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歌舞伎の大名跡と一幕見席―八代目尾上菊五郎襲名披露興行は関西へ

岩楯達弥＝時事通信ブランドスタジオ

大阪松竹座での七月大歌舞伎

「とわやッ（音羽屋）！」「六代目！」

大向こう(客席後方)からの威勢の良い掛け声が、歌舞伎の大名跡（みょうせき）を継いだ父子を盛り立てます。

この掛け声（音羽屋＝おとわや）のタイミング、発声など、実は簡単ではありませんが、ベテランの大向こうは舞台をぴりりと引き締めます。もともと歌舞伎は大衆娯楽であり、観客が舞台を盛り上げる「参加型」の楽しみ方が自然発生し、文化として定着したものと思われます。その点では、現在のライブやスポーツ観戦などにも通じるものがあると言えそうです。

尾上菊之助の名で長年親しまれた歌舞伎俳優の八代目尾上菊五郎さん、父の名を継いだ長男の六代目菊之助さんの襲名披露興行は７月、舞台を大阪松竹座に移して５日の初日を迎えます。５、６月の東京・歌舞伎座に続く３カ月の長丁場となりますが、先達たちも経験した試練を乗り越え、歌舞伎俳優としてさらなる高みを目指します。

母は女優の富司純子さん、姉は女優の寺島しのぶさん。芸能一家の御曹司として、子どもの頃からテレビや映画、CMでも活躍してきた八代目菊五郎さん。歌舞伎をよく知らなくても、顔を見れば、「ああ、あの人」と分かるはずです。父は歌舞伎界の重鎮で文化勲章受章者の七代目尾上菊五郎さん。八代目の襲名後も改名せず、親子が同じ名で並び立つのは長い歌舞伎の歴史でも初めてのことだそうです。５月の歌舞伎座では親子三代のそろい踏みも披露されました。

ところで、歌舞伎の「大名跡」とは何でしょうか。代々継承される「名跡」のうち、伝統や格式の重みが判断材料となりますが、明確な定義があるわけではありません。ただ、その中でも別格で、押しも押されもせぬ「大名跡」が、江戸時代から続く尾上菊五郎と最古の名跡である市川團十郎です。

江戸中期に活躍した初代菊五郎は京都の出身で、江戸に下って立役となり、人気を博しました。立役とは物語の中心となる男性役のことで、そうした役を中心に演じる歌舞伎俳優を指す言葉でもあります。一方の市川團十郎の名は、テレビや映画でも活躍してきたかつての市川海老蔵さんが２０２２年に十三代目を襲名したことで、ご存じの方も多いでしょう。初代團十郎がその名をとどろかせたのは江戸初期の１７世紀後半で、３５０年以上の伝統があります。

なお、歌舞伎俳優を呼ぶときは「菊五郎さん」「團十郎さん」と下の名前を使います。当時、武士以外は苗字を名乗ることがなかなか許されなかったため、代わりに一門は「屋号」を名乗りました。菊五郎一門は「音羽屋」。初代菊五郎の父親が京都の清水寺にある「音羽の滝」にちなんで自らを名乗っていたのが由来だそうです。一方の團十郎家は「成田屋」。初代團十郎が父の生まれ故郷に近い成田山新勝寺（千葉県成田市）に子宝を祈願したのが始まりといいます。

その成田屋が受け継いできたのが、初代團十郎が創始者といわれる「荒事（あらごと）」と呼ばれる演技です。歌舞伎を象徴する化粧の隈取（くまどり）を施したり、派手な衣装を身に着けたりして英雄や豪傑を演じます。５月の歌舞伎座では、成田屋が受け継ぐ歌舞伎十八番の中でも最も有名な「勧進帳（かんじんちょう）」で十三代目團十郎さんが武蔵坊弁慶、八代目菊五郎さんが関所を守る富樫左衛門（とがしのさえもん）を演じ、大名跡「団菊」のそろい踏みで荒事の真骨頂である見事な見得（みえ）を切りました。

一方の音羽屋は代々、「世話物」と呼ばれる庶民の生活を描いた演目を得意としてきました。八代目菊五郎襲名披露公演の「團菊祭五月大歌舞伎」ではその代表的な演目「弁天娘女男白浪（べんてんむすめめおのしらなみ）」が披露されました。続く「六月大歌舞伎」で八代目菊五郎さん、六代目菊之助さん父子が会場を沸かせたのは「連獅子」。長い紅白のたてがみを振るおなじみの場面では、１１歳の六代目菊之助さんの見事な演じぶりに拍手と歓声が巻き起こっていました。

熱演の合間に、冒頭で紹介したような掛け声が大向こうから飛ぶのも歌舞伎ならではのだいご味です。ところで、この「大向こう」とは何のことでしょう？

一般的には舞台から最も遠い席のことを指します。歌舞伎座の場合、一番後ろに一幕見席（ひとまくみせき）という席が常設されており、たいていこの席に座る常連さんが掛け声を飛ばします。名演技のことを「大向こうをうならせる」と表現するのもここから来ています。

ところでこの一幕見席、実はとてもお得なのです。料金は千円から２千円。映画１本とほぼ同じです。初心者が歌舞伎を通しで長時間見るのはけっこうつらいものがありますから、数十分から１時間程度でそのだいご味を味わえる貴重な席です。歌舞伎俳優の顔がよく見えないといいますが、逆に客席も含めた劇場全体の雰囲気を見渡せる利点もあります。外国人観光客に人気なのもうなずけます。

かつては当日券のみでしたが、２年前に前日の正午から発売される指定席が登場しました。オンラインで買えるので並ぶ必要もなく、気軽に歌舞伎に触れることができます。「七月大歌舞伎」では團十郎さんが女方（おんながた）と立役を演じ分ける「船弁慶（ふなべんけい）」など、初心者でも楽しめる新歌舞伎十八番がお勧めです。

八代目菊五郎、六代目菊之助の襲名披露興行は７月の大阪松竹座、そして１２月の京都・南座へと続きます。歌舞伎座での２カ月を見事に演じきった菊之助さんは、大阪では羽根の禿（かむろ）など女方を演じます。「緊張はすると思いますが、初めての劇場だからこそ楽しみになります」と初々しく抱負を語っていました。残念ながら一幕見席はありませんが、関西方面の方は襲名披露の華やかな舞台をぜひ体感してみてください。

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【English version】

Kabuki's famous names and one-act seats: The eighth generation of Onoe Kikugoro's name succession performance moves to Kansai

Tatsuya Iwadate = Jiji Press Brand Studio

July Kabuki at Osaka Shochikuza Theatre

‘Towa-ya!’ ‘Rokudaime!’

Loud cheers from the back of the audience encourage the father and son who have inherited the famous Kabuki stage name.

The timing and pronunciation of this shout (Otowa-ya) are actually not easy, but the veteran audience members tighten up the stage. Kabuki was originally a form of popular entertainment, and the audience naturally began to participate in the performance, which became established as a cultural tradition. In that sense, it seems to have something in common with today's live performances and sports events.

The eighth-generation Onoue Kikugoro, a kabuki actor long known by the name Onoue Kikunosuke, and his eldest son, the sixth-generation Kikunosuke, who has taken his father's name, will hold their name-taking performance in July, moving the stage to Osaka Shochikuza for the opening on the 5th. This will be a three-month-long run following the performances at Tokyo's Kabuki-za in May and June, but they will overcome the challenges faced by their predecessors and aim for even greater heights as kabuki actors.

His mother is actress Junko Tomi, and his sister is actress Shinobu Terajima. As the son of a prominent entertainment family, the eighth-generation Kikugoro has been active in television, films, and commercials since childhood. Even if you are not familiar with Kabuki, seeing his face should make you think, ‘Oh, that's him.’ His father was the seventh-generation Kikugoro, a prominent figure in the Kabuki world and recipient of the Order of Culture. Even after inheriting the eighth generation name, he did not change his name, and it is said to be the first time in the long history of Kabuki that a father and son have shared the same name. In May, the Kabuki-za Theatre also featured a performance by three generations of the family.

By the way, what is a ‘great name’ in Kabuki? Among the ‘names’ that are passed down from generation to generation, tradition and prestige are taken into consideration, but there is no clear definition. However, among them, the Onoe Kikugoro and Ichikawa Danjuro, which have continued since the Edo period, are considered to be of a special class and are unquestionably ‘great names.’

The first Kikugoro, who was active in the middle of the Edo period, was from Kyoto and moved to Edo, where he became a leading actor and gained popularity. A leading actor is a male role that plays a central part in the story, and it is also a term used to refer to Kabuki actors who mainly play such roles. On the other hand, the name Ichikawa Danjuro is well known to many people because the former Ichikawa Ebizo, who has also appeared in television and films, took on the name as the 13th generation in 2022. The first Danjuro made a name for himself in the late 17th century, during the early Edo period, and the name has a tradition of more than 350 years.

When referring to Kabuki actors, their first names are used, such as ‘Kikugoro-san’ and ‘Danjuro-san.’ At the time, it was difficult for non-samurai to use their family names, so instead, they used ‘house names.’ The Kikugoro family used ‘Otowa-ya.’ It is said that the first Kikugoro named himself after the Otowa Waterfall at Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto. On the other hand, the Danjuro family used ‘Narita-ya.’ It is said that the first Danjuro prayed for children at Naritasan Shinshoji Temple (in Narita City, Chiba Prefecture), which was close to his father's birthplace.

The Naritaya family has inherited the style of acting known as ‘aragoto,’ which is said to have been founded by the first Danjuro. This style involves applying kabuki makeup called ‘kumadori’ and wearing flashy costumes to portray heroes and warriors. At the Kabuki-za in May, the 13th Danjuro played Musashibo Benkei and the 8th Kikugoro played Togashi Saemon, who guards the checkpoint, in ‘Kanjincho,’ the most famous of the 18 classic Kabuki plays inherited by Narita-ya. They performed a magnificent “mie” (a dramatic pose) together as the famous ‘Dan-Kiku’ duo, showcasing the essence of ‘aragoto.’

On the other hand, the Otowa-ya family has traditionally specialised in plays depicting the lives of common people, known as ‘sewa-mono.’ In the 8th generation Kikugoro's debut performance, ‘Dan-Kiku Festival May Grand Kabuki,’ the representative play ‘Benten Musume Meo no Shiranami’ was performed. In the following ‘June Grand Kabuki,’ the eighth-generation Kikugoro and the sixth-generation Kikunosuke, father and son, thrilled the audience with ‘Renjishi.’ In the familiar scene where they shake their long red and white manes, the sixth-generation Kikunosuke, aged 11, received applause and cheers for his splendid performance.

Between the passionate performances, the shouts from the audience, as introduced at the beginning, are a unique feature of kabuki. By the way, what does ‘audience’ mean?

Generally, it refers to the seats furthest from the stage. At the Kabuki-za Theatre, there are permanent seats at the very back called ‘hitomaku-maki seats,’ and it is usually the regulars sitting in these seats who shout out the calls. The expression ‘to impress the audience’ comes from this.

By the way, these ‘hito maku miki’ seats are actually quite affordable. The price ranges from 1,000 to 2,000 yen, which is roughly the same as a movie ticket. For beginners, watching a full-length Kabuki performance for several hours can be quite challenging, so these seats offer a valuable opportunity to experience the essence of Kabuki in just a few minutes to an hour. While it's true that you can't see the actors' faces clearly, there's also the advantage of being able to take in the overall atmosphere of the theatre, including the audience. It's no wonder these seats are popular among foreign tourists.

In the past, only same-day tickets were available, but two years ago, reserved seats went on sale starting at noon the day before. Since they can be purchased online, there's no need to queue, making it easy to experience kabuki. For the ‘July Grand Kabuki,’ I recommend the new Kabuki 18 Classics, such as ‘Funabenkei,’ where Danjuro plays both the female role and the male lead, which is enjoyable even for beginners.

The name-taking performances of the 8th generation Kikugoro and the 6th generation Kikunosuke will continue at the Osaka Shochikuza in July and the Kyoto Nanz? in December. Kikunosuke, who successfully performed at the Kabuki-za for two months, will portray female roles such as ‘Kamuro’ in Osaka. He expressed his aspirations with a fresh enthusiasm, saying, ‘I will be nervous, but it will be exciting because it is my first time performing at this theatre.’ Unfortunately, there are no single-act seats available, but those in the Kansai region are encouraged to experience the vibrant stage of the name-taking debut performance.