INTRODUCTORY SONGS OF THE “DAIKOKU-MAI.�

“In the morning of New Year’s day, facing the lucky direction of the compass, Daikoku-ten smiles as benignly as the fukujus� (Adonis amuraisis.)

Like the rising sun flows a spring of toso saké and crysanthemum saké. The kamuro crysanthemum emits the odour of youthful fragrance. Various species of oranges, including that of the ukon, and also the cherry-tree of sakon are planted in the gardens and covered with a purple hood. Look at the Daijin-mai dance! Look at the Daijin-mai dance.

On the head of the j�ro are hair-pins with the figures of storks which live a thousand years, and others having the flowers of the plum and cherry carved upon them. The spectacle of the fairy-like kamuro promenading may well be compared to the flowers which are blooming in advance of the season. Who are the happy guests who come to this paradise at the beginning of the year? Look a the Daijin-mai dance! Look at the Daijin-mai dance.�

Daikokuten.

After having sung these introductory songs, the names of the most popular yūjo were read out in a kind of doggerel verse. When performing, the Daijin-mai dancers wore some of the clothes given to them by their patrons or yūjo (some of these clothes were quite costly, being made of crêpe) and held a fan in their hand. They wore a hood known as Daikoku-dzukin, and the ceremonial kamishimo. The presenting of fine clothes to these people by yūjo was for the purpose of buying their goodwill. The “Kiyū Sh�ran� (嬉�笑覽 = “Laughing-Pleasant view of Games and Pastimes�) remarks at such people as Hidenji, Shinokasho, K�gai, and others who imitated the style of the god Daikokuten, put on a mask and hood, and at the beginning of the New Year went around in every part of the city singing new songs: they were also called “Daikoku-mai.� It appears that the Daikoku-mai originated in the Sagi-ch� (ceremony observed on the 15th day of first month (o.s.) which consisted in burning, near the house, the pine, bamboo, shimé, etc. used as New Year’s decorations). Reference is made in the “Seken Muna-sany�� (世間胸算用) to the effect that in the neighbourhood of a certain person lived a man whose profession appears (though it was not, judging from the property he possessed) to have been a kind of public entertainer. He pawned the eboshi (cap worn by nobles) shitatare (long silk robe) and a long sword at the close of the year in consequence of having his profession changed to that of a daikoku-mai dancer who required only a cheap mask and a hammer made of paper. In the preface of the Ebisu-Kyoku-Shū (夷曲集) it is remarked that the abilities of the Daikoku are—firstly, he sits on bags of rice, secondly he smiles benignly, and thirdly he puts all the luck and wealth in the bag he carries. * * * The “Gaen Suiky�-shū� (雅筵醉狂集) also says that compared with the picture of the Daikoku with his fan, and sitting on five bags of rice, the fan is rather novel contrary to the conventional five bags of rice. Next, the “Kenjo Shinsh�� (賢女心粧) referring to the description of the slums of Kwato (Ky�to) says that the living of a family is made by the husband getting money by the favour of Awashima Dai-My�jin, and the wife by wearing the mask of O Fuku (O-Kame). * * * In Yedo, occasionally beggars come round imitating the style of Ebisu and Daikoku, but the times of their visits are not fixed except in the Yoshiwara.

From these fragmentary accounts it would seem that the Daikoku-mai was a kind of dance which degenerated until it was performed by beggars, wearing the Daikoku hood like the manzai, in front of every house. For a long time the Yoshiwara was free from their incursions, but the custom was resuscitated during the Kei-� era (1865–1867) though in an altered form as far as their personal appearance was concerned. The latter day dancers of the Daikoku-mai were attired, like the Dai-kagura men in black clothes with crests upon them, and white hakata-obi: the skirts of their kimono were lifted up (shiri-hashi-ori nite) and fastened by tucking the ends into their obi. They even powdered their faces, imitated the voices of well-known actors, and did other similar things. Though all these men were of the eta class there were many handsome fellows among them and these were great favourites with the Yoshiwara women. A story is told of the daughter of a tea-house keeper at Tamachi called Minoya who eloped with one of these eta class dancers. At that time eta (leather dressers) were greatly despised in Japan, and under serious legal disabilities which prevented them from having any intercourse with other people, so the matter was at length brought before a Court of Justice and eventually this led to their being expelled from the Yoshiwara altogether.

There are now very few people—even in the Yoshiwara—who know much about these latter day daikoku-mai dancers.

Dote-bushi no koto oyobi Hayari-uta.
[Dote-bushi (songs) and popular songs.]

Nowadays, a visitor to the Yoshiwara usually hurries there in a jinrikisha, drawn by a couple of agile and sprightly young fellows who rush along like the wind, brandishing their lanterns and giving vent to unearthly yells as they run. In former days, in contrast to the present time, a visitor rode slowly to the quarter on the back of a white horse caparisoned in white and red, the animal being led by two mago (grooms) who sang komuro-bushi in turn as they walked. The charges from Nihon-bashi to the ÅŒmon (gate-way) were 348 mon (34 sen 8 rin) including the fee for singing!

There were in the Genroku (1688–1704) and Teiky� (1684–1687) eras many popular songs such as the nage-bushi, tsuyi-bushi, magaki-bushi, kaga-bushi of Uji Kagaj�, tanzen, numeri-utu, r�sai, etc. In the beginning of Kwambun (1661–1673) a song called the “Dote-bushi� (embankment song) came into vogue, its name being derived from the fact that it was generally sung while people walked on the embankment. The words were about as follows:—

“Though it is such an out-of-the-way place, yet when I think of the place of your abode it is dearer to me than a gallery of precious jewels. Pray do not laugh at me in not paying heed to what others may think or say. Rumours may spread.�

The “D�b� Goyen� (洞房語園) says that the above mentioned dote-bushi was composed by an old man named Odaka Josuisai who lived at the foot of Matsuchi-yama. This old gentleman was also accredited with having written many other popular dote-bushi songs which were sung by men belonging to the associations (kumi) of otoko-date, such as the Ropp�-gumi, Sekirei-gumi, Yoshiya-gumi, Kanab�-gumi, Daish�-jingi-gumi, T�ken-gumi, etc. It is said that three of these songs remained popular up to the 2nd year of Bunkwa (1805), and that two of them ran as follows:—

“Yesterday was a jolly day, but somehow or other to-day seems gloomy. Shall we send for Wadadsumi (sea deity) or Shusubiin (?). There is something much better than these. What is it? We have left behind the fruit of an egg-plant painted with beni. Where? It was drawn somewhere at the funa-yado. Set your wits to work Bekuz�: have you no good ideas about the matter? I have none, absolutely none. I have no concern at all in the matter. The path of love, after all, is a weary one. Last night when in the Yoshiwara I learned a popular song, but I cannot remember either the beginning, middle, nor end of it.

Thinking I might forget it, I got it written down, but even the paper on which it was written I left at the entrance of my house. It is just the same with justice and reason. It is by no means amusing.�

There are only a few people who know whether the notes of these songs still remain in the miscellaneous songs of to-day. The air of the “Yoshiwara Suzume� seems to have been derived from the dote-bushi, owing to the composition of Hara Budayū who from his infancy used to recite these songs and attained great proficiency in singing them as he grew up. The preservation of the dote-bushi note to this day—after the lapse of two centuries—must be attributed to him.

In a light song in vogue in the Yoshiwara about the era of Kwambun (1661–1673), which was also popular even outside the quarter, it is said:—

“The shaven-pated taiko-mochi (jester) K�hei, wearing a long haori (over garment), goes strutting round the place.�

In a song sung by h�kan about the same period are the words—“It being very lonely we looked out at the brothels. In another direction the tinkling of samisen and the sound of merry voices is heard. Who are these ladies wearing broad satin or damask obi? Let us ask their names. Who are they? They are Taka-o, Usugumo, Shibazaki, Tsushima, Yatsuhashi, Karasaki, and Yoshino. After having seen these beauties, our wives looked like the ghosts of Suzuki-ch�. Having fed and clothed them, and left them at leisure, the beauty of these courtesans excels the celebrated cherry-blossoms of Yoshino. Well, well, I met with a remarkably lovely damsel. I rushed upon her with my javelin and we wrestled together right valiantly, then I pretended to be in my cups, and went round annoying everybody in the same manner as the plant-louse injures and vexes the azalea.

Do you support your parents? I am a night watchman; if you have compassion upon me pray speak to me. If possible give me your help.

The simpleton who has been jilted by the girl he fancies screens his face with a haori. Is there any girl who will become his partner? No doubt but that some Kendon (low class strumpet) will be found for him; taiko-mochi will negotiate for him.�

The fact that during the era of Kwambun (1661–1673) visitors to the Yoshiwara rode there on the backs of white horses, having the leaders of the animals sing the komuro-bushi, is well-known to the general public. The komuro-bushi songs were generally sung by the horse coolies on the T�kaid� when they were carrying the baggage of daimy� passing to and from Yedo. Originally the songs appear to have begun in Mikawa province, and since the emigration of the people of that province to the East, when the Tokugawa family moved to Yedo, they resided in Mikawa-shima, Toshima-g�ri, Musashi Province, and the songs gradually spread among their descendants. The most popular one is: “How pretty are the beautifully dyed reins of the horses which go up and down carrying baggage! It is the habit of the mago (horse-leaders) to accompany the sound of the horse-bells by singing in aloud voice—‘When one passes through Yoshida, somebody dressed in a long-sleeved garment of kanoko beckons him from the second story.’�

The notes of these songs are still remembered by some persons. Singers of komuro-bushi in the old days may be compared to the people who go round the brothels nowadays singing ribald songs, h�kai-bushi, and hayari-uta.