Dynamic and humorous "Bakabayashi" held at Homusubi Shrine, Fukui City
2020.06.15
The traditional performing art "Bakabayashi", which is said to have continued for over four hundred years and designated as an intangible cultural property by Fukui Prefecture, was held at the Homusubi Shrine in Fukui City on the night of May 24th. The Homusubi Shrine was protected as a place for prayer of Fukui domain and worshipped as a god for the prevention of fires. The video is about the previous one that is from the YouTube channel: Fukui City Cultural Inheritance.
The "Bakabayashi" is said that is originated from teaching the festival music and donating Noh and Kyogen masks by a merchant for Asakura clan (a warlord during Warring States period). 37 masks remain in the shrine and some of them are used for the performance every year.
The drummers with a clown mask or plump-cheek mask, drum in a humorous way and sometimes dynamically. In the major festival held every three or five years, it is performed on the float that parades around the town.
The performers are composed of "drums", "supporting part", "flutes" and "gong." The hightlight is the motion of the drummers. They move amusingly to match the masks but also they look rather relaxed and it makes you feel sort of grace.
