Naniwa-bushi: Nationalism, Appropriation or Sentimentality?

• In Event: Nationalism and Music in Pre-War Japan

Abstract

In what sense is naniwa-bushi (rōkyoku) nationalist? Is naniwa-bushi intrinsically nationalistic, or did its popularity make it vulnerable to being used by others for nationalistic purposes?

Its earliest boom years rode on the popularity of Tōchūken Kumoemon’s trumpeting of bushido in his Akō Rōshi narratives. He was openly given official support by educators in the period of nationalistic euphoria immediately following the Russo-Japanese War. Continental activist Miyazaki Tōten’s enthusiasm for Kumoemon was largely responsible for this aspect; given Tōten’s political stance, could his support also be seen as nationalistic appropriation?

Naniwa-bushi continued to be appropriated by various parties for propaganda purposes. The most blatant case was the forced creation of patriotic rōkyoku (aikoku rōkyoku) from the 1940s, when all arts, including literature, theatre and music, were made to fall in line with the agenda of the military-dominated government. Many naniwa-bushi narratives glorifying war were created, most actually written by literati such as Kikuchi Kan, not by the performers themselves. Like other performing artists, naniwa-bushi performers toured and entertained Japanese troops and other bodies in Japan and its occupied territories. Naturally, they were expected to boost the morale of listeners by patriotic rōkyoku narratives. However, there is evidence that performers did not relish these pieces, and continued where possible to perform popular repertoire with no connection to the times. Nevertheless, the perception that naniwa-bushi had collaborated with the military government through patriotic rōkyoku was a significant reason for its fall from favour in the postwar period.

Author

• Alison Tokita, Kyoto City University of Arts