There are some Japanese characteristic words, which seem to have simple meanings, or the names of places and objects, or festivals and natural phenomena, but behind them are rich Japanese culture and the unique way of thinking of Japanese people. Understanding these words will not only help us to get closer to Japan, but perhaps also allow us to read the hearts of Japanese people.
Ms. Yuriko Fukui, a former Japanese expert in this magazine, told us the meaning of these characteristic words in the form of essays, as if starting a journey of discovery. So let's follow her to explore the mystery.
The name of the name is a traditional custom that is actively practiced in the world of traditional performing arts such as Noh, Kabuki, and rakugo by inheriting the name of its predecessors and making it their name. The most famous example is Ichikawa 1000 of the kabuki, and the Ichikawa 1000 family is a head of a family of the Ichikawa style (Iemoto, the head family of the school), and it is assumed that it is the most prestigious name (Myoseki, the individual name succeeded from generation to generation) in the kabuki field. This is a word derived from "Kabuki 18th" which selects 18 good performances of the seventh generation Ichikawa Kojuro, and the strength of Ichikawa Kojuro's influence will be understood from here though the specialty art is often called "18th (ohako)". Ebizo Ichikawa, the eldest son of the 12th Ichikawa Kojuro, was scheduled to name Ichikawa Kojuro in 2020, but has been postponed due to the spread of the new coronavirus.
"Raiding the name", that is, inheriting the name of the ancestors, as one's own stage name or new real name, is a traditional custom that prevails in the field of traditional arts such as Noh, Kabuki, and Rakugo. The most famous of these is Ichikawa Tuanjuro in Kabuki. The Ichikawa Tuanjuro family is the clan of the Ichikawa school, so the name Ichikawa Tuanjuro is regarded as the most authoritative family name (personal name passed down from generation to generation) in the Kabuki world. In Japanese, the reason why the best drama is called "Eighteen", originated from the 7th generation Ichikawa Tuan Shiro selected 18 masterpieces of the "Kabuki Eighteen". This also gives a glimpse of Ichikawa's powerful influence. Ichikawa Hiroshizo, the eldest son of the 12th generation of Ichikawa Tuanshirō, was originally planned to inherit the name of Ichikawa Tuanshiro in 2020, but it was postponed due to the spread of the new crown pneumonia epidemic.
In addition to traditional performing arts, there are such customs in traditional crafts, and for example, Kakiemon Sakaida, a representative artist of Arita ware in ceramics, is now the 15th generation. There is a custom "Isshisoden", and this indicates that the mystery (Ogi) and the secret of study and the art, etc. are told only to one child, and it does not decide else as the one with the name and the relation is deep. Japanese craftsmanship has been passed down carefully from generation to generation through the name of the company and the biography of Ichiko.
In addition to traditional arts, there are also traditional crafts and other fields. For example, Sakaida Kakiemon, a representative craftsman of the pottery world, is now in its fifteenth generation. A custom closely related to the inheritance of names is "passed on from one son to another", that is, the know-how of learning, skills, etc., and the secret transmission is only passed on to one of their children (usually the eldest son- The craftsmanship of Japan has been passed down from generation to generation through the inheritance of names and single transmissions, and has been guarded by generations.
Furthermore, the name was actively carried out among powerful merchants and farmers. The name of the shop is called "Yago", but it is natural that this will be passed down from generation to generation, and the name of the master is often passed on from generation to generation. Kabuki and other theaters are mostly stage names, so it is not necessary to change their real names, but the masters of long-established stores are now changing the name of their family registers and enthusing them. For example, "Ninben", a bonito flakes restaurant founded in Nihonbashi in 1699 and still preserving the traditional taste, has inherited the name of Ihei from generation to generation, and now the 13th head of Ihei serves as the president.
In addition, among some powerful merchants and peasants, it was also popular to attack the name. The name of the shop is called "Business Name", which is naturally passed down from generation to generation, and there are many examples of names that have been inherited along with the owner's name. Kabuki and other fields mostly inherit stage names, so there is no need to change their real names. The owner of the old brand will now deliberately change the household registration name through cumbersome legal procedures in order to attack the name. For example, the dried bonito shop "ににんべんん", which was founded in Nihobashi in 1699 and still retains its traditional flavor, has inherited the name of Ibei for generations and is now headed by the 13th generation of household owners, Ibeibei.
The name of a name becomes possible only after it is admitted that it is useless only by having the lineage, and there is a qualification only of it though it seems like the condition only to be born in a prestigious lineage when seeing thus. Regardless of bloodline, a powerful disciple may succeed. There is a saying that "the name represents the body", but the custom of ensuing the name of a great predecessor is the idea of taking over all the technology, trust, customer lines, etc. that the predecessor had, and developing it to the next generation. Japan is a country with a large number of long-established companies in the world, but it is probably due to the system to protect such a tradition and the efforts of people who have inherited it from generation to generation.
In this way, it seems that the only condition for fame is that there is only blood relations, but it is not enough to be recognized by the corresponding qualifications before the name can be attacked. There are also cases where there is no blood relationship and the name is attacked by a powerful disciple. There is a word called "name match (worthy of the name)", that is, the custom of inheriting the name of the great ancestor, so it is necessary to inherit all the skills, credibility and connections of the ancestors, and to develop and pass it on to the next generation. Japan is the world's most established country, thanks to its system of preserving traditions and the efforts of generations of heirs.
Translator, Editor: Qian Haipeng
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