつけると言い渡して去る。目覚めた悪太郎が、夢心地に聞いたことばを仏のお告げと思い、出家の覚悟を決めたところへ、僧侶(そうりょ)が「南無阿弥陀仏」と名号を唱えながら通る。悪太郎はわが名をよばれたと思って返事をし、僧は盛んに名号を唱えてからかうが、やがて名号の尊い由来を話し、今後はともにただ一心に弥陀を頼もうと謡い終曲する。「悪太郎」とは荒々しい男やいたずらっ子をいう普通名詞でもあるが、本曲は固有名詞とし、乱暴者の心に潜む純真な求道心を描く。類曲に『悪坊(あくぼう)』がある。歌舞伎(かぶき)舞踊『悪太郎』は岡村柿紅(しこう)脚色で、1924年（大正13）2世市川猿之助が市村座で初演。

［小林　責］

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