Pit Workers in the Old Days #1 (Sword Dancing around 1902)
1958 - 1963

Mukashi no Yamabito #1 (Meiji Sanju Gonen Koro no Ken-bu)
[Pit Workers in the Old Days #1 (Sword Dancing around 1902)]
20.9 x 30.0 cm Ink Painting

Song Lyrics
Sakazuki o te ni tori miwataseba,
kumo ka kasumi ka hata yuki ka.
Asu wa noritoru ano shiro o.

Looking around with a sake cup in hand,
I see cherry blossoms in full bloom, which look like clouds, mist or snow.
I'm determined that tomorrow I will capture that castle.

This relaxed style of sword dancing (ken-bu) also called en-bu became popular in 1901 or 1902. Young miners who had an artistic temperament often danced in a costume like this even when they were not attending banquets. Sutoraiki Bushi (Shinonome Bushi) Song was also popular at that time. The following are excerpts from the song:

Nani o kuyokuyo kawabata yanagi,
kogarete nanto sho.
Mizu no nagare o mite kurasu.
Shinonome no sutoraiki,
sari to wa tsurai ne,
tena koto ossaimashita (sic: normally osshaimashita) ka ne...nado

What's the good of worrying,
with your heart wavering like a branch of willow by the river?
It's no use sighing for her.
There's no other way to live than wasting time,
watching the river flow.
Did you say that it was hard for you
to hear that the girls at the Shinonome geisha house were on strike?...
(The rest omitted)

<<Last pictorial record    Next pictorial record>>

<<Last 10 items  251 | 252 | 253 | 254 | 255 | 256 | 257｜258 | 259 | 260 |   Next 10 Items>>

257／306