秩父屋台囃子について

このお囃子は「京都の祇園」「飛騨の髙山」と並んで日本三大曳山祭りにあげられる「国指定重要民俗文化財 秩父夜祭」におきまして、山車の中で演奏されるお囃子です。重さ、およそ20トンの豪華絢爛な山車とそれを曳く300人余りの曳き子の息をひとつにそろえるのが、この太鼓です。

団体について

本日演奏しますのは秩父屋台囃子の埼玉県指定無形文化財保持者であった髙野右吉が創設した「無形文化財秩父屋台囃子保存会 髙野右吉と秩父社中」です。
この保存会は昭和天皇皇后両陛下の天覧、現天皇が皇太子殿下の時、また秩父宮妃殿下、高円宮両殿下など皇室の宮様方の御前演奏をはじめとし、日本万国博覧会・つくば博・神戸博など日本全国で数多くの公演を行っております。海外ではカナダ39日間の公演を初め、アメリカ・中国・ロシア・アフリカ諸国など世界18か国で数十回に及ぶ公演をし、絶賛されました。

About Chichibu Yatai-bayashi

A Nationally Designated Intangible Folk Cultural Property, Chichibu Yatai-bayashi from Chichibu, Saitama, is considered one of Japan’s three major float festivals along with Gion Festival in Kyoto and Hida festival in Takayama. The Chichibu Night Festival is held every year on December 2 and 3, and the Yatai-bayashi is the musical accompaniment played by performers seated on the lower levels of the festival floats. The smaller shime-daiko and the large taiko drums are played in an alternating rhythm, and the beats seem to control the movement of the festival floats.
Packed into a space like the hull of a ship, the energetic playing of the performers has an important role in coordinating the power and rhythm of the people who pull the 20-ton floats.

About the Group

This preservation association began in Saitama in 1955 when the founder, Ukichi Takano created the Intangible Folk Cultural Property Chichibu Yatai-bayashi Preservation Association.
The association rehearses at their own taiko dojo called “Kobunkan” where they train people to carry on the tradition, with over 1200 students to date. In 2020, the association was featured in an episode of an NHK program about Japanese regional traditions. Notable performances include command performances for Their Majesties Emperor and Empress Showa and the then-Crown Prince, “Taiko of Japan” at the National Theatre, NHK Folk Entertainment Festival, Expo ’70, Expo ’81, and Expo ’85. Overseas performances include a 30-day tour of Canada, as well as invited performances in Romania, Poland, Russia, several African countries, USA, China, Australia, and more, earning favorable reviews in each location.