Background Information This play was first performed at Kabukiza Theater in 1925. It was written by Kimura Kinka based on an actual vendetta at province of Sanuki, Kagawa prefecture. This vendetta was an unusual case, because the target of revenge was a tradesman and the revengers were samurai. The most famous vendetta in Japan was called Chushingura that happened in 1702. This drama starts just after the incident Chushingura. One of the leading Kabuki actors, Kankuro asked Noda Hideki to direct it in order to make this drama more interesting and entertaining. Noda is known as an able producer and director. Cast
Scene 1; Fencing Practice Hall in Awazu Castle Several days earlier, the 47 lord-less retainers of Ako took revenge on lord Kira who was an enemy of their former lord Asano. The 47 lord-less retainers brought the severed head of Kira to the tomb of lord Asano in Sengakuji Temple. The retainers of the Awazu Clan talk about the vendetta at the fencing practice hall in Awazu Castle. They get used to living peaceful, so they are fascinated by the vendetta. One of the fencing students is Moriya Tatsuji, a sword polisher. Recently he has been promoted to be a samurai warrior, bushi. He sharpened the swords of lord Awazu and senior retainers in order to get their favor, because he wanted to be a bushi. Then other retainers have been thinking that Tatsuji is a flatterer. Tatsuji thinks that the bushi waste his life by wielding a sword, and that some of the lord-less revengers of Ako must have repented their participation in the vendetta. So he says that some of the revengers might have thought to want to die by cerebral hemorrhage. The chief retainer Hirai Ichiroemon answers 'The bushi will never die of cerebral hemorrhage'. Tatsuji asks Hirai to give him a fencing lesson. Hirai makes his sons Kuichiro and Saijiro give the lesson to Tatsuji, and he is beaten up. The wife of the lord has come to the fencing practice hall. Tatsuji asks her to make the chief retainer Hirai himself give the fencing lesson. Although Hirai gives him the lesson, Tatsuji is beaten up completely soon. Tatsuji's fellow retainers laugh at him. He feels humiliation, and leaves there. It connotes the cause of later trouble. Scene 2; Scene of Muder at Ohte Babasaki At the night, Tatsuji and his former fellow tradesman make a trick device to chop off the topknot of Hirai, the chief retainer. And he lies in ambush for Hirai. Then Hirai comes, accompanied by his retainer there, and he steps on the trick device. The trick device starts working, and a puppet comes out wielding a sword. All retainers have fled, but Hirai fell down on the ground. Tatsuji has been seeing it from the hiding place. He thinks Hirai has died with the puppet's sword, and he gets away. After the puppet stops working, retainers come back and find Hirai lying on the ground. Hirai is snoring Soon, he stops breathing. Hirai has died a cerebral hemorrhage. Retainers recalls what Hirai said at the fencing practice hall. They think that Hirai must not have died a cerebral hemorrhage. So they hide the reason of Hirai's death and make their mind think that Hirai was killed by Tatsuji, because they all know that the trick device must have been made by Tatsuji. Hirai's sons come there, and hear that their father was killed by Tatsuji. Retainers say that Hirai brothers should do the vendetta of their father and kill Tatsuji. Hirai brothers are very surprised, because they never thought the vendetta. However, all of people around Hirai brothers are excited of the vendetta. Hirai brothers are forced to go in order to do their father's vendetta, a revenge journey at last. They have no method to refuse it, because they are bushi. Scene 3; Tsutaya Inn at Dogo Spa Hirai brothers have been searching for Tatsuji for two years. Recently, they begin to think that they might be wasting their life. They don't have even grudge against Tatsuji. They just would like to come home now. But they have no method to come home unless they kill Tatsuji. On the other side, Tatsuji has been always scared of Hirai brothers for two years. Hirai brothers come to Tsutaya inn at Dogo spa where Tatsuji has been staying for three weeks. They all don't know it. Tatsuji has entered a fictitious name and false address in the inn's register book. The manager of the inn reported it to a village official, because he has been staying for three weeks without paying the inn charges. Machida Sadasuke, a village official comes there, and questions Tatsuji. After all people leave the room, Tatsuji starts his story. Tatsuji's father was a wealthy chief retainer, and he was assassinated by Hirai brothers. He is on the way of the revenge journey now. So he needs to disguise his real name and address in order to find his enemy secretly. Tatsuji asks Machida not to tell about his real name and address to others. Although Machida accepts it, all of people in the inn have overheard his story already. Oyoshi and Omine who are sisters of bushi family are staying in the inn. Although Tatsuji said that he loved each of sisters, they both refused him. When sisters hear that Tatsuji is a revenger of the vendetta, they change their mind. The manager finds the name of Hirai brothers in the register book. As soon as he knows it, the manager reports to Tatsuji that his enemies are in the inn. Although Tatsuji wants to flee from Hirai brothers, all of people that are in the inn cheer Tatsuji to kill them. At last Tatsuji gets away, but HIrai brothers and sisters chase him with many curious spectators. Scene 4; At the Pass Hirai brothers chases Tatsuji who flees. At the pass of the deep valley, Hirai brothers are surrounded by the spectators. They believe that Tatsuji is a revenger to kill Hirai brothers who assassinated his father. They can't understand why Hirai brothers chases Tatsuji. Hirai brothers talk the truth of the vendetta. And spectators accept it. Oyoshi and Omine change their mind again. They one-sidedly decide to marry with Hirai brothers. Hirai brothers restart to chase Tatsuji. Sisters chase Hirai brothers with spectators again. Scene 5; Taishido Temple for Offering One Million Prayers Rumors of this vendetta have circulated throughout Shikoku Island. Tatsuji flees into Taishido Temple, but the players teach Hirai brothers his hiding place. They all expect to see the vendetta. At last Hirai brothers find and catch Tatsuji. Spectators carry Tatsuji outside the temple in order to avoid being stained there with blood. However, of course Tatsuji doesn't want to be killed. If Hirai brothers killed Tatsuji who didn't want to fight, it would be murder. He says so to Hirai brothers in order to avoid being killed. Then priest Ryokan comes there, and asks Hirai brothers to make Tatsuji sharpen their swords. Tatsuji has been sharpening the sword very hard. Spectators sympathize with Tatsuji gradually. Ryokan advices Hirai brothers to save Tatsuji's life. Hirai brothers think that it is a troublesome situation. At last Hirai brothers decide to save Tatsuji's life, and they leave there. Spectators was disappointed, because there is no vendetta, and they leave there. Oyoshi and Omine also leave there to search for another revengers of the vendetta. Tatsuji is left alone. He is very glad that he can live after this, and that he doesn't need to worry about being killed. Then Hirai brothers has come running and killed Tatsuji right away. Hirai brothers didn't have grudge against Tatsuji, but they had to kill him in order to come home. Although they think that it might be a murder, they had no method except the killing. They have an excuse, the vendetta is the way of bushi. (2001,8,18,sat)
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