PROFESSOR, SUGIYAMA JOGAKUEN UNIVERSITY,
TRADITIONAL JAPANESE NOH RESEARCHER, IIZUKA ERITO　
Doctor of Classical Literature, Professor Iizuka Erito was born in Chicago, America in 1961 and graduated from Tsukuba University with a doctorate in Japanese literary language. We was awarded the 23^rd Annual Japan Society of History and Culture Ema Award for a study on the history of early Noh. He has written extensively on the arts and his publications include “A Study on Early Modern Noh Theatre in the Tokai Area” and “History and Fantasy, the Way of Noh”

豊臣秀吉も、徳川義直も好んで「能」を習っていた
Toyotomi Hideyoshi, even Tokugawa Yoshinao studied Noh

—まず「能」の歴史から教えてください
Tell us about the history of the classical performing art of Noh

「能」の歴史は、原点まで遡るなら奈良時代、平安時代からということに
なりますが、今のような「能」の形になったのは観阿弥、世阿弥の時代、
今から650年くらい前のことになります。当時は衣装や鼓などの楽器を、
大名達がひいきの役者に貸し与えて役者に能を行わせるんですが、それを
見ているうちに、大名達も「自分にもできるんじゃないか」とやりたく
なるんですね。そうすると結局、自分が主役をやるためにいい衣装を
買ったり、プロに習ったり。豊臣秀吉もそうでしたし、その後、徳川幕府が
出来てからもそうでしたから「能」の社会的地位というのは江戸時代初期
には確立されていたと思います。

Noh dates back to the Nara and Heian Periods, however what we see now mainly dates back to the times of establishing actors such as Kan’ami and Zeami, so about 650 years. In the past, the Daimyo, the noble warlords, would lend the actors the costumes and instruments such as hand drums. Having seen the actors perform, they wanted to appear, and so they bought better costumes and studied the arts. People such as Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the Tokugawa Clan not only supported, but performed Noh, and as such created the Noh culture we see today.

—大名以外に習っていた人は

There were others besides the Daimyo, right

役人や、その周囲の藩の御用商人たちも習っていましたね。例えば、尾張藩初代藩主の徳川義直、
二代藩主徳川光友の時代。役人たちの勤務が終る14時過ぎから、藩主は能をやっていました。
で、役人達も藩主と一緒に能を習うんです。そうすると、その稽古の合間に「ここに今度、橋を
作りたいんだけど」とか「誰と誰の結婚式はどうしよう」とかの「お仕事」に関わる話を聞くことが
できる。役人にとってみれば、これは貴重な情報です。それが直接的な理由かどうかはわかりませんが、
藩主と一緒に能をやっている役人は出世が早かった。だから役人達も個人的に、藩主が習っている先生に
能を習うという
こともありましたね。

There were other actors, including officials from the domains. For example, Lord Tokugawa Yoshinao, the First lord of the Owari Clan, and the Second Lord Tokugawa Mitsutomo. In those times, the work day for government officials ended around 2pm, and so there was time to practice Noh. The bureaucrats learned the art along with their lord. At the same time, they could discuss work related topics, such as where a bridge needs to be built,

What to do about somebody’s wedding, and other business. From an official perspective, this was valuable information. It’s not understood whether that was the direct reason for the officials undertaking the study with their lord, but officials who personally learned the dances with their lord managed to further their careers quickly too.

こんな面白い世界があるなら、こういうことを仕事にしたい
Wanting to Work in this Exciting World

—飯塚先生が「能」に興味を持ったのは、いつ頃からですか

Professor Iizuka, when did you first become interested in Noh

昭和52年、僕が中学校2年生の時です。学校に狂言師さんが来て狂言を見せてくれました。
たしか「萩大名（はぎだいみょう）」と「梟山伏（ふくろうやまぶし）」という演目だったと思うん
ですけど、それを見たとき、すごく、ばかばかしくて面白いと思ったんです。父が物理学者だったこと
もあって、きっと僕も理系に進むんだろうな…と何となく思っていたんですが、「こんなに面白い世界が
あるなら、こういうことを仕事にして生活したいな」と思いました。それが最初です。

In 1977, when I was in second year at junior high school. A Noh master came to our school and performed for us. I think he performed “Hagi Daimyo” and “Fukuro Yamabushi” for us, anyway, I thought it was odd, but at the same time fascinating. My father was a physicist, and I thought I’d become a scientist too at first, but then I discovered the world of classical performing arts and thought it would be great to make a living doing this kind of work. That was my first experience.

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