Background Information This play was written by Mayama Seika as 'Kugutsu Bune' in 1919. It was rewritten as its title, and first performed in 1932. Minamoto-no Yoritomo was a first shogun of Kamakura Shogunate Government. He died in 1199, but his death has been thought as a mysterious death. It was officially explained in history as the result of a fall from his horse. Yoritomo was the leader of the warrior's class, so people suspected the cause of his death. This drama is based in the suspicion.
Story Act-1 Before gate of Hokkedo Temple, Kamakura The third-year memorial rites for Minamoto-no Yoritomo who started Kamakura Shogunate Government as the first shogun are to be held at Hokkedo Temple. People gather around the temple to wait for current young shogun Yoriie who is Yoritomo's son. A guard of the gate tries to make them go away, because Yoriie doesn't come here. One of the crowds shouts that Yoriie the new shogun is undutiful, because he is absent his father's memorial rites. Another one shouts that Yoriie has gone to mad because he heard Yoriie had thrown father's memorial tablet into the sea. Crowds begin to make a racket. Just at the moment, Yoshinari, one of Yoriie's attendants, appears on the scene, and says that the shogun Yoriie has shut himself up in a temple hall and is mourning for his father. Yoshinari says the guard to disperse the crowds. And crowds go away. Two women wearing veils appear on the stage. They are going into the gate of the temple. The guards stop them, because no woman is allowed to be in the temple today. The guard asks why they came here, but both of them can't answer. Then a man comes by, his face has been hidden behind a scarf-mask. The mask man intervenes to save the women from the questioning. Yoshinari says the mask man to take off his face mask. The mask man takes off it. The mask man is Hatakeyama Shigeyasu. Yoshinari has heard that Shigeyasu would be absent the memorial rites of Yoritomo because he was illness. Shigeyasu says one of the woman is a lady-in-waiting of Lady Masako who is a widow of Yoritomo. Yoshinari thinks that there might be something troublesome. Yoshinari entrusts the treatment of the women to Shigeyasu, and goes into the gate of the temple. The lady-in-waiting is Kosuo who was ordered to place a memorial tablet of Yoritomo on the altar by Lady Masako. The other woman is Kosuo's attendant Otowa. Kosuo says that Lady Masako said nobody suited the duty except her. Shigeyasu is surprised very much, and asks her if she knows why Lady Masako ordered it to her. Kosuo doesn't know it. Shigeyasu makes Kosuo and Otowa go to place the memorial tablet. Many lords come to the temple one after another. One of them stops walking to blame Shigeyasu. Everyone knows Shigeyasu was the only retainer permitted at Yoritomo's death bed, and knows Shigeyasu would be absent the rites. So the lord blames Shigeyasu who forgot Yoritomo's favor. Shigeyasu can't say anything. Then the lord goes into the temple leaving Shigeyasu alone. Every lord was into the gate, and the rites has started. When the voice of reading aloud a sutra sounds from inside of the temple, Shigeyasu starts to suffer. Shigeyasu keeps a secret in his mind, and it torments him. Ohe Hiromoto who is a chief retainer comes there, because he is late for the rites. When Shigeyasy finds Hiromoto, Shigeyasu confesses his mind to Hiromoto. That night three years ago, Shigeyasu had been standing guard. Shigeyasu found a suspicious person, and he asked who that person was three times. Shigeyasu slashed that person, because that person didn't answer. The suspicious person was Yoritomo who disguised himself as a woman. Yoritomo was on the way to see a woman secretly. After Yoritomo was slashed , he didn't die soon. Yoritomo said that Shigeyasu was no responsible for Yoritomo's death, because Shigeyasu had done his duty. Three persons, Lady Masako, Hiromoto and Shigeyasu, were beside Yoritomo's death bed. Lady Masako wanted to keep her pride high. Hiromoto wanted to keep the authority of Kamakura Shogunate Government. They decided to keep the cause of Yoritomo's disgrace death secretly. And they explain officially the death of Yorimoto is the result of a fall from his horse. Shigeyasu has been suffering very much since that night. He is a bushi, a samurai, so to speak he is a knight of Western. To kill his lord is the worst crime. Shigeyasu wants to get the suitable punishment, and it means that he wants to die. But Lady Masako and Hiromoto don't allow him to die. Shigeyasu is disordering. After Shigeyasu confesses his mind, Hiromoto forces to take him to the temple. Kosuo and Otowa come out from the gate of the temple. They finished placing the memorial tablet at the altar. Otowa intends to leave there right away, but Kosuo hesitates it. Kosuo wants to wait for Shigeyasu, because she loves him. Otowa says she takes Shigeyasy there in order to meet Kosuo, and she goes into the gate again. After that, Shigeyasu comes out from the gate, because he couldn't endure to stay at the rites. Kosuo is surprised very much, because Shigeyasu looks exhausted so much. Kosuo tries to talk about her mind, but Shigeyasu doesn't listen to her. Shigryasu knows Kosuo loves him, but he can't accept her, because when Shigeyasu slashed to Yoritomo, Yoritomo was going to visit to her secretly. Kosuo wasn't responsible for Yoritomo's death, because she didn't know what Yoritomo thought about. Shigeyasu thinks that she was innocent, but her existence was guilty. Shigeyasu can't be patient any more, and he says to Kosuo why Yoritomo had died. Kosuo is surprised and disappointed very much. Kosuo thinks she has no hope that she would be loved by Shigeyasu. They both are crying in suffering. Yoshinari hides himself by the gate, and is watching them secretly.
Act-2 Minamoto Mansion in Kamakura; late that night The second young shogun, Yoriie is siting alone in one of the rooms of his dead father. He is in a state of neurotic obsession. He has been suspecting about the cause of his father's death. Yoriie's attendant, Nagatsune comes and says that two abbots are waiting his judgement on their overlapping claims to temple lands. Although Yoriie's mother Lady Masako stops him judging any lawsuit, he orders Nagatsune to bring them in. Yoshinari comes in to report about Shigeyasu's strange action before the gate of the temple. He says Shigeyasu might have known something about Yoritomo's death, and says the lady-in-waiting Kosuo also would have known something. Yoriie orders Yoshinari to bring Kosuo there. Yoriie intend to question to her. Then the rival priests are brought in with their papers. Yoriie refuses to listen to their arguments. He draws a line along the center of the proffered map, dividing the domain equally between the two. Yoriie says it is the best solution, and he dismisses them. The priests leave in anger. This episode is well known as the reason that he had a mental illness. Shigeyasu comes unexpectedly to the room, and he asks Yoriie to give him a permission to leave his service and become a priest. Yoriie says that he refuses the requests, unless Shigeyasu reveals the reason behind his desire. Shigeyasu can't answer anything. Then Lady Masako comes. And Hiromoto comes just after Lady Masako. Yoriie tries to make Shigeyasu confess his secret. But Shigeyasu can't talk about it. Lady Masako stops Yoriie to be cool. Yoriie starts to speak to his mother Lady Masako about his deep mind. He has been thinking why his father Yoritomo died, and why he didn't know the real cause of the death. Suddenly, Yoriie asks Lady Masako that he wants a woman. Lady Masako thinks it might be good for Yoriie, because he might be composed by a woman. Yoriie orders to bring a woman. When the woman has come, all of persons are surprised that the woman is Kosuo. Yoriie questions Kosuo about the secret she knows, and says if she confessed, he would make Shigeyasu marry her. Yoriie doesn't intend to give any punishment to anyone. Yoriie convinces Kosuo that he just want to know the secret. Kosuo is badly shaken by Yoriie's talking. Then Lady Masako gives a signal to Shigeyasu, and he sticks Kosuo with his sword. Before Kosuo talks nothing, she has been killed. Yoriie is surprised very much with anger, and he tries to kill Shigeyasu. But Lady Masako intervenes holding a Japanese halberd. She says the Minamoto clan has to continue as the shogunate house with the power, and says it supercedes even her love for her own son Yoriie. Lady Masako doesn't intend to open the cause of Yoritomo's death before she dies. Yoriie finds he is helpless before the determination of Lady Masako. It means Yoriie isn't the holder of that power, although he is the shogun. And he is after all of the power. Yoriie is crying in despair. Everyone there looks at him in cool. They think it might mean the fate of the Minamoto clan. End
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