Background Information This drama was written by Namiki Gohei and first performed in 1778. Its hero is the famous robber Ishikawa Goemon. Original drama is a long play, but only 'Sanmon' scene is performed still now as a typical Kabuki show piece. It is the first full performance at Kabukiza Theater. This drama was written based a real war that Toyotomi Hideyoshi attacked and invaded into Korea twice from 1592 to 1598. Tokugawa shogunate government forbade any performance about a real incident with a real name. So Toyotomi Hideyoshi is Masiba Hisayoshi, Akechi Mitsuhide is Takechi Mitsuhide in this drama. And in this drama, Hisayoshi attacked and invaded into the Ming dynasty, not Korea. Cast Story Beginning; Genkai Island Mashiba Hisayoshi subjugated all the land of Japan. Then he starts an expedition to a foreign country, the Ming dynasty. Hayakawa Takakage has sailed out of the Nagoya port in the province of Hizen (present Saga prefecture) to the Ming dynasty. However, an unexpected storm attacks his ship, and the ship is washed up on shore of Genkai Island that is in Japanese territorial waters. At the Island, Takakage finds a stone monument that something was written. It meant the following; I came to Japan from the Ming dynasty 20years ago in order to overthrow Japan. And I had left a son in the Ming dynasty, and I had two daughters in Japan. I will make them rule of Japan. Lord Sokei, the great Ming dynasty. When Takakage read it, he decides to inform to Hisayoshi about it. After the storm has gone, he rushed to Nagoya port. Act-1 Scene 1; Geisha House in Shimabara Hisayoshi has two sons, Hisatsugu and Hisaaki. Hisayoshi has thought Hisaaki as his heir, because the elder son Hisatsugu isn't suitable to the leader of his family. But Hisaaki thinks that he can't accept it, because Hisatsugu is his elder brother in spite of indiscreet. So Hisaaki is staying at a geisha house as a stupid man in order to change his father Hisayoshi's mind. While he is there, Hisayoshi falls in love with a courtesan Kokonoe. Tsutsui Junkei who is a retainer of Hisayoshi ordered his man to steal Osodehan that means a registered seal of Hisaaki. Then Junkei brings official money to the geisha house, and says to Hisaaki that he can use that money there. Hisaaki intends to buy the freedom of Kokonoe with that money, but Hisatsugu has bought her earlier than Hisaaki, because Junkei has backed up Hisatsugu in order to plot to capture the power during Hisayoshi's absence with that money. Hisaaki had Osodehan. And Hisatsugu had the plover incense burner. Both of them are Mashiba family's treasures, and heir of the family will keep both of them. After Hisaaki finds that he doesn't have Osodehan, he says his mind to Kokonoe. Hisaaki thinks that it might be a fortunate matter, because he doesn't intend to be heir of his father Hisayoshi. Their mother, Hisayoshi's wife Sono-o has been listening to it from the next room. She came there, because she was worried about her sons. She thinks that Hisaaki is suitable as heir of their family. Then Hisatsugu appears on the scene, and tries to kill both of his mother and younger brother with his sword, but Knomura Oinosuke who serve a nurse to Hisatsugu stops him. Oinosuke asks Sono-o that he takes Hisatsugu to his house in order to correct his wrong mind, and she accepts it. After that, Oinosuke kills Junkei, and he says that Junkei was a bad retainer that plotted to capture the power. Scene 2; Mansion of Konomura Oinosuke Fifty days have passed since Hisatsugu was taken to the mansion of Oinosuke. Takakage brings Hisayoshi's order that Hisatsugu should commit suicide. Hisatsugu refuses it, but Oinosuke stabs Hisatsugu. After that, Oinosuke intends to die, because he killed his lord. But Takakage stops him. Takakage says that he would report that Hisatsugu had committed suicide. And he says that Oinosuke doesn't need to die. As soon as Takakage leaves there, Oinosuke speaks to Hisathugu. Hisatsugu hadn't died yet. Hisatsugu isn't wounded seriously. Oinosuke suggests Hisatsugu to rebel against Hisayoshi who thinks Hisatsugu died. Hisatsugu agrees with the suggestion, and he gives the flag of the Mashiba family to Oinosuke. As soon as Oinosuke gets the flag, he changes his attitude, and shows his real character as Sokei. Sokei came to Japan 20years ago to overthrow Japan. His native country, the Ming dynasty has been invaded by Hisayoshi, and prince Junnan has been made a hostage. Sokei would like to take revenge on Hisayoshi. His words are the same as the poem inscribed on the stone monument on Genkai Island. Takakage comes back with a large number of soldiers and surrounds Sokei's mansion. The truth is the following; After Takakage came back from Genkai Island, he plotted with Hisatsugu to find Sokei. They suspected that Oinosuke might be Sokei, so Hisatsugu got closed to him. And the flag of Masago family was fake. Sokei is very angry, and kills Hisatsugu really, and disappeared. Scene 3; Inner Garden of Konomura Oinosuke's Mansion Sokei thinks how to notify about his situation to his son Soyu who has come to Japan following to his father. He finds the hanging scroll that a white hawk is painted at the room. Then he plays 'koto' that is a music instrument in his garden. Meanwhile, the white hawk's spirit comes down from the hanging scroll, and it starts dancing on the music. Sokei writes about himself on the wing of the white hawk's spirit. After that, the white hawk's spirit has gone flying to somewhere Soyu would be. As soon as the white hawk's spirit has gone, Takakage and his soldiers come there. Sokei is cornered, and he kills himself at last. Junkikan, a retainer of Sokei takes the hanging scroll that there isn't the white hawk now, and follows to the white hawk's spirit in order to search for Soyu. Scene 4; Sanmon Gate to Nanzenji Temple The robber Ichikawa Goemon conceals himself in the vermilion sanmon gate to the Nanzenji temple. When the white hawk's spirit has come flying there, Goemon catches of it. He reads the words on its wing, and he knows that his father Sokei has died. It means that his adoptive father Mitsuhide was killed by Hisayoshi, and also his real father Sokei was killed by Hisayoshi. Goemon swears to rebel to Hisayoshi in order to revenge. After that, the white hawk's spirit flies away. There is a pilgrim under the Gate. Gemon throws a dagger to the pilgrim, and the pilgrim skilfully parries it with the handle of a dipper. The pilgrim is Hisayoshi. Act-2 Scene 1; Daibutsu Mochi shop Kaida Shingo was a retainer, a close attendant of Takechi Mitsuhide who was cornered by Hisayoshi. After his master was killed, Shingo started a pounded rice cake shop in Teramachi, Kyoto. The pounded rice cake is called Daibutsu mochi. Yoshida Sakubei who was a retainer of Mitsuhide comes to the mochi shop. Sakubei informs Shingo that he was permitted to join the vendetta group. Shingo affixes a seal of blood on the list of signatures of the vendetta group. After that they both go out. Otaki who is a wife of Shingo and her adoptive father Chobei listened to their talking at next room. Both of them didn't know that Shingo was a retainer of Mitsuhide. Mitsuhide was cornered by Hisayoshi, and he was killed by a local farmer-soldier at Ogurusu village. That farmer-soldier was Chobei. Then Junkikan comes to the mochi shop with a little boy, Goroichi. Junkikan met Goroichi on his way, and Junkikan took Goroichi to his father's home. Goroichi is a son of Shingo and his ex-wife who had died. After his mother had died, Goroichi had been living with his grandmother, but she died. Junkikan finds a white hawk at the gate of the mochi shop then. He thinks that there might be something related to Sokei. Goroichi asks Otaki in order to live with his father, but she doesn't accept it. Otaki thinks, if Goroichi lived with Shingo, Goroichi might get responsibility for his father's crime, because Shingo must do the vendetta of his master. Finally, Junkikan takes Goroichi to out with him. Chobei says to Otai that he will accuse Shingo as an ex-retainer of Mitsuhide, before Shingo knows that he was a farmer soldier who killed Mitsuhide. Otaki stops Chibei and jostles. Shingo listened to it, and he kills Chobei to keep his secret. Shingo thinks that he accomplished his ambition, because he killed a murderer who had killed his master. And Shingo is going to commit suicide. When Otaki stops him, Junkikan comes there again with Goroichi. Junkikan says that the smell is Ranjaboku wood, and it means that Otaki is a daughter of Sokei. Junkikan introduces himself, and he says that Otaki's real father Sokei was killed by a retainer of Hisayoshi. Shingo is surprised, because Otaki's enemy was Hisayoshi. Shingo proposes that he and his wife Otaki should join hands to revenge on Hisayoshi. But Otaki refuses it. Otaki asks Shingo to divorce her and spend the rest of his life with Goroichi. Otaki is a younger sister of the robber Ishikawa Goemon, so she fears that Shingo and Goroichi might be affected adversely by this fact in the future. Moreover, Otaki intends to take revenge on Hisayoshi. A large number of pursuers come there to arrest Junkikan. Junkikan lets Shingo and Goroichi flee first, and then sends Otaki to the Nanzenji Temple where Gemon is. Scene 2; On the Bank of Kamo River Kobuna-no Gengoro is the chieftain of Ishikawa Goemon. Gengoro comes to the bank of Kamo river in order to attack Deputy Chief Councillor of the State Ono Harumichi who is passing there. Gengoro takes costume from Harumichi. Harumichi has accompanied his younger sister Otsu then. When Otsu sees Gengoro, she is very surprised. Otsu has fallen in love at first sight at the cherry-blossom party at Daigo, and that man was Gengoro. Otsu asks Gengoro to take her anywhere with him. There are three boats on Kamo river, Gengoro and Otsu are on one of them, Goemon is one of them, and Saeda Toshiie who is a retainer of Hisayoshi is on the other boat. Otsu drops her charm bag containing a piece of aromatic Ranjaboku wood into the river, and Goemon catches it. Although Goemon could meet Otaki who is one of his younger sisters, the other sister is still unknown. Goemon thinks that a woman who had the charm bag might be his other younger sister. But the boat becomes apart, before Goemon see her clearly. Act-3 Scene 1; Great Hall of Momoyama Mansion I'm writing of after this.
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