Armpit - Armpit

A term used in Noh. A professional who plays a supporting role (wakiyaku) in contrast to the shite, the main character of Noh. They never take on the role of a woman, an old man, or a being from another dimension such as a god or a demon. They only play real men, always show their true face, never use a Noh mask, and do not dance. Only the waki in "Kantan" is a character in a dream, and the waki in "Yang Guifei" is depicted as a supernatural being who enters the world of immortals. There are roles in opposition to the shite, such as in "Ataka" and "Funabenkei," and there are examples such as "Choryo" and "Rashomon" where the waki moves more vigorously and gives the impression of being the main character, but most of them are roles like traveling monks who visit various countries. However, the presence of the waki, who remains seated in a corner of the stage after performing the introductory part of the Noh play, is so important that it can determine the success or failure of the Noh play. Some pieces include a waki-tsure (a role subordinate to the waki), and some pieces, such as "Kosode Soga" and "Hatsuyuki," lack a waki role.

Wakikata are said to have become independent from shitekata and become a specialist profession at the end of the Muromachi period. In the Edo period, each wakikata school was exclusively attached to the shitekata school's theater, but since the Meiji period, they have been free to perform on stages sponsored by the shitekata. There were five wakikata schools, but the Shindo school was abolished in the early Meiji period and the Shundo school in the Taisho period, and now there are three schools: the Takayasu school, the Fukuo school, and the Hōshō school. The Hōshō school is called the Shimogakari Hōshō school to distinguish it from the shitekata. The Takayasu school's chanting is very similar to that of the Kongō school, and the Fukuo school's to the Kanze school, but the Shimogakari Hōshō school has developed its own unique waki chanting and style. The late Shin Hosho and Yaichi Hosho were members of the Japan Art Academy, and the late Kenzo Matsumoto, Yaichi Hosho, and Shigeyoshi Mori were designated Important Intangible Cultural Properties (Living National Treasures), all of whom are from the Shimogakari Hosho school. Their successors include Kan Hosho, Mineo Kaburagi, Atsuhiro Noguchi, Kazuya Kudo, and Kenkichi Tonoda. Many of the roles involve sitting for long periods of time, and as these are very ordinary roles, they are struggling to find successors. In Kurokawa Noh, which is passed down by farmers in Yamagata Prefecture, the waki-kata are not independent, and although the shite-kata come first, it is customary for young boys to play the roles.

[Masuda Shozo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

能の用語。能の主役であるシテに対し、脇役(わきやく)を勤める専門職。女性や老人、また神や鬼などの異次元の存在に扮(ふん)することはまったくなく、現実の男性のみを演じ、つねに直面(ひためん)（素顔）で、能面を用いることはなく、舞を舞わない。『邯鄲(かんたん)』のワキだけは夢のなかの人物であり、また『楊貴妃(ようきひ)』のワキは、仙界に分け入る超能力者として描かれている。『安宅(あたか)』や『船弁慶(ふなべんけい)』など、シテと対立する役もあり、ワキのほうが激しく動いて主役の観のある『張良(ちょうりょう)』『羅生門(らしょうもん)』などの例もあるが、諸国一見の旅僧のような役が多い。しかし、能の導入部を担当したあと、舞台の一隅に座したままのワキの存在感は、能の成否を左右するほど重要である。ワキツレ（ワキに従属する役）を伴う曲目もあり、『小袖曽我(こそでそが)』『初雪(はつゆき)』のようにワキの役を欠く曲目もある。

　ワキ方は、室町末期にシテ方から独立して専門職となったとされている。江戸時代にはワキ方各流はシテ方各流の座付きの専属制であったが、明治以降は自由契約制度でシテ方の主催する舞台を勤める。ワキ方五流があったが、進藤(しんどう)流は明治初期に、春藤(しゅんどう)流は大正期に廃絶し、現在は高安(たかやす)流、福王(ふくおう)流、宝生(ほうしょう)流の三流である。宝生流はシテ方と区別するために下掛(しもがか)り宝生流とよばれる。高安流の謡(うたい)は金剛流、福王流は観世(かんぜ)流に酷似しているが、下掛り宝生流は独自のワキの謡と芸風を開発している。芸術院会員には故宝生新(しん)、故宝生弥一(やいち)、重要無形文化財各個指定（人間国宝）には故松本謙三(けんぞう)、故宝生弥一、森茂好(しげよし)が選ばれており、いずれも下掛り宝生流である。その後継者に宝生閑(かん)、鏑木岑男(かぶらぎみねお)、野口敦弘(あつひろ)、工藤和哉(かずや)、殿田謙吉らがある。長い時間ただ座っている役も多く、じみな役だけに後継者難に陥っている。なお、山形県の農民の継承する黒川能では、ワキ方は独立しておらず、シテ方から出るが、少年に演じさせる習慣もある。

［増田正造］

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