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Background Information

"Kimi wa Fune Nami no Uwajima" was written based on Uwajima incident (Uwajima sodo) in 1620. Uwajima is one of the areas of Shikoku Island. It was first performed in 1873, but it hadn't been given for long years. Ennosuke replayed it in 1977. This time is its first performance at Kabukiza Theater.

Story

Prologue

Scene:Garden of Uwajima Castle

Date Totomi-no-Kami, lord of Uwajima, is staying in Edo now. There is a plot to usurp control of the domain while the lord is absent. Ochi Iyonojo is charged with guarding the storehouse of the clan's treasure. Because the Usui arrowhead, one of the treasures had been stolen, when he met his lover Kariya who is a lady-in-waiting. So he intends to commit hara-kiri in the garden of the castle. Kariya stops Iyonojo's suicide. Then the lord's mistress Otatsu comes there. She has been listening to their talking, and says that Iyonojo would rather search the Usui arrowhead immediately than die. Iyonojo and Kariya have gone to find it.

Iyonojo has fallen into Otatsu's trap easily. Otatsu ordered to steal the Usui arrowhead. Ochi Buemon is Iyonojo's elder brother and Yanbe Seibei is Kariya's elder brother. Both of them are loyal retainers. After the lovers have gone, at the result their brothers are cornered. It was Otatu's purpose stealing the Usui arrowhead.

When Ohashi Uzen comes to the garden, Otatsu hides herself. There is strange atmosphere. The ghost of Chosokabe Mitsuchika appears on the stage. He was the lord of Uwajima before. He wanted to be Japanese king but he died. And Mitsuchika hasn't forgotten his ambition after he died.

The ghost knows that Uzen has an ambition to usurp the lord of Uwajima. Uzen was born as one of the ruling family, but now he is just a retainer. He wanted to get power. The ghost suggests Uzen to usurp Uwajima with Otatsu.

The lord's wife has a legitimate son prince Harumatsu, and Otatsu has a son whose name is Hanawakamaru. Otatsu has planned to kill prince Harumatsu so that she makes her son to prince. The ghost intends to give his power to Otatsu, because she is the last one of Chosokabe family. Uzen accepts the ghost's suggestion, and he makes his mind up to join force with Otatsu.

Act-1

Scene:The great hall of Uwajima Castle

A letter has arrived from the lord in Edo saying that he require 50,000ryo immediately. Because the lord has been commanded by the shogunate government to build an embankment along the Tone river. The domain's senior retainers are discussing the matter and agree to send the money to Edo by a ship.

Ochi Buemon joins the meeting. He disagrees to their conclusion sending the money by a ship. Buemon suggests to bring the money by land to Mitsugaura port, and to cross the Seto Island Sea by a boat. Because there is inclement weather now. And he says that he and Yanbe Seibei will guard the money by land.

Waki no Mitsuzaemon who is a senior retainer says Seibei isn't reliable because he has an imitation sword. Japanese sword is the most important thing for the warrior class. Seibei sold off not only his sword, but his possessions to help farmers. Because a bad crop has continued for several years.

Buemon knew it, and says that Seibei doesn't need any sword to work as a loyal retainer. After Iyonojo and Kariya disappeared, elder brothers lost their honor. So Buemon needs to get a good reputation again.

Then Uzen appears on the stage, and orders Seibei to come. When Seibei comes, Uzen orders him to fight with Waki. Waki thought himself strong enough, but Seibei is stronger than him. Seibei gives a real thrashing to Waki. Uzen orders Seibei to guard the money with Buemon.

Scene:In front of Koizumi-ya inn in Mitsugaura

The money has been brought to Mitsugaura port safely by Seibei's guard. But inclement weather has forced Seibei to wait crossing Seto Island Sea for several days. Seibei stayed in Koizumi-ya inn. Buemon comes to Koizumi-ya inn to visit Seibei.

Scene:Room at Koizumi-ya inn

They are worried about the weather, and they decide to meet at the port tomorrow morning. After Buemon left, some men come to Koizumi-ya inn. They are Uzen's henchmen who were sent to steal the money. And he ordered to kill Seibei and Buemon as thieves who stole that money. Seibei has been killed. And the henchmen carry Seibei's body away.

Scene:Port of Mitsugaura

When Buemon passes though the port, Uzen's henchmen attack him. They have stolen the money already. Buemon is arrested as a thief who stole that money.

Act-2

Scene:Midway up Mt. Oiwa

Two years have passed since the money was stolen, Seibei was killed, and Buemon was arrested by Uzen. Prince Harumatsu has been missing. Takino who is a wife of Buemon is a wet nurse of prince Harumatsu. She has hidden prince Harumatsu deep in the Mt. Oiwa to guard him.

Uzen suspects Takino, so he watches her own son Bunosuke because the son might know where his mother is. And he notifies the news that he would give some money as the reward if someone found Takino.

At last Bunosuke goes into Mt. Oiwa with his guard servant Manpei to search his mother Takino. Lumberjacks, who know the reward, find Bunosuke and attack him. While Manpei is fighting with lumberjacks, Bunosuke manages to be flee from the attackers.

Scene:Peak of Mt. Oiwa

Takino has been hiding prince Harumatsu into deep of Mt. Oiwa for two years. She had to leave her own son, Bunosuke. Takino has been worried about her son.

Bunosuke arrives to the hiding place of his mother. Bunosuke asks to Takino if she knows his mother. Takino says "no", although she knows that the boy is Bunosuke. Bunosuke is going to leave there but he knows she is his mother Takino. Takino can't disguise herself, and she hugs her son.

Then Manpei manages to arrive there. He talks about Buemon who is Takino's husband is restricted by Uzen. Takino decides to make Buemon flee from Uzen by herself. Takino asks Manpei to take care of her son and prince Harumatsu.

Act-3

Scene:Along the border of the Mino and Omi provinces

Seibei was killed by Uzen's henchmen who stole the money that Seibei guarded. Uzen didn't make public his death. Uzen needed a thief who stole the money, and Seibei was suitable as the thief very much because whereabouts of his dead body was unknown.

Seibei's family managed to get away, although Uzen charged with them. Uzen promised rewards for their arrest.

Hatsuno who is a wife of Seibei, Seinosuke who is a son of Seibei, and Senju who is Seibei's mother live secretly with Seibei's attendant Dosuke. Dosuke works as a palanquin bearer and helps them.

Scene:Dosuke's house on the Omi-Mino border

Iyonojo has been looking for the Usui arrowhead for two years. He hasn't found it yet. Iyonojo and Kariya hid themselves to Dosuke's house now.

Dosuke rented money, 15ryo from Gengoro who is Dosuke's neighbor, because he needed the money for Senju's illness. Gengoro comes to Dosuke's house to get back his money. Dosuke stays out then. He says that Hatsune should be his wife unless Dosuke refunded the money. Gengoro loves Hatsune.

Dosuke comes home, and he refund the money, 15ryo to Gengoro. A woman left her purse in his palanquin a short time ago. Dosuke gave her money to Gengoro.

The woman, Oen comes there to get back her purse. Dosuke asks Gengoro to lend the money again, because he intends to give it to Oen. Of course Gengoro refuses it. Hatsune asks Gengoro the same thing as Dosuke and says that if she couldn't refund the money by this evening, she would be his wife. Gebgoro accepts her suggestion. Hatsune gives to Oen the money that she rent from Gengoro.

After Dosuke and Gengoro left from the house, Hatsune asks Oen to buy herself. Oen was an owner of a prostitution inn, so Hatsune thought that Oen might buy her by the money that she rented from Gengoro.

Oen buys Hatsune, and gives her the money, 15ryo. Hatsune places the money in her son Seinosuke's amulet bag and writes a letter to Dosuke. Hatsune leaves with Oen.

As soon as Seinosuke wakes up from nap, he looks for his mother, Hatsuno. His grandmother, Senju comes there and finds Seinosuke's clothes dirty. But she has eye's illness, so she is almost blind. She can't notice his amulet bag that the money is in.

Senju goes out the river to wash the clothes and the amulet bag together. Then she floats the clothes and the amulet bag with the money into the river.

When Dosuke comes home, he finds the letter that Hatsune wrote. He reads aloud the letter and knows Hatsune has gone. Senju is surprised very much because she lost the amulet the money was in. She cuts her throat herself for apology.

Then Gengoro comes there with his friends to restrict Seibei's family to get the reward. Iyonojo and Kariya have hidden themselves yet, but they manage to get away. Dosuke runs away with Seinosuke.

Scene:Yoro Falls in the Mountains

Gengoro takes Hatsune to Yoro falls, and asks her to marry to him. She refuses him. Although Gengoro loves Hatsune, he hates her the same as his love. At last he kills Hatsune.

Then Dosuke arrives there with Seinosuke, and knows Hatsuno was killed by him. Dosuke cuts his own abdomen in order to wish he can kill Gengoro. Dosuke fights with Gengoro, and Dosuke kills Gengoro at last. And Dosuke has died. Seinosuke is helped by Iyonojo and Kariya. And Iyonojo gets the Usui arrowhead that Gengoro had.

Act-4

Scene:Tower in Uwajima Castle

Uzen and Otatsu have almost achieved their dream that usurp Uwajima domain. Otatsu organized a banquet for Uzen, and invited three dancers. One of the dancers throw a short knife to Uzen. The dancer is Kariya. The battle has started.

When the lord arrives there, Uzen's man tries to assassinate him. The lord is Buemon who was helped by his wife, Takino. It is the evidence Uzen plotted to usurp Uwajima. The culprits are cornered now.

When the real lord comes there, Seibei's ghost appears on the stage. The ghost says to the lord that Chosokabe Mitsuchika's ghost plotted the incident. Seibei's ghost will fight with Mitsuchika's ghost in order to relieve Uwajima domain. Then the ghost disappears.

The lord and his wife are there. The lord says if they surrender, Otatsu's son Hanawakamaru will be grow up with prince Harumatsu. They surrender. The Yanbe clan is restored under Seinosuke. The Usui arrowhead is found by Iyonojo.

And they all lives happily ever after.

The End.