The stage for Kyogen performers living in the 21st century
Vol.5 Celebrating the New Year
Ozo doctrine (Noh performer Kyogen style Ozo school)
At the end of the year, the rehearsal room begins to be cleaned thoroughly, and New Year decorations are put up to invite the god of the year...this is the same in every household.
We ordered daikon shimenawa, kadomatsu, yuzu, urashiro, paper streamers, wreaths, balls, and shimenawa...these are things needed to decorate the rehearsal room.
Shimenawa ropes are hung on all four sides of the upper part of the practice room, daikon shimenawa is hung on the Shinto altar, and tama-kazari and kadomatsu are hung at the entrance. Wreaths and mochi are placed on yazuri and urashiro in important places such as the tokonoma alcove. These are the New Year decorations.
On New Year's Day, the disciples gather at the practice hall to perform the "Noh First Ceremony."
On a different day, the entire group (students from the class) will gather together and perform the "Maihatsukishiki" ceremony.
This is a customary tradition and an event unique to the Noh world.
On the stage is a hanging scroll of the Imperial Ancestors, a mask and bell of the "Kokuroijo" used by the Kyogen actors in "Okina," the most sacred piece of Noh. A sakaki tree brought down from the Shinto altar, salt, rice, and sake are placed on a special altar, and the ceremony is held in front of it. This is to celebrate the New Year and pray for safe performances for the year ahead.
Finally, we purify ourselves by drinking sacred sake, salt, and rice served on a sanpo (three-treasure stand), and then move on to the New Year's party.
The most exciting part of a New Year's party is the "lucky draw." This may be something you do everywhere, but there is an interesting "game" that is unique to Kyogen. The key to this is to write a Kyogen line that matches the lucky item (roughly 500 yen) prepared by the participants and attach it to a noshi.
"Well, it's time for the lucky draw!"
We started off with a bang, with the voices of our members.
"The item you won was submitted by XX. It's the line from 'Ointment' that goes 'Oh, suck it up, suck it up,' but what's inside?"
By the way, "ointment" is an external medicine that is applied to a piece of paper or cloth and stuck to the affected area to absorb the poison. The Kyogen play "Ointment" is a story about an ointment specialist from Kamakura and Kyoto "comparing the best at absorbing poison."
So, the prize in the lottery is a "tabletop cleaner."
The gift exchange is full of witty wordplay, a style unique to Kyogen performers, and while some of the gifts are well-crafted, others are so old they make no sense, which keeps the audience laughing.
Now I think that this is an appropriate start to the year for Kyogen performers, but when I was a child I absolutely hated this series of events that take place around the New Year period.
I honestly thought, "I don't need any New Year's money, I just want to have a normal New Year's!"
Well, there are only a few days left in this year.
During the spring cleaning, people look back on the past year, regret their failures, and give thanks for new encounters and successes.
As the new year begins, we pray for happiness and prosperity for the many people who support us.
Although it is said to be the last year of the Heisei era, I would like to welcome the new year with a smile and a feeling of gratitude, just like every year.
