{"id":523,"date":"2026-07-20T01:16:23","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T16:16:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/?p=523"},"modified":"2026-07-20T09:59:52","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T00:59:52","slug":"sukeroku-rigyo-tsujin-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/sukeroku-rigyo-tsujin-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Is Rigy\u014d, the &#8220;Crawl Between the Legs&#8221; Man in Sukeroku?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Watching <em>Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura<\/em>, you may have caught yourself wondering: &#8220;Who is that person crawling between Sukeroku&#8217;s legs?&#8221; or &#8220;Who is this oddly chatty, wildly uninhibited character?&#8221; That&#8217;s the <em>ts\u016bjin<\/em> (&#8220;man of taste&#8221;), Rigy\u014d \u2014 and he might be the single freest spirit in the entire play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"adsense-block\" style=\"margin:2em 0;text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9605472874778813\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9605472874778813\" data-ad-slot=\"9431907817\" data-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Edo Ideal of the &#8220;Ts\u016bjin&#8221;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <em>ts\u016bjin<\/em> isn&#8217;t simply someone who&#8217;s knowledgeable \u2014 the term describes a sophisticated adult, fluent in Edo&#8217;s pleasures and social customs, attuned to the room, and deeply versed in the subtleties of human feeling. In short, someone who has fully mastered the art of cultured leisure \u2014 the word is even the root of the modern Japanese term for a true connoisseur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rigy\u014d carries all the weight of that ideal on paper. But the moment he actually appears on stage, the impression is a bit&#8230; off. He has a soft, almost limp bearing, a thin, carefully styled topknot, and a distinctive speech pattern peppered with affected phrases \u2014 every inch a man performing sophistication rather than embodying it. Already, it&#8217;s clear he&#8217;s no ordinary character.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Bizarre Spectacle of &#8220;Crawling Between the Legs&#8221;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sukeroku is secretly Soga Gor\u014d in disguise, provoking fights specifically to make people draw their swords, all in search of the treasured blade Tomokirimaru. By that logic, anyone not carrying a sword shouldn&#8217;t be his concern at all \u2014 but Rigy\u014d gets swept up in the chaos regardless of the logic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Sukeroku orders him to &#8220;crawl between my legs,&#8221; Rigy\u014d pulls a silk cloth (<em>fukusa<\/em>) from his robes, places it on his head, and crawls along the ground beneath him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The detail worth noticing is the fukusa itself. It&#8217;s reversible, dyed with two different family crests on either side \u2014 each belonging to the acting families of the performers playing Sukeroku and the sake seller Shirazake-uri. When crawling beneath Sukeroku, Rigy\u014d shows the side bearing Sukeroku&#8217;s crest; when he crawls beneath Shirazake-uri moments later, he subtly flips the cloth to show that family&#8217;s crest instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the surface, it looks like pure slapstick. But underneath, it reflects a genuinely refined sensibility \u2014 a ts\u016bjin&#8217;s ability to hold &#8220;respect for the performers&#8221; and &#8220;playful wit&#8221; in balance at the same time. Never settling for a cheap laugh alone, Rigy\u014d reveals real depth of character through details like this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"adsense-block\" style=\"margin:2em 0;text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9605472874778813\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9605472874778813\" data-ad-slot=\"9431907817\" data-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Real Highlight: What Happens After<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rigy\u014d&#8217;s true showcase comes after the crawling bit is done. As he makes his exit down the hanamichi runway, he turns to the audience and launches into a monologue \u2014 one that changes every single performance. Backstage gossip, remarks about the other performers, whatever happens to be topical at the time \u2014 he weaves it all into an improvised, one-man commentary.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s completely unscripted, and delivered with such uninhibited freedom that even Sukeroku and Shirazake-uri can&#8217;t help but crack a smile. For the audience, it creates a genuine sense of live unpredictability \u2014 &#8220;what will he say today?&#8221; \u2014 distilling exactly the kind of in-the-moment, one-time-only magic that makes kabuki what it is.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"adsense-block\" style=\"margin:2em 0;text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9605472874778813\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9605472874778813\" data-ad-slot=\"9431907817\" data-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Character Who Creates Atmosphere, Not Plot<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rigy\u014d isn&#8217;t a role that drives the story forward. What makes him so memorable instead is his ability to instantly shift the entire mood of the stage. Dropped into the tense, high-stakes world of Sukeroku, he opens up a pocket of humor and breathing room, closing the distance between performer and audience in an instant. In that moment, the stage stops being simply a story and becomes something happening live, right here, right now.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Quick Refresher: What Is Sukeroku?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Having focused so closely on Rigy\u014d, it helps to revisit the play itself. <em>Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura<\/em>, set in Edo&#8217;s Yoshiwara pleasure district, is a vibrant sewamono (contemporary-style drama) built on a genuinely solid narrative core.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sukeroku appears to be a carefree playboy, but he&#8217;s secretly Soga Gor\u014d, deliberately picking fights to make people draw their swords in search of the treasured blade Tomokirimaru, tied to his father&#8217;s unresolved vendetta. Alongside that central mission, the play weaves in real emotional drama \u2014 his romance with the courtesan Agemaki, and his tangled relationships with the bearded villain Iky\u016b and the sake seller Shirazake-uri Shinbei (in truth his older brother J\u016br\u014d).<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Into that tense, layered story comes a free-spirited presence like Rigy\u014d, and his presence gives the entire production a distinctive rhythm and sense of breathing room. Knowing the main plot in advance makes Rigy\u014d&#8217;s role \u2014 and exactly why he&#8217;s so entertaining \u2014 click into place even more clearly.<\/p>\n<div class=\"swell-block-postLink\">\n<div class=\"p-blogCard -internal\" data-type=\"type1\" data-onclick=\"clickLink\">\n<div class=\"p-blogCard__inner\"><span class=\"p-blogCard__caption\">\u3042\u308f\u305b\u3066\u8aad\u307f\u305f\u3044<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"p-blogCard__body\"><a class=\"p-blogCard__title\" href=\"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/sukeroku%ef%bc%88%e5%8a%a9%e5%85%ad%e7%94%b1%e7%b8%81%e6%b1%9f%e6%88%b8%e6%a1%9c%ef%bc%89-a-stylish-kabuki-hero-of-edo-japan\/\">Sukeroku\uff08\u52a9\u516d\u7531\u7e01\u6c5f\u6238\u685c\uff09: A Stylish Kabuki Hero of Edo Japan<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<div class=\"adsense-block\" style=\"margin:2em 0;text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9605472874778813\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9605472874778813\" data-ad-slot=\"9431907817\" data-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-postLink\"><div class=\"p-blogCard -internal\" data-type=\"type1\" data-onclick=\"clickLink\"><div class=\"p-blogCard__inner\"><span class=\"p-blogCard__caption\">\u3042\u308f\u305b\u3066\u8aad\u307f\u305f\u3044<\/span><div class=\"p-blogCard__body\"><a class=\"p-blogCard__title\" href=\"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/sukeroku-title-variations-by-acting-family\/\">Why Does Sukeroku Have Three Different Titles? Kabuki&#8217;s Family Performance Traditions Explained<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n<dl class=\"swell-block-faq\" data-q=\"col-text\" data-a=\"col-text\">\n<div class=\"swell-block-faq__item\"><dt class=\"faq_q\">Is Rigy\u014d&#8217;s monologue really improvised every time?<\/dt><dd class=\"faq_a\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes \u2014 the content is left largely to the performer, often incorporating current events, backstage stories, or whatever feels timely, which is exactly why the scene feels different at every performance.<\/p>\n<\/dd><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-faq__item\"><dt class=\"faq_q\">What&#8217;s the significance of the reversible cloth Rigy\u014d uses?<\/dt><dd class=\"faq_a\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s dyed with the family crests of the actors playing Sukeroku and Shirazake-uri on opposite sides, so Rigy\u014d can display the correct crest for whichever character he&#8217;s crawling beneath \u2014 a subtle gesture of respect disguised as a comic bit.<\/p>\n<\/dd><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-faq__item\"><dt class=\"faq_q\">Does Rigy\u014d affect the main plot of Sukeroku?<\/dt><dd class=\"faq_a\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not directly \u2014 his role isn&#8217;t to move the story forward, but to shift the mood of the stage and create a lighter, more intimate connection with the audience within the play&#8217;s otherwise tense narrative.<\/p>\n<\/dd><\/div>\n<\/dl>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@id\":\"#FAQContents\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Is Rigy\u014d's monologue really improvised every time?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p>Yes \u2014 the content is left largely to the performer, often incorporating current events, backstage stories, or whatever feels timely, which is exactly why the scene feels different at every performance.<\\\/p>\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What's the significance of the reversible cloth Rigy\u014d uses?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p>It's dyed with the family crests of the actors playing Sukeroku and Shirazake-uri on opposite sides, so Rigy\u014d can display the correct crest for whichever character he's crawling beneath \u2014 a subtle gesture of respect disguised as a comic bit.<\\\/p>\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Does Rigy\u014d affect the main plot of Sukeroku?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p>Not directly \u2014 his role isn't to move the story forward, but to shift the mood of the stage and create a lighter, more intimate connection with the audience within the play's otherwise tense narrative.<\\\/p>\"}}]}<\/script>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rigy\u014d is proof that a character doesn&#8217;t need to move the plot to become unforgettable. Equal parts affected sophistication and genuine comic charm, his improvised, ever-changing performance captures exactly the kind of one-time-only magic that makes live kabuki so rewarding \u2014 the kind of role that has you wondering, long after the curtain falls, &#8220;who was that person crawling under Sukeroku, anyway?&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-postLink\">\t\t\t<div class=\"p-blogCard -internal\" data-type=\"type1\" data-onclick=\"clickLink\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"p-blogCard__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"p-blogCard__caption\">\u3042\u308f\u305b\u3066\u8aad\u307f\u305f\u3044<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"p-blogCard__thumb c-postThumb\"><figure class=\"c-postThumb__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/src_14955459-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"c-postThumb__img u-obf-cover\" width=\"320\" height=\"180\"><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"p-blogCard__body\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"p-blogCard__title\" href=\"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/sukeroku%ef%bc%88%e5%8a%a9%e5%85%ad%e7%94%b1%e7%b8%81%e6%b1%9f%e6%88%b8%e6%a1%9c%ef%bc%89-a-stylish-kabuki-hero-of-edo-japan\/\">Sukeroku\uff08\u52a9\u516d\u7531\u7e01\u6c5f\u6238\u685c\uff09: A Stylish Kabuki Hero of Edo Japan<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"p-blogCard__excerpt\">Sukeroku: A Stylish Kabuki Hero of Edo Japan An Easy-to-Understand Guide for International Audiences \u201cSukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura\u201d is one of the most iconi&#8230;<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-postLink\">\t\t\t<div class=\"p-blogCard -internal\" data-type=\"type1\" data-onclick=\"clickLink\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"p-blogCard__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"p-blogCard__caption\">\u3042\u308f\u305b\u3066\u8aad\u307f\u305f\u3044<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"p-blogCard__thumb c-postThumb\"><figure class=\"c-postThumb__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/hanamiti-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"c-postThumb__img u-obf-cover\" width=\"320\" height=\"180\"><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"p-blogCard__body\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"p-blogCard__title\" href=\"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/kabukiza-seating-guide-what-every-level-looks-like\/\">Kabukiza Seating Guide: What Every Level Actually Looks Like<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"p-blogCard__excerpt\">A complete guide to Kabukiza&#8217;s seating levels \u2014 1st floor intensity, 2nd floor sightlines, 3rd floor value, sajiki boxes, and the makumi single-act seats.<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p-blogParts post_content\" data-partsID=\"597\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udfad Want to See Kabuki Live?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;re planning a trip to Tokyo, Kabuki-za is one of the most memorable ways to experience Japanese culture firsthand. GetYourGuide offers English-friendly Kabuki-za tickets and guided experiences, including options with headset translation and pre-show introductions for first-time viewers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc49 <a href=\"https:\/\/gyg.me\/NBu7mZJy\" rel=\"sponsored noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Check Kabuki-za Tickets on GetYourGuide<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-postLink\">\t\t\t<div class=\"p-blogCard -external\" data-type=\"type3\" data-onclick=\"clickLink\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"p-blogCard__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"p-blogCard__caption\">GetYourGuide<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"p-blogCard__thumb c-postThumb\"><figure class=\"c-postThumb__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.getyourguide.com\/img\/tour\/61166ad0c66a062bf083f89402f12428b4d4d985c79241e9cb46288e05863c81.jpg\/53.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"c-postThumb__img u-obf-cover\" width=\"320\" height=\"180\"><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"p-blogCard__body\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"p-blogCard__title\" href=\"https:\/\/gyg.me\/NBu7mZJy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tokyo: KABUKI Show at Kabukiza Theatre Admission Ticket | GetYourGuide<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"p-blogCard__excerpt\">Discover the enchanting world of Kabuki in central Tokyo. Enjoy a performance of this traditional and dynamic Japanese art form, complete with English or simpli&#8230;<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>This section may contain affiliate links. Booking through them costs you nothing extra and helps support this site.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Who is the man crawling between Sukeroku&#8217;s legs, delivering a different improvised monologue every night? Meet Rigy\u014d, kabuki&#8217;s most unpredictable comic character.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"swell_btn_cv_data":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-523","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-plays-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/523","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=523"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/523\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":620,"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/523\/revisions\/620"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kabukiguide.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}