Shiga

志賀 Shiga

1 Source and/or Related Material

Kokinshū kana preface, Mumyōshō, etc

2 Author

Unknown

3 Repertoire

Kanze, Hōshō, Kongō, Kita

4 Synopsis

A courtier (waki) visits Shiga with his retainers (wakitsure) to see the cherry trees in full blossom. They meet two woodcutters, an old man (maeshite) and a youth (maetsure), resting in the shade of the flowers. They have cherry branches among the firewood in their large packs. The courtier asks the woodcutters why they are resting under the cherry trees. The older woodcutter answers that the poet Ōtomo no Kuronushi wrote a waka about woodcutters adding flowering branches to their firewood, so they are doing the same. The courtier is impressed with the old woodcutter’s understanding of such a refined art form. The old woodcutter then elaborates on the virtues of poetry, hinting that he just might be Ōtomo no Kuronushi himself, then he vanishes into thin air. A villager (ai) comes to tell the story of Ōtomo no Kuronushi in plain speech. In the evening, as the courtier and his retainers while away the time under the trees, Ōtomo no Kuronushi appears again as the God of Shiga (nochishite). Ōtomo’s spirit celebrates the Emperor’s reign by dancing a sacred kagura dance.