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Chuo-ku (3) The memory of Shintomiza seen by Sidmore
Hello. This is a new correspondent, Hanes.
This time, we will take up Shintomiza in the last episode of "Chuo-ku Seen by Sidmore".
It is Shintomiza, which has no right now, but in the era before Kabukiza was established.
What kind of impression did you have from people from overseas?
In the first place, was Shintomiza known to such people?...
Such a thing can be read from the records left by Sidmore.
The Great Theater in Tokyo, Shintomiza and its surroundings
It may be surprising, but the continuation of "Speaking of a large theater in Tokyo" is "Shintomiza [Kyobashi (center)-ku Shintomicho]".
So, what was the appearance of Shintomi-za and its surroundings, which can be said to be the "Great Theater in Tokyo" from overseas?
It is a gabled building with a long frontage, with actor paintings lined up at the top of the entrance. The street is lined with teahouses and restaurants, suggesting that it is not a short play where spectators go out after dinner and finish in about two hours. Organize the viewing team carefully in advance and immerse yourself in the theater for a whole day. The play usually starts at one o'clock in the morning and ends at eight or nine o'clock in the evening. After a short-term face-to-face performance, if you know the appearance of the thousand actors and the schedule of the magnificent stage equipment, the spectators will specify the viewing time as appropriate. For high-ranking Japanese people, it is quite bad to go to the entrance of the theater by themselves and pay a viewing fee, so such audience will use it at least one day before at the teahouse near the theater to arrange tickets for the day, and secure seats through mediation. In other words, the teahouse is a duff shop that is paired with the ticket office! At an appropriate time, the delegation will gather at the teahouse, order lunch and dinner on the day, and then the head of the teahouse will guide the guests to the bleachers. There are several tea services a day, and you will come to order during the break, saying "Do you have anything you want?" At dinner, a large lacquered box with plenty of dishes is carried, and the patron sits comfortably and eats. Each seat is equipped with a cone-shaped cigarette tray, where everyone ignites the kisel, smokes cigarettes, and at the same time puts out the butts. Sometimes this sound becomes Oai chanting according to the stage performance! ?
From here, it can be seen that the theater at that time was a one-day entertainment, so teahouses and restaurants were lined up around the area to have lunch and dinner.
And as you can see from Kunimasa Utagawa's "Shintomiza Honfuji Completed First Encompassing Flock Map", it depicts customers who are eating and listeners.
It is the same as in the past that Kabuki and delicious food cannot be separated.
■Inside Shintomiza
From the above, it was clear how the area around Shintomiza was lively and how the food was procured.
So, what was the inside of Shintomiza?
The theater building is a light and thin wooden building, with mats and tatami mats everywhere, all of which are similar. There are square seats, sloping floors, simple low corridors, and stages throughout the hall. A low cross tree divides the floor space into a square shape and serves as a connecting bridge for customers to enter and exit. The audience always sits on the floor of the basin seat and watches each seat is 6 feet [1.8 meters] square and is designed for all four people. If you look at the corridor, there is a row of Masu seats on one side and a few Masu seats toward the stage. There is an enclosure of the guests behind those seats, and you pay about one or two copper coins per act. The enclosure on the opposite side is called "Tsubojiki [Makumi Seat]", but the noisy of this guest is so loud that even hearing-impaired people will want to block their ears. Passengers who enter the theater put a tag on their footwear. The shelves are full of hanging clogs, making it look like a decoration in the entrance lobby. Inside the building, there are shops selling fruits, tea, confectionery, tobacco, toys, hairpins, star photos, and booth items, so customers in the Masu seat do not have to go outdoors for any shopping. Moreover, it is a bright and well-ventilated open playhouse, so in winter the gaps are bare!
(Source: Mitsuyuki Segawa, "Nihon no Scenic Spots" (History Publishing, 1900))
While the inside was so lively that it was said, "It's a noisy thing."
It seems that it was a comfortable space where you could shop indoors.
However, from the ironically unique expression, "Because it is a bright and well-ventilated open playhouse, the gaps are passing through in winter!" In the reconstruction of 1878, chair seats and gas lights were introduced, and at the opening ceremony, Shintomi-za, a representative atmosphere of Civilization and enlightenment, where foreigners living in Tokyo were invited and footlights were also installed later.
■Evaluations from Foreigners in Tokyo
As mentioned above, not only Japanese but also foreigners had the opportunity to experience Kabuki, but what kind of impression did they have about Shintomi-za and Kabuki?
And how much did you accept it?
According to the column "Meiji-Taisho in Photos-From the Photo Book of the National Diet Library-", "In Japan, a ronin has a long sword, and if you look at a foreigner, you will slash it immediately." Even U.K.'s ministerial officer Thomas McLatch, who was transferred, was able to see the beautiful mother and the joy of writing in a beautiful theater at the opening ceremony after reconstruction.
Also, in July of the same year, former President of the United States of America, before Grant, decorated the national flags of both countries on the stage as shown in the entrance and on the front, and the costumes of the geisha dancing in the finale are `` red-white horizontal kimono, and underneath it seems to be a gorgeous production that can be said to be a star flag with a costume that dyes white stars. "
Apparently, unlike the traditional Kabuki that we imagine today, the production seemed surprisingly flexible.
Also, Sidmore wrote that Kabuki actors were sometimes invited to tea parties from foreign families who lived in foreign settlements.
A few days later, it appeared extensively in a domestic English newspaper, which claims to be a British daily newspaper, and there was also a list of attendees like a mountain, indicating that Kabuki was accepted as entertainment and feast for foreigners at that time.
In this way, by looking at Japan at the time from the perspective of overseas people, there may be new discoveries and learning.
It is expected that the number of tourists visiting Japan will increase further toward the Tokyo 2020 Games....It is also important to review Japanese culture and customs from the perspective of ""!
In addition to Sidmore, there are many overseas who recorded the state of Chuo-ku in Meiji period.
When you have time, why don't you pick up their books and discover "new Chuo-ku"?
[References and Website]
Eliza R. Sidmore (author) / Katsuhisa Tonosaki (translation) "Sidmore Japan Journey" (Kodansha, 2002)
9 Meiji period Theater and Theatre (1) Shintomiza/Kanya Morita's Cellular Heat:
Japan Arts and Culture Promotion Association "Culture Digital Library - Shintomiza"
Japan Arts and Culture Promotion Association "Cultural Digital Library-Shintomiza Honkan Inaugurated Night Theater Guardian crowd map"