Waki-noh - Waki-noh

A type of Noh. It is a celebratory piece that is performed at the beginning of the day. It is also called the first piece. Whenever "Okina" was performed, this piece was always performed after it. It was after the Second World War that "Okina" began to be performed alone without a waki-noh. In modern times, when five-piece performances are rare and the number of performances in a day has decreased, there are fewer opportunities to see waki-noh, which lacks dramatic variation. However, it continues to occupy a high position in the minds of Noh actors, along with the mysterious wig-pieces (third pieces) that feature women as protagonists. There are 38 pieces currently in existence, including young gods dancing with dignity in "Takasago," "Yumi Hachiman," and "Yoro," solemn old gods in "Oimatsu" and "Bai Juyi," exotic gods in "Shirahige" and "Toubosaku," goddesses in "Seioubo" and "Saoyama," and bold gods and dragon gods in "Kamo," "Arashiyama," and "Chikubushima." Pieces featuring real human characters include the Chinese emperor "Tsurukame (Moon Palace)" and the priest "Uchitomou de." Zeami, who explained the similarity in the strength of gods and demons, stipulated that there is an absolute difference between them: gods dance, and demons do not. At the end of the day, when only the second half of the waki-noh is performed following the waki's entrance, it is called "Shukugen-noh." The fundamental spirit of Japanese performing arts is to start happily and end happily.

[Masuda Shozo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

能の種類の一つ。1日の最初に上演される祝福の曲柄。初番目物ともいう。なお、『翁(おきな)』が上演されるときには、それに続いてかならず演じられた。脇能を伴わぬ『翁』の単独演奏が行われるようになったのは、第二次世界大戦後のことである。五番立ての催しがまれで、1日の上演数が減少した現代では、戯曲的な変化に乏しい脇能の出る機会が少なくなっているが、女性を主人公とする幽玄の鬘(かずら)物（三番目物）と並んで、能役者の意識のなかで高い地位を占めていることは揺るがない。現行曲は38曲あり、若い神が凛然(りんぜん)と舞う『高砂(たかさご)』『弓八幡(ゆみやわた)』『養老(ようろう)』、荘重な老いた神の『老松(おいまつ)』『白楽天(はくらくてん)』、エキゾチックな神の『白髭(しらひげ)』『東方朔(とうぼうさく)』、女神の『西王母(せいおうぼ)』『佐保山(さおやま)』、荒ぶる神や竜神などの豪快な『賀茂(かも)』『嵐山(あらしやま)』『竹生島(ちくぶしま)』などがあり、現実の人間をシテとするものに中国の帝王の『鶴亀(つるかめ)（月宮殿(げっきゅうでん)）』や神主の『内外詣(うちともうで)』がある。神と鬼の強さの類似性を説いた世阿弥(ぜあみ)は、絶対的な相違として、神は舞を舞うもの、鬼は舞わぬものと規定している。なお、1日の最後に、ワキの登場部分に続いて脇能の後半だけを舞う場合を「祝言能」という。めでたく始まってめでたく終わるというのが、日本の芸能の根本の心であった。

［増田正造］

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