伝統文化を知る

週刊メールマガジン「伝検通信」 第71号

週刊メールマガジン「伝検通信」第71号をお届けします。

今週のトップ記事は、白洲信哉さんの「多様なるジャパン」第１０回、「辻が花」をめぐる話題です。

「クイズで肩慣らし」は、前回クイズの答え・解説と、「陶磁器」の問題です。

第３回伝検（２級、３級）は１１月１日（土）から来年１月１２日（月・祝日）まで実施します。申し込みは１カ月前の１０月１日（水）開始です。ぜひ、下記、公式テキスト、オンライン講座をご活用の上、チャレンジしてみてください。

伝検公式教材・参考書・サイト　https://denken-test.jp/official_text/

---

目次

・　「多様なるジャパン」　第１０回　辻が花
・　「クイズで肩慣らし」  第70回＝「陶磁器」
・　伝検協会だより

---

「多様なるジャパン」　第１０回　辻が花

白洲信哉＝文筆家、日本伝統文化検定協会副会長

染織裂 染分練貫地雲取り桐木瓜文様辻が花染裂
出典：ColBase（httpscolbase.nich.go.jp）を加工して作成

前回「藍染」と付けたが、「辻が花」もジャンルなら同じ染織物になるようだ。だが、明治以降、絵画に彫刻、工芸などジャンルを縦割りにしてしまったため、各分野の硬直化を招いてしまったように思う。例えば第５回で書いた「根来」の朱色は、漆にベンガラや水銀朱を混ぜたように、漆を緑色に発色させるには、藍染の精製過程で生じる藍華を混ぜるとうまく緑色に発色するという。つまり、技術革新とは時代の要請と異分野がコラボして生まれるわけで、工芸に限らず、どの産業にも通じる硬直化はわが国の大問題だと僕は思う。

さて、伝検テキストに「辻が花」は掲載されていない。技法的には絞り染を基調に摺箔（すりはく）に刺繍（しゅう）や描き絵を併用したもので、最も古い出典は、「三十二番職人歌合（うたあわせ）」に描かれた桂女（かつらめ）が身につけた小袖（桂包）の詞書きに「つしか(辻が)花を折る」とあり、１４世紀末朝廷から特別な庇護（ひご）を受けた公家衣装であった。やがて時代は武士の台頭とともに身分格差が縮まり、上洛した信長が見たものは、応仁の乱から復興しつつあった華やかな街の姿と、キリスト教という華やかな南蛮文化だった。続く秀吉は信長以上に、例えば豪華絢爛（けんらん）なペルシャ絨毯（じゅうたん）を切って陣羽織に仕立てる。やがてモードは町衆や庶民にも広まり、今日の呉服屋である「小袖屋」が出現する。巨大な富を集めた新興勢力は、着飾る楽しさを満喫、僕の好きな桃山バサラ時代に「辻が花」は最盛期を迎えるのである。

意匠は時代を映す「鏡」というが、辻が花を一口で説明するのは困難だ。なぜなら辻が花の発展形という友禅のように一個の独立した染技法ではなく、小袖の加飾手段として絞りが中心ではあるが、時々の模様表現が技法による制約を受けず「当意即妙」に、先のような刺繍や摺箔など多様な技法も採用したからである。僕が感じるのは同時代の美濃焼の織部に通じる自由闊達（かったつ）なデザインだ。絵模様や造形が即興的なように、絞り染の上に椿や藤の花が描かれたかと思うと、突如として関係のない格子や市松模様が現れたりする。かといって全体の調和を乱すことなくバランスがとられているのである。

わが国の生活は自然と離れては成立しない。春には春の花をあしらい、寒いときには織りが厚いものを、そして夏には涼しげな薄い配色を纏（まと）う。不易に対するモードは時代の先駆者が作り、武将が鎧（よろい）の上から羽織る胴服にもその手法が使われるなど、中世的な束縛から放たれ、型にはまらない溌剌（はつらつ）とした「美」を創造したが、辻が花や織部のように風の如（ごと）く消えてなくなっていったのだ。

---

「クイズで肩慣らし」 第70回＝「陶磁器」

～伝統文化に関するさまざまな話題をクイズ形式でお届けします～

豊臣秀吉画像（佐賀県立名護屋城博物館所蔵）

第70回

問題：安土桃山時代の1587年に、豊臣秀吉が京都の平安京大内裏（だいだいり）跡に建てた豪華な邸宅の名称は何でしょう。有名な陶器名と関係があります。（答えと解説は次号で）

---

この演目（井筒）では、寂寥感を誘う小道具として、すすきが印象的に用いられる

【前回の問題と答え・解説】
問題：「伊勢物語」を題材とした世阿弥の代表作で、女の霊が旅の僧に亡き夫との思い出を語り、形見の装束で舞う能の演目は何でしょう。

答え：井筒

解説：井筒は、作者の世阿弥が「上花也」（最高級の作品である）と自賛する夢幻能の傑作です。シテである紀有常（きのありつね）の娘の霊がワキである旅の僧の夢に現れ、亡き夫である在原業平（ありわらのなりひら）との思い出を語り、形見の装束を身に着けて、ススキの生えた井戸の周りを舞うというあらすじです。

---

伝検協会だより

▼伝検の第２回試験で合格された皆さまに、合格認定書など以下をお送りします。９月中に発送しますので、お手元に届くまでしばらくお待ちください。

・合格認定証（和紙製）
・越前和紙のメモパッド
・京染の認定証ケース
・「第１１８回日本美術展覧会（日展）」（１０月３１日～１１月２３日、東京・国立新美術館）のチケット
・北陸２都市（富山、金沢）での工芸イベント「GO　FOR　KOGEI　2025」（９月１３日～１０月１９日）の共通パスポート引換券

「日展」は主催の公益社団法人日展から、「GO　FOR　KOGEI　2025」はリードパートナーを務める三菱UFJフィナンシャル・グループ（MUFG）からのそれぞれご提供です。ご支援に感謝申し上げます。

▼伝検受験志望の方からいただいたたくさんのお声に応え、３級の合格を目指す方のために編さんした「伝検３級公式問題集」を９月２５日に発行します。実際に出題された過去問題と類似問題を収録し、受験準備の学習だけでなく、解説部分にはプラスとなる知識も盛り込んでいます。色彩が必要となる「伝統色」の演習問題は、カラーページをダウンロードできるようにしています。３級は「伝検公式テキスト」から９０％以上が出題されますが、テキストの姉妹本として役立てていただければ幸いです。

「伝検３級公式問題集」
一般社団法人日本伝統文化検定協会編
１９８０円(本体１８００円+税１０％)　Ａ５・１８４ページ
発売日:２０２５年９月２５日
発行所：日本能率協会マネジメントセンター

---

【編集後記】
8月も終わり、9月に入りますが、しばらくはまだ熱帯夜や高温傾向が続くといった予報があり、まだまだ体調管理には気を抜けません。「残暑バテ」も心配な季節です。ぬるめのお湯につかってリラックスしたり、好きな食べ物をゆっくり食べたりしながら、ぜひ芸術の秋に向けて、伝統文化にも目を向けてみてください。

---

【English version】
Weekly e-mail magazine "Denken Tsushin" No. 71

We are pleased to deliver the Weekly Email Newsletter ‘Denken Tsushin’ No. 71

This week's top article is Shirasu Shinya's ‘Diverse Japan’ Part 10, covering topics surrounding ‘Tsujigahana’.

“Let's Practice with Quizzes” features the answers and explanations for the previous quiz, along with a question on ‘Ceramics’.

The 3rd Denken Examination (Levels 2 & 3) will be held from Saturday, 1st November until Monday, 12th January next year (a public holiday). Applications open one month prior, on Wednesday, 1st October. We encourage you to challenge yourself using the official textbooks and online courses listed below.

Denken Official Materials, Reference Books & Website: https://denken-test.jp/official_text/

---

Contents

・　‘Diverse Japan’　Part 10　Tsujigahana
・　‘Warm-up Quiz’　Part 70＝‘Ceramics’
・　News from the Denken Association

---

‘Diverse Japan’ Part 10: Tsujigahana
Shirasu Shinya = Writer, Vice-Chairman of the Japan Traditional Culture Testing Association

Dyed and woven fabric fragment
Dyed, blended, and polished ground with cloud-patterned paulownia and quince motifs
Tsujigahana-dyed fabric fragment
Source: Created by processing data from ColBase (httpscolbase.nich.go.jp)

Last time I referred to it as “indigo dyeing”, but “Tsujigahana” also appears to be a type of dyed textile within the same genre. However, since the Meiji period, the vertical division of genres into painting, sculpture, crafts, and so forth seems to have led to rigidity within each field. For instance, the vermilion of ‘Negoro’ mentioned in the fifth instalment, which is produced by mixing lacquer with bengara or mercury vermilion, similarly requires adding indigo flowers a byproduct of the indigo dyeing refinement process to achieve a successful green hue in lacquer. This illustrates that technological innovation arises from the demands of the era and collaboration across different fields. I believe this rigidity, not limited to crafts but prevalent across all industries, is a major issue for our nation.

Now, Tsujigahana is not listed in the traditional craft examination texts. Technically, it is based on shibori dyeing, combined with surihaku (gold leaf rubbing), embroidery, and painted designs. The earliest known reference is in the ‘Thirty-Two Craftsmen Poetry Contest’, where the verse accompanying the kosode (Katsura-tsutsumi) worn by Katsura-me reads ‘plucking tsushika(tsujiga)-hana’. It was court attire receiving special patronage from the imperial court in the late 14th century. As the era progressed and samurai rose to prominence, class distinctions narrowed. What Nobunaga witnessed upon entering Kyoto was the resplendent city recovering from the ohnin War, alongside the dazzling Nanban culture of Christianity. Hideyoshi, succeeding him, surpassed Nobunaga in extravagance, for instance cutting sumptuous Persian carpets to make his battle robes. Fashion soon spread to townspeople and commoners, giving rise to the “kosode shops” that became today's kimono merchants. This emerging power, amassing immense wealth, revelled in the pleasure of dressing up. It was during my beloved Momoyama Basara period that Tsujigahana reached its zenith.

Designs are said to be a “mirror” reflecting their era, yet Tsujigahana is difficult to explain succinctly. This is because, unlike yuzen its evolved form ,tsujigahana was not an independent dyeing technique. Centred on shibori as a means to decorate kosode, its occasional pattern expressions were unconstrained by technique, employing diverse methods like embroidery and surihaku as described earlier, all executed with “immediate ingenuity”. What strikes me is a free-spirited design sensibility akin to that of contemporary Mino ware's Oribe ware. Just as the painted patterns and forms seem improvisational, one might find camellia or wisteria blossoms depicted atop shibori dyeing, only for unrelated grid or checkerboard patterns to suddenly appear. Yet, this never disrupts the overall harmony; the balance remains intact.

Life in our country cannot exist divorced from nature. In spring, we adorn ourselves with spring flowers; in cold weather, we wear thickly woven fabrics; and in summer, we drape ourselves in cool, light colour schemes. The mode for the timeless was created by the pioneers of the age. This technique was even employed in the tunics worn over armour by warlords, liberating them from medieval constraints and creating a vibrant “beauty” unconstrained by convention. Yet, like Tsujigahana and Oribe, it vanished as swiftly as the wind.

---

“Let's Practice with Quizzes” No. 70: ‘Ceramics’
~Exploring various topics related to traditional culture through quizzes~

Portrait of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (held by Saga Prefectural Nagoya Castle Museum)

No.70
Question: What was the name of the magnificent residence built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1587, during the Azuchi-Momoyama period, on the site of the former Imperial Palace in Heian-kyo, Kyoto It is related to a famous name of pottery. (Answer and explanation in the next issue)

---

In this production, pampas grass is used to striking effect as a prop that evokes a sense of desolation.

【Previous Question and Answer/Explanation】
Question: What is the name of the Noh play, based on The Tales of Ise and representing Zeami's masterpiece, in which a woman's spirit recounts memories of her deceased husband to a travelling monk and dances in his memento costume?

Answer: Izutsu

Explanation: Izutsu is a masterpiece of dreamlike Noh theatre, which its author Zeami himself praised as ‘the finest of all works’. The plot involves the spirit of Ki no Aritsune's daughter (the Shite) appearing in the dream of the travelling monk (the Waki). She recounts memories of her deceased husband, Ariwara no Narihira, and dances around a well overgrown with pampas grass while wearing his memento costume.

---

Denken Association News

▼To all those who passed the second Denken examination, we shall be sending the following items, including your certificate of qualification. These will be dispatched during September, so please allow some time for delivery.

・Certificate of Qualification (made from washi paper)
・Echizen washi memo pad
・Kyozome-dyed certificate case
・Tickets for the ‘118th Nitten Exhibition’ (31 October -23 November, The National Art Centre, Tokyo)
・Exchange voucher for the joint passport for the craft event ‘GO FOR KOGEI 2025’ in two Hokuriku cities (Toyama, Kanazawa) (13 September - 19 October)

The Nitten tickets were provided by the organising body, the Nitten Public Interest Incorporated Association, while the GO FOR KOGEI 2025 tickets were provided by the lead partner, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG). We extend our sincere gratitude for their support.

▼In response to numerous requests from prospective Traditional Culture Certification candidates, we are pleased to announce the publication of the “Traditional Culture Certification Level 3 Official Practice Questions” on 25th September. This resource is specifically compiled for those aiming to pass Level 3. It contains past examination questions and similar problems, serving not only for exam preparation but also incorporating supplementary knowledge in the explanatory sections. For the “Traditional Colors” exercises requiring color, color pages are available for download. While over 90% of the Level 3 exam questions are drawn from the ‘Official Textbook for the Traditional Culture Certification Examination’, we hope this workbook will serve as a valuable companion to the textbook.

‘Official Practice Questions for the Traditional Culture Certification Level 3 Examination’
Compiled by the Japan Traditional Culture Certification Association
\1,980 (\1,800 + 10% tax) A5 format, 184 pages
Release Date: 25 September 2025
Publisher: Japan Management Association Management Centre

---

[Editorial Postscript]
August draws to a close and we enter September, though forecasts suggest tropical nights and high temperatures will persist for a while longer. We must remain vigilant about managing our health. This is also the season when we worry about the lingering effects of summer heat. Why not relax in a lukewarm bath, savor your favorite foods at leisure, and turn your attention to traditional culture as we head towards autumn, the season of the arts?