Haikai poetry in the Early Modern Pleasure Quarters and Theatre Districts -Kikaku and the Edoza Haikai Cicle

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K12297
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 02010:Japanese literature-related
• Research Institution: Wako University (2020); Waseda University (2018-2019)
• Principal Investigator: Inaba Yusuke 和光大学, 表現学部, 准教授 (90649534)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 宝井其角 / 市川団十郎 / 新吉原遊廓 / 江戸座俳諧 / 歌舞伎

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of my research is to clarify the actual situation of haikai poetry as performed in the entertainment districts such as the theaters and licensed quarters. These districts, also called the Bad Places (Akusho) , are the origins of the urban Edo culture, blossoming between the Genroku and the Horeki period.
There are many hitherto unknown characteristics of urban haiku which this research points to. For example, there is a close connection between the poet Takarai Kikaku and his disciples' interactions, and their connections to prostitutes and Kabuki actors, which show the function of haikai poetry in the entertainment districts, both in its social function and in its choice of source material. This research has the potential to further promote future research on Edo culture and Edo haikai poetry.

Free Research Field

日本近世文学・俳文学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

芭蕉を中心に研究が進められていた俳諧の分野において、これまで考究の手薄であった言語遊戯的で機智性の強い江戸の都会派の実態を、特に悪所での活動に焦点化して調査することで、遊廓・芝居町での社交の具、また、歌舞伎など他ジャンルとの連携など、俳諧の多角的な側面を捉え直し、江戸文化総体の中に位置付けるという視点と可能性を提示した。また、諸文献を調査し、遊女句の収集、役者の俳号（表徳）のデータベース化を行った。