The hidden history behind the fourth key rites of passage in Japanese culture Sawada Toko ‘Biso no Nippon: The history of dressing up’

The meaning of ‘kan’ and ‘sai’ in Kankonsosai

Perhaps due to my profession, which revolves around language, I often find myself intrigued by words that still exist in writing but are rarely, if ever, used in their original context. One such example is the word kan (冠, crown). As a kanji (漢字), everyone can read and write it, and most people have a vague idea of its meaning. However, I suspect that modern Japanese people almost never use it in daily conversation. If it is encountered at all, it is most likely within the four-character compound kankonsosai (冠婚葬祭, ceremonial functions).

In Japan today, kankonsosai is often used as a kind of shorthand for weddings and funerals. However, the term originally referred to the four key rites of passage in a person’s life: genpuku (元服, coming-of-age, 冠,), konrei (婚礼, wedding, 婚), soshiki (葬式, funeral, 葬), and sosen sairei (祖先祭礼, ancestral rites, 祭). Among these, the coming-of-age ceremony and ancestral rites have largely faded from daily life in contemporary society. As a result, the term’s meaning has effectively narrowed to just the wedding and funeral aspects.

So why does kan signify the coming-of-age ceremony? It is because, for males, the genpuku ritual was essentially the occasion on which one donned a crown for the first time. In pre-modern Japanese society, the crown was indispensable for any adult male of a certain rank. It was also a visible symbol attesting that the wearer had reached adulthood.

――Mukashi, otoko, uikaburi shite, Nara no miyako, Kasuga no sato ni, shiruyoshi shite, kari ni inikeri. (昔、男、初冠して、奈良の京、春日の里に、しるよしして、狩にいにけり。)

This is the famous opening line of the Ise Monogatari (伊勢物語), a poetic tale from the Heian period whose protagonist is said to be modelled on Ariwara no Narihira (在原業平). The tale concludes, in its 125th episode, with the protagonist’s death:

――Mukashi, otoko, wazuraite, kokochi shinu beku oboekereba, tsui ni yuku michi to wa, kaneshi kikishikado, kino kyo to wa omowazarishi wo. (昔、男、わづらいて、心地死ぬべくおぼえければ、ついにゆく道とは　かねし聞きしかど　きのうけふとは思わざりしを)

Thus, the story begins with kan—the coming-of-age—and ends with so—death and funeral rites. It is a structure that eloquently reflects how significant a life event the act of donning the crown once was for people of the time.

How the Essence of ‘Kan’ was honoured in Noh theatre and poetry

Among the repertoire of nogaku (能楽, Noh theatre) works established during the Muromachi period, there is one play titled Eboshi-ori (烏帽子折). The eboshi (烏帽子) is a type of headwear traditionally worn by adult men, typically used in more private or informal settings compared to the more formal kanmuri. In this play, the protagonist—or Shi-te (what protagonists in Noh plays are refered to)—is depicted as the master of an eboshi maker in the first half, and then transforms into the notorious bandit Kumasaka Chohan (熊坂長範) in the second, making for a somewhat complex structure. Yet the real focal point of the play is not the protagonist, but rather the young boy who confronts him—Ushiwakamaru (牛若丸), who would later become the famed warrior Minamoto no Yoshitsune (源義経).

Ushiwakamaru is played by a kokata (子方), a child actor, and the story is set in what is now Shiga Prefecture, during the time when the Heike (平家) clan still held political power. As the orphaned son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, Ushiwakamaru harbours the desire to avenge his family and overthrow the Heike. He escapes from Mount Kurama (鞍馬寺), where he had been in training, and aims to journey north to Oshu (奥州, present-day Tohoku, 東北). However, the Heike, having caught wind of his plan, dispatch pursuers across the provinces. Realising he risks being captured, Ushiwakamaru resolves to abandon his boyish appearance. He visits a local eboshi maker and undergoes the genpuku ceremony, formally entering adulthood.

This coming-of-age ritual is far more than a mere disguise—it is the first step in Ushiwakamaru’s transformation from boy to man, and in his pursuit of a lifelong mission. In today’s world, where the practice of genpuku has long since disappeared, the symbolic significance of the eboshi in this play may be difficult for modern audiences to grasp. Yet within the contemporary nogaku world, Eboshi-ori is known for its dynamic portrayal of Ushiwakamaru and is considered one of the most challenging roles for a kokata. In many cases, performing this role marks a child actor’s graduation and their first step towards becoming a full-fledged Noh performer. In this way, Eboshi-ori, with its theme of the first crowning, still serves as a rite of passage today.

Incidentally, there is a word that has now completely fallen out of use: kaja or kanja (冠者), which referred to a young man who had only recently undergone genpuku. Emperor Go-Shirakawa (後白河天皇), who would later become deeply connected to Ushiwakamaru—now known as Minamoto no Yoshitsune—was a great enthusiast of imayo (今様), the popular songs of his day. He compiled a collection of the songs he had learned, naming it Ryojin Hisho (梁塵秘抄), and among them is the following verse:

――Muko no kaja no kimi, naniiro no nanizuri ka kodo, kimahoshiki / kikujin, yamabuki, tomezuri ni, hanamurako / mitsunagashiwa ya ryugo, wachigai, sasamusubi, kokechi maetari no hoya no kanoko-yui (婿の冠者の君　何色の何摺りか好うだう　着まほしき　麹塵　山吹　止擦に　花村濃　御綱柏や輪鼓　輪違　笹結び　纐纈まえたりのほやの鹿子結い)

All the terms following kikujin refer to various dyeing techniques or textile patterns. It is believed to be a song in which the parents of a newly welcomed son-in-law are deliberating what kind of kimono he might like, and what gift to present. While space does not permit a detailed explanation of every term, for instance, mitsunagashiwa is a crest based on the triangular oak leaf; ryugo resembles the hourglass shape of a drum’s body; and wachigai is a pattern of interlocking rings. One cannot help but feel uplifted by the image of these splendid garments, so fitting for a newly crowned young man.

And yet, the reason the kanja is shown such care and affection is because he has undergone genpuku, become a full-fledged man, and taken a wife. It may be ‘just a crown,’ but it is no trivial matter. Precisely because it is now so far removed from our daily lives, its historical significance feels all the more fascinating.

This article is translated from https://intojapanwaraku.com/culture/272625/

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Sawada Toko

Born 1977, Kyoto. Graduated from Doshisha University, Faculty of Literature, and completed the Master’s course at the same university. She made her debut in 2010 with ‘Koyo no Ten(孤鷹の天)’, which won the Nakayama Yoshihide Literature Award(中山義秀文学賞); won the Shinran Prize(親鸞賞) in 2016 for ‘Jakuchu(若冲)’ and the 165th Naoki Prize in 2021 for ‘Hoshi Ochite, Nao(星落ちて、なお)’.

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