Yayoi

Onoe Kikugoro VI as Yayoi in "Kagami Jishi" (The lion dance) - Series Figures of the Showa scene #1

鏡獅子 - 六代目尾上菊五郎丈 昭和舞台姿　その一

The Play

Kagami jishi (The lion dance) is a musical dance created in 1893. It belongs to the Naga-uta (long song) genre, that is taking music from Noh theater to kabuki by adding shamisen (a three-string long neck lute played with a plectrum) to the orchestra. The premiere was played by Ichikawa Danjuro IX with his two daughters playing the butterflies

Main characters

• Yayoi: A lady-in-waiting at the Shogun's palace. She is asked to dance for the Shogun for the New Year's festivities

• Lion spirit: Legendary animal, portrayed at the foot of the Buddha of Supreme Wisdom

• Two butterflies dancing with the lion

The plot

The story is related through the movements of the dancers. Yayoi is a lady-in-waiting at the Shogun’s palace in Edo. She was selected to perform the lion dance for the New Year celebrations, a performance to exorcise evil spirits. The dancer has to wear a wooden mask with silk streamers and movable jaws. She is locked in a room with the mask and told to practice. At first, she is overwhelmed by her surroundings and dances timidly. However, her pace quickens as the lion’s spirit takes possession of her. Two butterflies appear and the lion takes full control of Yayoi and chase them around. The maiden has now totally disappeared and the lion goes to his lair, then comes back and falls asleep. The butterflies come back to tease him and the lion works himself into a mighty rage and stands shaking his great mane around in a fury of movement.

The actor

Onoe Kikugoro VI (1885-1949) was one of the leading actors in 1920’s and 1930’s. This play requires acting out two different personalities: The young shy maiden Yayoi (as in this print) and the mighty lion spirit.

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