ABSTRACT
Now-a-days,justpriortotheappearanceofyuJointheir "cages",thegyustrikeabundleofwoodenclog-checks(ge.sokufu,da)againstthefloor,and,whileslappingthepillarofthe entrancedoorwiththepalmoftheiropenhand,imitatethe squeakingofarat.Thehourthischarmisperformedcorrespondstothatatwhichsugagakiwasplayedinformerdays. Sugagakiseemstohavebeenevolvedanddevelopedfromthe tunesofkotomusic,becauseoneauthoritystatesthat"sugagaki"meanstheplayingofcertainkotoairswithoutany accompanyingsong.Inancienttimesablindmusicianmade adepartureinthedirectionofplayingkotomusiconthe samisen,andthiswashandeddownintheYoshiwaraas "sugagaki".
