ABSTRACT
Senzo Nisika\va and Kanbei Huzima, founders of the schools that bear their names. These Nisikawa and Huzima Schools, as well as the Sigayanla, have survived until today. There was a time when the Nisikawa School declined and ceased its activity; this was in the age of the third Senzo Nisika\va. But a student named Kansuke, of the third Kanbei Huzima group, revived it in the age of Bunsei (1823) and took his place as the fourth Senzo Nisikawa, a choreographer of great capability and a special favourite of the seventh Danzyiiro. He is said to have composed the dance of Kanzintyo. Among the students of this Senzo there were t,vo specially able choreographers, Toranosuke and Y osiziro. After the death of Senzo, Toranosuke moved to Nagoya, taking the name of Koisaburo Nisikawa. Yosiziro also adopted a new name, that of Zyusuke Hanayagi, and becatne founder of the school that bears this name, which continues until this day. In the 36th year of Meizi (1903), a student of the Hanayagi School, Yosimatu by name, left that school and founded a new one to \vhich he gave the name, Wakayagi, himself taking the name Zyudo \\/akayagi. rIhe third Huzima having no male heir, sllccession passed on through the female line, but this disqualified the fanlily for being ranked as a first-class choreographer. "rhus the school gradually lost its place atnong the choreographers, the Nisika,vas and the Hanayagis easily holding the supretnacy here. During the latter part of the Edo period (1603-1868), however, there appeared among the follo\vers of the Huzima. school a very able choreographer with the' name of Kanetnon Huzima. By the aid of the ninth Danzyiiro he took an outstanding position as choreographer for a leading
Kabuki theatre, becotning a rival of Zyusuke Hanayagi. The famous Kabuki dancer of our day, Kosiro Matsumoto, is the adopted son of this Kanemon Huzima. Zyusuke Hanayagi, of the rival school, was succeeded, after his death, by his own son Yositaro, who has become the second Hanayagi, and is today a most popular choreographer of the Kabuki dance. The Wakayagi, though founded as one of the recognized schools of choreography, has abandoned theatricals, and is now exerting its energies along the line of the training of geisya dancers. As to the Nisikawa School, after the death of the fourth Senzo, it was greatly overshado\ved by its chief rival, the School of Hanayagi, and in Tokyo has lost its place as choreographer at the Kabuki Theatre. The Nisika\va branch school at Nagoya, however, has been able to maintain its prestige, even though the main school in 1'okyo has gone into decline. Mention should also be made of the School of Banda, \\I·hose founder \vas a student of the third Mitugoro Bal1do in the latter part of the Edo period. He was specially favoured in receiving the patronage of the ladies of the Tokugawa family, enjoying the privilege of training students, even though he did not attach himself directly to any of the Kabuki theatres. He has many followers today, the present Mitugor6 Banda being reg~rded as their leader. .In addition to these, reference might be made to such schools as those of Itiyama, Mizuki, Nana6gi and Syoga, but these would hardly be regarded as rivals 9f those mentioned above.
