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Background Information

This drama is a play in five parts written for the puppet theater by Miyoshi Shoraku and others. It was first performed in 1739.

The play takes its theme from "Genpei Seisui Ki" that is a chronicle of the battle between the Genji and Heike clans.

Heike family and Genji family had fought each other for a long time. Yoritomo is the heir of Genji clan, and Yoshitsune who is an able general of Yoritomo's army is a younger brother of him. Yoshinaka is a cousin of them.

When Yoshinaka had been going to get a power more than Yoritomo, Yoritomo ordered to Yoshitsune to attack Yoshinaka. Yoshinaka was killed by Yoshitsune. This drama starts just after the death of Yoshinaka.

"Sakaro" that is performed this month is the third part of the play. It means a manner of rowing which enables a boat to move either backward or forward.

Story

Scene:Home of Fukushima boatman Matsuemon

A memorial service has just been held for boatman Gonshiro's son-in-law who had died three years ago at his home with neighbors. His widowed daughter Oyoshi remarried with Matsuemon. There is a child by the former husband, his name is Tsuchimatsu. But the child living with them now is not really Tsuchimatsu.

Gonshiro, Oyoshi and Tsuchimatsu had a pilgrimage trip last month. One night at an inn, some warriors had broken in. Gonshiro and Oyoshi managed to escape, but they took the wrong child. The child is living with them now, and they are waiting for coming back real Tsuchimatsu.

Matsuemon returns home soon after the neighbors have departed. He had been summoned by Kajiwara Kagetoki, a commander serving Yoshitsune. Matsuemon was requested to teach Kajiwara's men how to do "sakaro". It means a manner of rowing which enables a boat to move either backward or forward at the battle of sea.

"Sakaro" is a special technique of the house of boatman Gonshiro. Matsuemon says that he was ordered as the chief boatman for Yoshitsune. It means much wealth for Gonshiro's family. Matsuemon feels tired a little, and he goes to have a nap with Tsuchimatsu in the next room.

A woman traveler appears asking for Matsuemon. The woman, Ofude, is a lady-in-waiting of Yoshinaka's wife. When Gonshiro, Oyoshi and Tsuchimatsu had a pilgrimage trip, Ofude was at the same inn. She talks about herself to Gonshiro and Oyoshi.

Ofude and her old father were with Yoshinaka's wife and son there. Warriors had attacked in the inn to kill Yoshinaka's son. And they made a mistake. They took away Tsuchimatsu instead of Yoshinaka's son, Komawakamaru.

Ofude's old father was killed, and Ofude and Yoshinaka's wife managed to escape. They searched for Komawakamaru, and found a dead body that didn't have a head. When Yoshinaka's wife saw the dead body, she thought it was her son. She had died in despair.

But Ofude found a name tag of the dead boy. She knew that the boy was different from Komawakamaru. Ofude searched for her boy by an address that was written on the tag. And she came to Matsuemon's home to get back Komawakamaru.

At first, Gonshiro and Oyoshi were delighted so much, because they thought that Ofude brought real tsuchimatsu there. But they know real Tsuchimatsu was killed already. Gonshiro and Oyoshi took Komawakamaru to their house.

Ofude asks them to give Komawakamaru back. Oyoshi is despaired, and Gonshiro get angry with Ofude's request. Gonshiro says that he returns Komawakamaru as a head only.

Matsuemon comes there with Tsuchimatsu who is real Komawakamaru. Ofude finds something about him, when she sees Matsuemon But Matsuemon stops her saying anything.

Gonshiro says Matsuemon to kill the boy, Komawakamaru. Matsuemon refuses his request. Gonshiro scolds Matsuemon, it is because he isn't real father of Tsuchimatsu that he refuses to kill the boy as revenge. At last Matsuemon says his real name.

Matsuemon is Higuchi Jiro who was a retainer of Yoshinaka. Yoshinaka was killed in a battle by Yoshitsune, Hoguchi became to be a lord-less retainer. Higuchi had no purpose to live without his lord Yoshinaka. Higuchi made up his mind to assassinate Yoshitsune, and disguised himself into a boatman.

Higuchi worried about Yoshinaka's son, Komawakamaru. But now, he knows the boy was Komawakamaru.

Gonshiro accepts Matsuemon's story. He says that he becomes Bushi because he has a son-in-law who is Bushi. Matsuemon's lord is Gonshiro's lord. And he says Matsuemon can do his job with no problem, because Gonshiro guards Komawakamaru.

Ofude asks Gonshiro to take care of Komawakamaru. She leaves from Gonshiro's house to kill warriors who killed her old father.

Three men of Kajiwara come to Matsuemon's house to train "sakaro". Higuchi goes out with them.

Scene:On the boat

Higuchi trains with three men on the boat. Then they attacks Higuchi, and he throws them into the sea.

Scene:By pine tree on shore

Higuchi swam to the beach from the boat. As soon as he gets near the pine tree, he is surrounded by a large number of boatman who were sent by Kajiwara. He fights against them.

Oyoshi comes running to bring Higuchi his sword. She says that Gonshiro disappeared with Komawakamaru. Higuchi thinks Gonshiro accused him.

Presently the enemy warrior Hatakeyama Shigetada arrives on the scene. There are Gonshiro and Komawakamaru with Hatakeyama's company.

Gonshiro asks Hatakeyama to help the boy, because the boy is a son of his former son-in-law, and he doesn't have any relationship with Higuchi. When Higuchi hears it, he understands that Gonshiro is going to guard Komawakamaru.

Higuchi is arrested by Hatakeyama.

The End.