Early Modern Japanese Theatre Teahouses - Research and Discourse

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K00312
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 02010:Japanese literature-related
• Research Institution: Saitama University
• Principal Investigator: BJOERK TOVE 埼玉大学, 人文社会科学研究科, 教授 (90747974)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 歌舞伎 / 芝居茶屋 / 環境論 / 観客論 / 商業圏 / 公共圏 / 日記研究 / 芸態論

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research scrutinizes role of the early modern theatre teahouses, their relation to the Kabuki theatres, actors and spectators through the lens of diaries written by early modern kabuki actors and spectators. These first hand witnesses proves the pivotal role the teahouses played in spreading information, maintaining relationships to wealthy patrons, and managing the contacts between these patrons and lead actors with solid and concrete facts. Within this, the central role of the women of the teahouses became clear, and forms a totally new basis for understanding the working of the business network surrounding the early modern Kabuki theatres.

Free Research Field

近世文学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近世期の芝居茶屋に焦点を当たることによって、歌舞伎にまつわる商業圏が当時の社会の社会階級を超える機能を持っていたことを示すことで、近世期における誰でも自由に参加できる文化的空間、いわゆる公共圏が成立した可能性を指摘した。これは近世期の歌舞伎の社会的な重要さを示すだけではなく、現在、芸能の社会的重要さを考えさせる材料としても役に立つだろう。