Formation of Theater Districts in Precincts of Temples and Shrines in Kyoto during the Late Edo Period

Abstract

During the Edo period, city dwellers used precincts of temples and shrines in cities for various purposes. However, such places have not been studied sufficiently in geographical studies on cities of the Edo period. Therefore, it is important to consider the role which they played in cities during the Edo period. In this paper, I try to investigate what kinds of performances were put on in such places in Kyoto during the late Edo period. Because a place where various performances were put on was one of the typical functions they had.In Kyoto, various performances were put on not only at Shijo-Kawara but also in other places such as precincts of temples and shrines during the Edo period. Most of performances in such places were put on at temporary theaters when a certain festival was held there. And after performances ended, theaters and other buildings were removed.But in the nineteenth century, performances of kabuki, ningyo-joruri and so on were put on regularly at“Teramachi”(a part of the district of temples and shrines in Kyoto: Teramachi-Sanjo∼Teramachi-Shijo) and Inaba-Yakushi. In these two precincts, there were permanent theaters and the same showman put on performances for a long time and young actors trained themselves. Furthermore, there were also vaudeville theaters, recreation facilities, restaurants, notions stores and so on at“Teramachi”. In the middle of the nineteenth century, performances in these two precincts were forbidden and the theaters were moved to other places by the Tokugawa Shogunate (Tenpo-kaikaku). But at“Teramachi”, a theater district was rebuilt several years later.By the way, if we pay attention to the states of the temples and shrines in Kyoto during the late Edo period, we can become aware that the formation of theater districts in these two precincts was one of the phenomena which often arose in Kyoto after the big fire in the end of eighteenth century (Tenmei no taika). Part of precincts of some temples and shrines changed into leased land or rented houses. In case of leased land, the tenants built some buildings, and most of them or rented houses were not used for religious purposes. The main reason for such changes was financial one, especially raising funds for reconstruction or restoration of temples and shrines themselves.These leased land and rented houses brought about formation of a small town. At “Teramachi”and Inaba-Yakashi, it took the form of a theater district Especially at “Teramachi”, the formation of a theater district is a significant phenomenon in relation to the urban structure of Kyoto during the Edo period. First, by this phenomenon, “Teramachi”was clearly included in the big amusement quarter that had been expanding in the east part of Kyoto since the late seventeenth century. Besides it brought about the change of Teramachi which was one of the symbols of the change of Kyoto into a city of the Edo period. Moreover, this change of Teramachi was brought about not by the Tokugawa Shogunate but by the lower classes. Such state continued fundamentally in the Meiji era and the change of Teramachi was more promoted.