Jiraiya (自来也) (role )

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Biography:

Jiraiya can often be identified by his '100 Day' wig or hyakunichi (百日).

A type of wild, bushy wig (鬘) worn by villains meant to indicate a head of hair uncut for at least 100 days. It is also called a daibyaku. There is also a 50 day look in the gojūnichi.

"Long hair stands up bristle-like from the crown. The wig's name is highly conventional as no one's hair could grow this long in 100 days.... The main version, the hyakunichi no tare, includes a long pony tail bound near the bottom with a gold rope...." The "...softness of the top hair also suggests that the character is not well, perhaps due to an excess of fear and anger."

Quote from: New Kabuki Encyclopedia by Samuel L. Leiter, p. 179

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This information is from the curatorial files at the British Museum.

Character from a story by Santo Kyoden; son of a chieftain in Kyushu, left destitute as a youth, he turned to theft and murder to restore his family's fortunes. Having received supernatural powers from a Toad Spirit, he used them for the good of the people. He wed a girl who had received instruction from a Snail Spirit, and his services were rewarded with the title Izu-no-kami.

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In Japanese Fairy World by William Elliot Griffis from 1887 there is a summary of the Jiraiya story. "Ogata was the name of a castle-lord who lived in the Island of the Nine Provinces, (Kiushiu). He had but one son, an infant, whom the people in admiration nicknamed Jiraiya (Young Thunder.) During one of the civil wars, this castle was taken, and Ogata was slain; but by the aid of a faithful retainer, who hid Jiraiya in his bosom, the boy escaped and fled northward to Echigo. There he lived until he grew up to manhood."

"At that time Echigo was infested with robbers. One day the faithful retainer of Jiraiya being attacked, made resistance, and was slain by the robbers. Jiraiya now left alone in the world went out from Echigo and led a wandering life in several provinces."

"All this time he was consumed with the desire to revive the name of his father, and restore the fortunes of his family. Being exceedingly brave, and an expert swordsman, he became chief of a band of robbers and plundered many wealthy merchants, and in a short time he was rich in men, arms and booty. He was accustomed to disguise himself, and go in person into the houses and presence of men of wealth, and thus learn all about their gates and guards, where they slept, and in what rooms their treasures were stored, so that success was easy."

One day, while on his way to rob a particularly rich man, Jiraiya found himself in an extremely vulnerable position with a snow storm approaching. The only place he could find for shelter was a humble abode where a very beautiful young woman lived. While drawn to her beauty, "At midnight, when all was still, he unsheathed his sword, and going noiselessly to her room, he found the lady absorbed in reading." Just as he was about to strike her, she miraculously transformed into an old man who, through his magical powers, shattered Jiraiya's steel sword into multiple pieces. Jiraiya stood there nonplussed.

"I am a man named Senso Dojin, and I have lived in these mountains many hundred years, though my true body is that of a huge frog. I can easily put you to death but I have another purpose. So I shall pardon you and teach you magic instead."

Grateful, Jiraiya stayed with his new master for several weeks and learned the art of controlling the elements of nature, including sudden and unexpected storms. "He also learned how to govern the frogs, and at his bidding they assumed gigantic size, so that on their backs he could stand up and cross rivers and carry enormous loads."

When the old man had finished teaching him he said: "Henceforth cease from robbing, or in any way injuring the poor. Take from the wicked rich, and those who acquire money dishonestly, but help the needy and the suffering." Thus speaking, the old man turned into a huge frog and hopped away."

Jiraiya was buoyed by his new found powers, but he was aware of one major drawback and that was that serpents could poison frogs. Serpent magic was stronger than toad magic.

From then on he was always on the side of good vs. evil, which was not necessarily the rich against the poor. For example:

"One day a merchant named Fukutaro was sentenced to death, though he was really not guilty. Jiraiya hearing of it, went to the magistrate and said that he himself was the very man who committed the robbery. So the man's life was saved, and Jiraiya was hanged on a large oak tree. But during the night, his dead body changed into a bull-frog which hopped away out of sight, and off into the mountains of Shinano."

Around this time there was a beautiful and kind young maiden name Tsunadé who lived with her parents. Every day she would go into the woods to gather up firewood. On one such day "...she met a very old man, with a long white beard sweeping his breast, who said to her:

"Do not fear me. I have lived in this mountain many hundred years, but my real body is that of a snail. I will teach you the powers of magic, so that you can walk on the sea, or cross a river however swift and deep, as though it were dry land." After the old man had taught Tsunadé all the powers she would need he told her that she should meet and marry Jiraiya, the man with the toad power. He said that together their power would be great. With that the old man transformed into a snail and crawled away.

Later Tsunadé said: " "I am glad," said the maiden to herself, "for the magic of the snail can overcome that of the serpent. When Jiraiya, who has the magic of the frog, shall marry me, we can then destroy the son of the serpent, the robber named Dragon-coil (Orochimaru)." In time Jiraiya and Tsunadé did meet and get married. "Soon after their marriage, war broke out in Japan between the two famous clans of Tsukikagé and Inukagé. To help them fight their battles, and capture the castles of their enemies, the Tsukikagé family besought the aid of Jiraiya, who agreed to serve them and carried their banner in his back. Their enemies, the Inukagé, then secured the services of Dragon-coil."

Orochimaru fought on the other side with the Inukagé. His father had been a human, but his mother was a serpent that lived at the bottom of Lake Takura. "He was perfectly skilled in the magic of the serpent, and by spurting venom on his enemies, could destroy the strongest warriors." He and his men spread havoc throughout the land.

Eventually the two sides met and fought each other ferociously. At one point, Jiraiya and his wife took refuge in a monastery, the same monastery that was protecting Princess Tatago, the woman Orochimaru wanted for his wife. One night Orochimaru transformed himself into a serpent, entered the monastery, slithered to the beams in the room where Jiraiya and Tsunadé were sleeping. He released his venom, dazed everyone there and abducted Tatago.

JIraiya and his wife were dying and the only antidote was thousands of miles away in India. A young follower of Jiraiya's, Rikimatsu, had learned him magic from the tengu. He used this to travel to India on the back of a flying tengu, buy the elixir, and returned in only one day. "On the first touch of the elixir on the sick man's face he drew a deep breath, perspiration glistened on his forehead, and in a few moments more he sat up."

"Jiraiya and his wife both got well, and the war broke out again. In a great battle Dragon-coil was killed and the princess rescued. For his prowess and aid Jiraiya was made daimio of Idzu."