ABSTRACT
This chapter shows that their daily lives spent as apprentices under Hijikata Tatsumi fostered the physical philosophy of butoh. It will clarify their daily practice from 1969 to 1978, especially focusing on their collective living and performances at cabarets and clubs, and then present how they understand the connection between that practice and their physical consciousness and performance. The chapter investigates the significance of their daily lives based on interviews and workshops with butoh artists. Specifically, this research was conducted with six former apprentices who stayed with Hijikata for periods ranging from three to eight years. To be more exact, Hijikata's apprentices Kobayashi Saga and Waguri Yukio both stated this clearly, saying that what they teach are the "seeds" or the "text" for butoh. All apprentices, both men and women, debuted as show dancers at the cabaret shortly after entering Asbestos-kan.
