Konpira Grand Theatre
Encyclopedia
The Konpira Grand Theatre (金毘羅大芝居 Konpira Ōshibai), also known as Kanamaru-za (金丸座) is a restored Kabuki
theatre in Kotohira
, Kagawa
, on the island of Shikoku
, Japan
. It was originally constructed in 1835, and is the oldest kabuki theatre in Japan. Kabuki plays are performed for one month each year, usually in April.
, and the construction costs, amounting to roughly 1000 ryō
, were raised by the local geisha
community.
The theatre was originally controlled by the Kanemitsu-in, a local Buddhist temple, but in 1877 came to be owned by a man by the name of Kyōhō, an otokodate, wealthy merchant, gang leader, and head of the local fire brigade. He changed the name of the theatre to the Inari-za (named after the Shintō deity Inari
), and ran full-day programs as many other major theatres throughout the country began to cut down and only show selected scenes for a few hours a day. The theatre was purchased in 1897 by a man by the name of Kawazoe Sadaji, who changed its name to Chitose-za (One Thousand Years Theatre), and sold it three years later. Kanamaru Genjirō thus obtained the theater in 1900, for 4500 yen, and renamed it once again, to the Kanamaru-za, a name which continues to be used today.
After falling into disuse for many years, and being used as a movie theater for some time, the theatre was designated an Important Cultural Property
by the Agency for Cultural Affairs
of the national government in 1970, after having been designated as such by the prefecture in 1953. Following a fund-raising drive which raised over US$2 million, the theatre was restored in 1976 to its Edo period
appearance and moved some 200 meters to a new location.
In late June 1985, a troupe led by Nakamura Kichiemon II
and Sawamura Sōjūrō IX performed the play Saikai Zakura Misome no Kiyomizu ("Reunion Amongst the Cherry Blossoms After the First Meeting at Kiyomizu") and dance drama Niwakajishi ("Spirited Lion"), at the Kanamaru-za, in a three-day stint following performances at the Naka-za in Osaka. Kichiemon was impressed with the theatre's atmosphere and traditional design and amenities, and encouraged other actors to journey to Kotohira. A month-long program has been produced every spring since, featuring major Tokyo/Osaka actors.
Much of the 1995 film Sharaku, set in 1790s Edo
and revolving around the life of ukiyo-e
artist Sharaku
, was filmed at the Konpira Theatre, which stood in for the no longer extant Nakamura-za.
. During the month when kabuki actors journey down from Tokyo or Kamigata
(the Kyoto-Osaka area) and perform at the theatre, large banners bearing the crest of the Shōchiku
company, and signboards with the stars' names are displayed. Fake bushels of rice, representing gifts from fans and sponsors, are also situated outside the theatre.
There are three entrances into the building. The ones on the left and right are of normal size, but the central entrance, called the , is quite small and requires one to crouch in order to enter. This was an effective form of crowd control in the Edo period, and, along with armed guards, helped prevent anyone from entering without a ticket. While the average commoner playgoer had to use this small nezumi kido, those associated with the Kanemitsu-in used the goyō kido on the right. The large ōkido on the left was used by members of the samurai class, and others of importance.
One of the primary features distinguishing the renovated Konpira Grand Theatre other kabuki theatres in Japan today, which are more modern in style, is the tatami
floor in the main (orchestra section) seating section. Areas of seating for small parties are divided from one another by a grid of wooden planking, into box seats called masu
; sitting this way allows greater range of motion for the viewer, and thus allows one to more easily turn to watch action on the hanamichi
, the long stage extension which runs from the stage to the back of the theater. A raised tatami platform called the sajiki runs along the left side of the theatre on both the ground and second floors; these were traditionally the most expensive seats, and still are today. A similar section which runs along the right side of the theatre is called the demago, though traditionally this would have been called the takadoma in Edo.
Another distinguishing feature is the karaido, or "empty well", a space between the hanamichi and stage accessible from underneath by stairs; while most other theatres utilize an elevator trap called a suppon ("snapping turtle") to allow actors to enter directly onto the hanamichi, the stairs allow an actor to better time his entrance, for better dramatic effect. The Konpira Grand Theatre has a suppon as well, but scholar Samuel Leiter writes that he is unaware of another active theatre which uses a karaido. A second hanamichi, called the kari hanamichi and about half the width of the main hanamichi, runs through the theatre towards the right side; a connecting plank is sometimes used to allow actors to cross between the two hanamichi at some distance from the stage.
Much of the left and right walls of the seating area are composed of shōji
panels, which can be slid like sliding doors to provide access to corridors which run outside the seating area. The outermost side walls of the theatre building, forming the opposite side of these corridors, consist of rain shutters known as madobuta ("window lids") or akarimado ("lighting windows") which can be raised and lowered by stagehands to let the sunlight in and control the lighting of the theatre, in order to create atmospheric effects, such as a dark and spooky atmosphere for certain elements of ghost plays.
There are areas for musicians on both stage left and right, along with a second-story room above stage left, called the yuka, used specifically by tayū (narrative chanters) and shamisen
players heard in plays deriving from the jōruri
puppet theatre. This is in contrast to the theatres of Tokyo and Kamigata, which traditionally have boxes for the musicians on only one side of the stage (stage right and left respectively). The stage itself is about half the width of that in the modern theatres; while the stage opening at Kabuki-za
in Tokyo is nearly ninety feet wide, the space between the supporting pillars at the Kanamaru-za is eight ken, or roughly 48 feet; Leiter calls the larger scale of the more modern theatres a loss and an artistic weakening, as theatres moved "away from the most effective means for expressing theatrical art."
The Kanamaru-za also boasts a manually operated rotating stage (mawari butai) and trap doors (seri)., though the "hell" (naraku) area underneath the stage from which these were operated was considered by many actors so unpleasant that it would often be avoided in favor of the corridors outside the sajiki (along the sides of the theatre) as a means for traveling around the theatre.
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
theatre in Kotohira
Kotohira, Kagawa
is a town located in Nakatado District, Kagawa, Japan. The town is best known as the site of Shikoku's largest shrine complex, the Kotohira Shrine ....
, Kagawa
Kagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Shikoku island. The capital is Takamatsu.- History :Kagawa was formerly known as Sanuki Province.For a brief period between August 1876 and December 1888, Kagawa was made a part of Ehime Prefecture.-Battle of Yashima:...
, on the island of Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It was originally constructed in 1835, and is the oldest kabuki theatre in Japan. Kabuki plays are performed for one month each year, usually in April.
History
The theatre was originally built in 1835 and 1836, and takes its name from the nearby Kompira Shrine which is in turn named after the Hindu/Buddhist deity Kumbhira to which the shrine is dedicated. Prior to its construction, small temporary theatres were frequently built on the site, and doubled as lottery halls. The design was based on that of the Ōnishi Theatre of OsakaOsaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, and the construction costs, amounting to roughly 1000 ryō
Ryo
Ryo may refer to:* The Japanese kana digraph ryo, ryō, or ryoh * Ryō , a gold piece in pre-Meiji era Japan worth about sixty monme or four kan...
, were raised by the local geisha
Geisha
, Geiko or Geigi are traditional, female Japanese entertainers whose skills include performing various Japanese arts such as classical music and dance.-Terms:...
community.
The theatre was originally controlled by the Kanemitsu-in, a local Buddhist temple, but in 1877 came to be owned by a man by the name of Kyōhō, an otokodate, wealthy merchant, gang leader, and head of the local fire brigade. He changed the name of the theatre to the Inari-za (named after the Shintō deity Inari
Inari (mythology)
is the Japanese kami of fertility, rice, agriculture, foxes, industry and worldly success and one of the principal kami of Shinto. Represented as male, female, or androgynous, Inari is sometimes seen as a collective of three or five individual kami...
), and ran full-day programs as many other major theatres throughout the country began to cut down and only show selected scenes for a few hours a day. The theatre was purchased in 1897 by a man by the name of Kawazoe Sadaji, who changed its name to Chitose-za (One Thousand Years Theatre), and sold it three years later. Kanamaru Genjirō thus obtained the theater in 1900, for 4500 yen, and renamed it once again, to the Kanamaru-za, a name which continues to be used today.
After falling into disuse for many years, and being used as a movie theater for some time, the theatre was designated an Important Cultural Property
Important Cultural Properties of Japan
The term is often shortened into just are items officially already classified as Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs and judged to be of particular importance to the Japanese people....
by the Agency for Cultural Affairs
Agency for Cultural Affairs
The is a special body of the Japanese Ministry of Education . It was set up in 1968 to promote Japanese arts and culture. As of April 2007, it is led by the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs, Tamotsu Aoki....
of the national government in 1970, after having been designated as such by the prefecture in 1953. Following a fund-raising drive which raised over US$2 million, the theatre was restored in 1976 to its Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
appearance and moved some 200 meters to a new location.
In late June 1985, a troupe led by Nakamura Kichiemon II
Nakamura Kichiemon II
is a Japanese actor, kabuki performer and costume designer. He is a so-called Living National Treasure.Nakamura Kichiemon is a formal kabuki stage name. The actor's grandfather first appeared using the name in 1897; and Nakamura Kichiemon I continued to use this name until his death...
and Sawamura Sōjūrō IX performed the play Saikai Zakura Misome no Kiyomizu ("Reunion Amongst the Cherry Blossoms After the First Meeting at Kiyomizu") and dance drama Niwakajishi ("Spirited Lion"), at the Kanamaru-za, in a three-day stint following performances at the Naka-za in Osaka. Kichiemon was impressed with the theatre's atmosphere and traditional design and amenities, and encouraged other actors to journey to Kotohira. A month-long program has been produced every spring since, featuring major Tokyo/Osaka actors.
Much of the 1995 film Sharaku, set in 1790s Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
and revolving around the life of ukiyo-e
Ukiyo-e
' is a genre of Japanese woodblock prints and paintings produced between the 17th and the 20th centuries, featuring motifs of landscapes, tales from history, the theatre, and pleasure quarters...
artist Sharaku
Sharaku
is widely considered to be one of the great masters of the woodblock printing in Japan. Little is known of him, besides his ukiyo-e prints; neither his true name nor the dates of his birth or death are known with any certainty...
, was filmed at the Konpira Theatre, which stood in for the no longer extant Nakamura-za.
Architecture
The structure's frontage is about 80 feet long, or 13 ken and 2 shaku in the now no longer used traditional Japanese units of measurementJapanese units of measurement
' is the traditional Japanese system of measurement. The name shakkanhō originates from the name of two of the units, the shaku, a unit of length, and the kan, a mass measurement.The system is Chinese in origin...
. During the month when kabuki actors journey down from Tokyo or Kamigata
Kamigata
Kamigata is a region of Japan referring to the cities of Kyoto and Osaka; the term is used particularly when discussing elements of Edo period urban culture such as ukiyo-e and kabuki, and when making a comparison to the urban culture of the Edo/Tokyo region.Kabuki, ukiyo-e, and many of the other...
(the Kyoto-Osaka area) and perform at the theatre, large banners bearing the crest of the Shōchiku
Shochiku
is a Japanese movie studio and production company for kabuki. It also produces and distributes anime films. Its best remembered directors include Yasujirō Ozu, Kenji Mizoguchi, Mikio Naruse, Keisuke Kinoshita and Yōji Yamada...
company, and signboards with the stars' names are displayed. Fake bushels of rice, representing gifts from fans and sponsors, are also situated outside the theatre.
There are three entrances into the building. The ones on the left and right are of normal size, but the central entrance, called the , is quite small and requires one to crouch in order to enter. This was an effective form of crowd control in the Edo period, and, along with armed guards, helped prevent anyone from entering without a ticket. While the average commoner playgoer had to use this small nezumi kido, those associated with the Kanemitsu-in used the goyō kido on the right. The large ōkido on the left was used by members of the samurai class, and others of importance.
One of the primary features distinguishing the renovated Konpira Grand Theatre other kabuki theatres in Japan today, which are more modern in style, is the tatami
Tatami
A is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. Traditionally made of rice straw to form the core , with a covering of woven soft rush straw, tatami are made in standard sizes, with the length exactly twice the width...
floor in the main (orchestra section) seating section. Areas of seating for small parties are divided from one another by a grid of wooden planking, into box seats called masu
Masu (Japanese)
A was originally a square wooden box used to measure rice in Japan during the feudal period. Masu existed in many sizes, typically covering the range from one to to five gō...
; sitting this way allows greater range of motion for the viewer, and thus allows one to more easily turn to watch action on the hanamichi
Hanamichi
The is an extra stage section used in Japanese kabuki theater. It is a long, raised platform that runs, left of center, from the back of the theater, through the audience, to connect with the main stage. Generally it is used for characters' entrances and exits, though it can also be used for...
, the long stage extension which runs from the stage to the back of the theater. A raised tatami platform called the sajiki runs along the left side of the theatre on both the ground and second floors; these were traditionally the most expensive seats, and still are today. A similar section which runs along the right side of the theatre is called the demago, though traditionally this would have been called the takadoma in Edo.
Another distinguishing feature is the karaido, or "empty well", a space between the hanamichi and stage accessible from underneath by stairs; while most other theatres utilize an elevator trap called a suppon ("snapping turtle") to allow actors to enter directly onto the hanamichi, the stairs allow an actor to better time his entrance, for better dramatic effect. The Konpira Grand Theatre has a suppon as well, but scholar Samuel Leiter writes that he is unaware of another active theatre which uses a karaido. A second hanamichi, called the kari hanamichi and about half the width of the main hanamichi, runs through the theatre towards the right side; a connecting plank is sometimes used to allow actors to cross between the two hanamichi at some distance from the stage.
Much of the left and right walls of the seating area are composed of shōji
Shoji
In traditional Japanese architecture, a shōji is a door, window or room divider consisting of translucent paper over a frame of wood which holds together a lattice of wood or bamboo...
panels, which can be slid like sliding doors to provide access to corridors which run outside the seating area. The outermost side walls of the theatre building, forming the opposite side of these corridors, consist of rain shutters known as madobuta ("window lids") or akarimado ("lighting windows") which can be raised and lowered by stagehands to let the sunlight in and control the lighting of the theatre, in order to create atmospheric effects, such as a dark and spooky atmosphere for certain elements of ghost plays.
There are areas for musicians on both stage left and right, along with a second-story room above stage left, called the yuka, used specifically by tayū (narrative chanters) and shamisen
Shamisen
The , also called is a three-stringed, Japanese musical instrument played with a plectrum called a bachi. The Japanese pronunciation is usually "shamisen" but sometimes "jamisen" when used as a suffix . -Construction:The shamisen is a plucked stringed instrument...
players heard in plays deriving from the jōruri
Joruri
can refer to:*Jōruri , a type of sung narrative with shamisen accompaniment, typically found in Bunraku, a traditional Japanese puppet theatre.*Jōruri , an opera by Japanese composer Miki Minoru.*Jōruri-ji , a Buddhist temple near Nara....
puppet theatre. This is in contrast to the theatres of Tokyo and Kamigata, which traditionally have boxes for the musicians on only one side of the stage (stage right and left respectively). The stage itself is about half the width of that in the modern theatres; while the stage opening at Kabuki-za
Kabuki-za
' in Ginza was the principal theater in Tokyo for the traditional kabuki drama form.-Architecture:The original Kabuki-za was a wooden structure, built in 1889 on land which had been either the Tokyo residence of the Hosokawa clan of Kumamoto, or that of Matsudaira clan of Izu.The building was...
in Tokyo is nearly ninety feet wide, the space between the supporting pillars at the Kanamaru-za is eight ken, or roughly 48 feet; Leiter calls the larger scale of the more modern theatres a loss and an artistic weakening, as theatres moved "away from the most effective means for expressing theatrical art."
The Kanamaru-za also boasts a manually operated rotating stage (mawari butai) and trap doors (seri)., though the "hell" (naraku) area underneath the stage from which these were operated was considered by many actors so unpleasant that it would often be avoided in favor of the corridors outside the sajiki (along the sides of the theatre) as a means for traveling around the theatre.