The outline of dances
*Presently, 10 types of dances are danced in Gujo Dancing.
*The form of dances are all “Wa Odori (Circle Dancing)”, and they dance circling
around the dancing scaffold.
*Direction of travel of the dance is clockwise. They turn counterclockwise only in
“Gen gen bara bara” dance.
*The dancing circle is unified, but the number of the circle increases as the number of
people go on increasing. At times, the dancing circle expands in all directions and
become very big, but the members of the conservation party pay attention in every
corner and lead the dance. The dancers keep the unity of the circle according to the
lead of the conservation party members.
* Group of youngsters dance into the circle in case of “Tetsuya Odori (All night
dancing)”
1. Kawasaki
This is a dance that represents Gujo Dancing.
The representative lyric: “Gujo no Hachiman dete iku tokiwa ame mo furanuni sode shiboru (When you go out from Gujo Hachiman, you squeeze the sleeve although it is not raining)” is very famous. It is spread to places like Kiso and Narata Area of Yamanashi Prefecture. It was written in the Taisho Era based on the tune of the oral tradition “Kochou Kawasaki”. It is also called “Shin Kawasaki (New Kawasaki)” when they distinguish from “Kochou Kawasaki”. “Kawasaki” is the basic dance of Gujo Dancing, and they dance it many times in one night. Therefore, there are many chances to learn it. The first step to enjoy Gujo Dancing is to master this dance.
How to dance
Song
Basic Pattern
“Ai no te (the call)” copies the “Ondo (the chorus)” in the second half. It is the representative example of samisen music.
<Hayashi (musical accompaniment)>
<Ondo (chorus)> “Gujo no na Hachiman kora dete iku tokiha”
<Ai no te (the call)> “A so rense”
<Ondo> “Ame mo furanu ni sode shiboru”
<Ai no te> “Sode shiboru no sode shiboru”
<Ondo> “A so rense”
<Ai no te> “Ame mo furanu ni sode shiboru”
Representative lyric
Kouta form of 7775
“Gujo no Hachiman dete iku tokiwa ame mo furanu ni sode shiboru”
2. Kochou Kawasaki
This is the original version of “Shin Kawasaki”.
“Kagasaki Odori”
The song is common to “Shin Kawasaki”, but leaves Kochou (old type) in the dance and melody.
How to dance
The posture is simple and naivete leaving Kochou, if you compare with “Shin Kawasaki”
The representative lyrics are almost the same with Shin Kawasaki.
3. Sambyaku
This is a dance that has a classic mood. Some people point out the similarity with “Kochou Kawasaki”.
How to dance
Song
Basic Pattern
Representative lyric
“A soroete gozare hoi
azukyo kasuyoni gosho goshoto”
4. Gen gen bara bara
One of the representative dances of Gujo Dancing.
It is famous for the mysterious lyric that goes, “Gen gen bara bara nanigotoja (Gen gen bara bara what’s it all about)”.
It is a “Kudoki” type of lyric that sings long stories and counting rhymes. The lyric in the beginning of the song is famous, and there are several opinions including Kunio Yanagita’s analysis.
How to dance
They turn counterclockwise only in this tune.
It is a funny dance.
They jump up and down very violently.
Song
Basic pattern
Representative lyric:
“Gen gen bara bara nanigotoja
oya ha inaiga ko mo naiga (Gen gen bara bara what’s it all about. I don’t have a parent nor a child)”
5. Harukoma
This dance also originates in Gujo Hachiman, and a dance that is famous throughout the country.
It was formerly called “Saba” but changed its name in Showa. It is a cheerful jumping dance.
“Issen gorin no yakisaba yakisaba (A broiled mackerel that costs 1 sen 5 rin)”
Song
Basic pattern
The lyric in the beginning; “A shichiryou sambuno harukoma harukoma” (hayashi)
“(Hoi) Gujou ha umadoko (hoi) ano surizumino meiba (hoi) dashitamo (sasa) kirano sato” (A, shichiryou sambuno harukoma harukoma) hoho
6. Yacchiku
| “A ra yacchiku sassai” A wonderful song with a sad tune It belongs to “Kudoki” which they sing a song with a long lyric along a monotonous and repeating tune An excellent piece of music made in Gujo “Houreki Gimin Ikki” is sang in the lyrics of Kudoki along with popular songs of the modern times such as “Suzuki Mondo”. |
Song
Notable lyrics
“Watashiga choito dete bensoko nakeredo”
“Watasha Gujouno Yamanaka yani sumeba”
“Omikake dourino jakuhai nareba”
“Koemo tatanugayo monkuyamo hetayo”
7. Neko no ko (Kitten)
People say that the gestures which they turn around while waving their both hands by the side of the waist is copying the gestures of a kitten.
They call “Neko no ko ga yokaro (A kitten would be good)
This is a dance that is distributed all around Gujo area.
There is a few opportunity to dance this dance besides Tetsuya Odori (All night dancing) and they probably dance only once in the end. It is rather hard to learn.
Songs
Typical lyrics
“Ahayoh hoiyoh ioyouoi nekonoko ga yokaro nekonoko ga yokaro”
A notable lyric
“Neko no touboe (Howling of a cat)
You can hear the howling of a cat, “Meow meow” if you carefully listen to the beginning of the song.
8. Sawagi
Song
Typical lyrics
“Hah nomeyo sawageyo issun sakya yamiyo”
“Kesamo hadakano gekoga kita”
9. Gujo Jinku
This is a song that adopted a popular song of the Edo Era.
Songs
Typical lyrics
“Royoh taikoni futo mewo samashi”
“Asuwayoh dono tede koitsua nageteyaru
“Toko dokkoi dokkoi”
10. Matsusaka
“Matsusaka” is a dance of courtesy, and they dance only once in each night.
It has a sad and silent tune, and it is an impressive dance that deserves to decorate the end of the dances of each night.
The shout: “A, yoiyana, yaatose” originates in Ise Ondo which was popular in the Edo Era, and it is widely heard in Bon Dancing nationwide.
The beginning of the song is famous for leaving an old type. The sound of rhythm chips.
How to dance
The postures are rather simple. This is also old type.
Typical lyrics
Yoh hoi Moh sho
Ohsate Gattensho
Gattento koega derunara
(Korai korai)
Korekara Monkuni kakari masho
(A yoiyana yahtose)