Pilgrimage to Mt. Oyama

Rakugo. The people of Edo went on a pilgrimage to Mt. Oyama. It was promised that anyone who got drunk and caused trouble on the way would be shaved bald. On the way back, Kuma-kun got drunk in Kanagawa-juku and was found snoring on the second floor, so they shaved his head, as promised. Early the next morning, everyone left Kuma-kun behind, still asleep. Kuma-kun woke up and noticed that he had been shaved bald, so he came up with a plan and got in a palanquin to return to Edo before the others. He immediately gathered the wives of the others, and on the way back, the boat capsized and everyone drowned, but he was the only one who survived, so he became a monk to pray for the souls of the others. The wives, who had trusted him completely and were saddened, all became monks as well. Just then, the group returned. The elder one said congratulations. "What is there to celebrate?" "The mountain is sunny, and when we return home, we are all free of injury, so we are happy." In Kamigata, they are called "100 monks." This is also a good resource to convey the scenes of the pilgrimage to Mt. Oyama by the members of the group in the past.

[Kazuo Sekiyama]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

落語。江戸の人々が大山参詣(さんけい)に出かけた。道中で酒を飲んで暴れた者は坊主にするという約束だった。帰りに神奈川宿で熊(くま)公が酔っぱらい、2階でいびきをかいて寝ているところを、約束だといって丸坊主にされる。翌朝早く、まだ寝ている熊公を置き去りにして皆は行ってしまう。目を覚まし丸坊主に気づいた熊公は、一策を案じ、通り駕籠(かご)に乗って、ほかの者たちよりも早く江戸に帰る。早速ほかの連中の女房を集め、帰途船がひっくり返って全員溺死(できし)し、自分1人助かったので、皆の菩提(ぼだい)を弔うため坊主になったという。すっかり信用して悲しんだ女房連中も皆、坊主になる。そこへ一行が帰ってくる。年長者がめでたいという。「なにがめでてえんだ」「お山は晴天、家へ帰りゃ皆お毛が（怪我(けが)）なくっておめでたい」。上方(かみがた)では「百人坊主」とよんでいる。昔の講中の大山参詣風景を伝える好資料でもある。

［関山和夫］

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