Nihon Buyo in Kouta, Jiuta, Nagauta repetoire

[AnaIkimaru]

Avoiding Gion Kouta. If you don't know Gion Kouta, please search for it. After you understand it, then come back.

Please note- just to study nihon buyo is not enough. There are many different schools is Japan, and many different styles at that. The geisha normally perform kouta, jiuta, and nagauta repetoire. Even nagauta is pushing it a little bit- but there are some crossover pieces (specifically Kurokami comes to mind).

Also, please remember that just because someone looks like a geisha in the video, it doesn't mean that they are. This is just a beginner's resources, and by no means does it confide itself to the ways of the Kyoto Geisha. I'm taking pieces performed all over Japan.

Let's start with the simplest.


Tokyo Ondo
Performed at Bon Odori throughout Japan, and festivals in the summer. Geisha in several prefectures perform this at the festivals. There are many types of the bon odori, but this is one of the most popular.


Rokudan Kuzushi
Hana ga Choucho ka Choucho ga Hana ka
花が蝶々か蝶々が花か
KIte wa chirachira mayowaseru.
来てはちらちら迷わせる。
Hana wa iroiro goshiki ni sakedo
花は色々五色に咲けど
Nushi ni mikaeru Hana wa nai.
主に見返る花は無い。
Hana wo Ippon wasurete kita ga
花を一本忘れて来たが
Ato de sakuyara sakanu yara.
あとで咲くやら咲かぬやら。


Yakko-San
"The Fellow" by Tokyo Geisha & Hangyoku (I think)


Kurokami
黒髪の結ぼれたる 思いをば
Kurokami no musuboretaru Omoi woba
解けて寝た夜の 枕こそ
Tokete neta Yo no Makura-koso
一人寝る夜のあだ枕
Hitori nuru Yo no Ada-makura
袖はかたしく 妻じゃというて
Sode wa katashiku Tsuma ja to iute

愚痴な女子の心と知らで
Guchina onago no Kokoro to shirade
しんと更けたる鐘の声
Shin to fuketaru Kane no koe
夕べの夢の今朝覚めて
Yuube no Yume no kesa samete
縁し懐かし遣背なや
Yukashi natsukashi Yaruse naya
積もると知らで 積もる白雪
Tsumoru to shirade Tsumoru shirayuki
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8052859@N02/4137268785/
(Note: To see the whole dance, please follow the stream backwards.)

Tora Tora
This is more of a game than a dance, but knowing the movements and words would help.
Senri hashiru youna yabu no naka wo minasan nozoite gorouji masse.
Kin no Hachimaki Tasuki ni Watounai ga "En Yara Ya" to Toraesi Kedamono wa.
Tora to-ra to-ra tora, tora to-ra to-ra tora, tora to-ra to-ra tora!

To translate into English:
Into the very very large bamboo grove, everybody please look!

Wearing a golden Japanese towel around his head and a golden cord around his shoulders and upper arms, saying "Yo-heave-ho", Watounai caught a beast.

It is a tiger! a tiger! a tiger!

The rule of this game:
Watounai beats Tora, Tora beats Okaa-san of Watounai and the Okaa-san beats Watounai.

The behavior of each role:
Watounai couches a spear, Tora crawls about and the Okaa-san uses a stick.

Watounai is the hero in the novel named "Kokusenya Gassen, The Battles of Coxinga", the adventures of Coxinga (based on the adventures of the real historical figure Koxinga 1624-1662).
Credit to explain given to Arumuko's flickrstream.


Harusame Spring Rain
春雨に しっぽり濡るる
Harusame ni Shippori nururu　
鶯の羽風に匂う梅が香や
Uguisu no Ha-kaze ni Niou Ume ga Ka ya
花に戯れ しおらしや　
Hana ni tawamure Shiorashiya
小鳥でさえも一筋に　
Kotori de saemo Hitosuji ni
ねぐら定めぬ 気はひとつ
Negura sada-menu Ki wa Hitotsu
私しゃ鶯 主は梅
Watasha Uguisu Nushi wa Ume 　
やがて 身まま気ままになるならば
Yagate Mi-ma-ma Ki-ma-ma ni Narunaraba
サアー 鶯宿梅じゃないかいなー　
Saa Oushuku Bai ja naikai naa
サアーサ 何でもよいわいなー
Saasa Nan demo yoi-wai naa


Natsu Wa Hotaru
夏は蛍の　灯火に　
短き夜半を　くよくよと　　
泣き明かしたる　ほととぎす　
仰げば　顔に　はらはらと　
あれ村雨が　袖打ち振りて
よいよーい、よーいよーい、よーいやあさあ

Lyrics:
Natsu-wa Hotaru-no Tomoshibi-ni
Mijikaki Yowa-wo kuyokuyo-to
Nakiakashitaru Hototogisu
Aogeba kao-ni harahara-to
A-re Murasame-ga Sode uchifurite
Yoi yoi, yoi yoi, yooiyasa

Meaning of the lyrics (trial translation):
In summer (Natsu), under the lantern of fireflies (Hotaru), a little cuckoo (likening to Geiko) weeps all short-night. Passing shower (Murasame) on her face when she looks upward, then she waves her sleeves.
credit for lyrics given to Arumuko's flickrstream


Uji Cha
Uji wa a- e- Chadokoro o- e- Samazama ni
宇治は茶どころ　さまざまに
Naka ni Uwasa no Daikichiyama to
中に噂の大吉山と
Hito no Ki ni Ou Mizu ni Ou
人の気におう　水におう
Iro mo Ka mo aru Nureta Doushi
色も香もある　濡れた同志
Sui na Ukiyo ni Yaborashii
すいな浮世に　野暮らしい
Kocha Kocha Kocha
こちゃ　こちゃ　こちゃ
Koicha no En kai na
濃茶の縁かいな
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11588476@N08/4880229039/
(Note- to view the entire dance please follow the stream)

Mitaka Kiitaka
Not really a dance, but more of a party demonstration. Can you do it?
Mitaka?
Did you see?

Kiitaka?
Did you hear?

Nagoya no Shiro wa
Of Nagoya castle

Gojuu Yagura no Zecchou ni
On the peak of the fivefold turret

Kin no Shachihoko
A golden Shachihoko

Shachihoko
And the other Shachihoko

Amazarashi
Are exposed to rain.

Note: Shachihoko (a fabulous dolphin-like fish or an imaginary sea animal with a tiger-like head and a fish-like body) is an image of which decorated each end of the ridgepole of a Japanese castle.
Again from Arumuko's flickrstream:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11588476@N08/4782219847/in/photostream/


That's all for now. Enjoy!