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Background Information

'Aralkawa no Sakichi' is a human-interest play written by Mayama Seika, and first performed in 1931. He wrote many Kabuki plays that are called new Kabuki. His plays have been thought logical.

Story

Act-1

Scene : In front of a tea stall, "Okamoto", near Ryogoku Bridge in Edo

An old man and his daughter who are from the countryside have been troubled by Gonroku who is a yakuza. A carpenter Tatsugoro wants to help them, but he knows that he isn't strong enough to fight against Gonroku. Tetsugoro asks the ronin drinking at Okamoto to help them. The ronin is Narikawa Goemon, but he refuses to help them.

Then, Sakichi comes there and he tries to help them. But Sakichi is as weak as Tatsugoro. Gonroku knocks down Sakichi soon. Sakichi throws his body to Gonroku. At the result, his sense of justice helps the father and daughter.

Sakichi used to be a good carpenter. But he was enchanted to the world of yakuza, and he became a petty underling of professional gambler Nihei.

The ronin, Narikawa has seen all of that scene, and asks to Sakichi if the strong person always wins. Sakichi answers that the winner is the strongest person. Narikawa accepts that theory.

In the meantime, Nihei comes there, and he gets angry with Sakichi because he made a scene carelessly. And Nihei orders Sakichi to go to Koshu in order to do his errand. Then, Sakichi goes to Koshu.

After that, the ronin Narikawa slashes Nihei and says he gets Nihei's territory. One of the henchman of Nihei, Seigoro attacks to Narikawa angrily, but Seigoro is killed. Narikawa says that the winner is the strongest man, and that's him. Sakichi hasn't known it yet.

Act-2

Scene : Nihei's home in Honjo, Edo

Four months have passed. After Nihei was wounded badly by Narikawa, he has lost his former influence and territory. Almost henchman left from Nihei, and belongs to Narikawa now.

Nihei has two daughters, Oshin and Oyae. The elder daughter Oshin is a mistress, not a wife, of a legitimate son of a big shop dealing fabrics for kimono, Maruso. The younger daughter Oyae lives with Nihei in the humble house.

Sakichi comes to Nihei's home from Koshu, and Oyae is at home. When he had known about Nihei's tragedy, he couldn't come there soon, because he had been sick at Koshu.

Sakichi notices that Nihei and Oyae have been poverty very much. Sakichi suggests to Oyae that he helps their life economically.

Oyae becomes in a bad mood, because she is conceited still now. Oyae had lover Seigoro, but he was killed by Narikawa, when Nihei was wounded badly. After that, she always has been unhappy.

Nihei comes home holding a baby who is Oshin's son. Nihei says Oyae growing the baby Unokichi, because he is blind. Oyae finds money in the baby's clothes. Oyae gets angry with her father Nihei, because she thinks that Nihei has brought Unokichi to get money. Oyae says that she can't take care of Unokichi in order to get money.

The baby Unokichi starts crying, and Sakichi holds and lulls the baby to sleep. When Nihei looks at it, he orders Oyae to marry with Sakichi and grow Unokichi. Oyae is furious, and she has gone out.

Nihei intends to go to a gambling place to use a fake dice against the amateur players. Sakichi stops him, but Nihei has gone off leaving Sakichi and the baby at home.

Scene : Nihei's home near Hoonji Bridge

At that night, neither Nihei nor Oyae has returned. Sakichi is still lulling the baby Unokichi and walking near the Hoonji bridge.

Tokubei who was a former henchman of Nihei comes there, and says Nihei has been killed, because he used a fake dice. Nihei's body is brought to his home, and Sakichi receives it alone.

Act-3

Scene : Home of carpenter Tatsugoro

About six years have passed. The blind baby Unokichi has grown up as a fine child. Sakichi and Unokichi live in Tatsugoro's home together.

Tatsugoro who is a carpenter is a good friend of Sakichi, and both of Sakichi and Tatsugoro take care of Unokichi very well. Tatsugoro and Unokichi talk about their future, but it is now impossible dream.

Sakichi comes home, but he seems very perplexed. The representatives of the big shop dealing fabrics for kimono, Maruso asked Sakichi to return Unokichi.

Oshin who is Unokichi's mother became a wife of the young master of Maruso, and she hasn't gotten another baby yet. Maruso family abandoned Unokichi before, because he was blind. But now, they want their legitimate child, Unokichi.

Of course Sakichi refused their offer, but he thinks that he might need to move with Unokichi secretly. But it is too late.

Two men come to Tatsugoro's home as representatives from Maruso. and show 100 gold pieces to Sakichi in order to get back Unokichi to Maruso. It makes Sakichi get angry, and he throws the gold back at them. Then, they try to take Unokichi away by force. They start fighting..

Finally, Sakichi has beaten them. Sakichi realizes that he can become strength when he defends someone he loves. He takes the sword that had belonged to Nihei.

After he asks Tatsugoro to take care of Unokichi, Sakichi goes to kill Narikawa in order to do Nihei's revenge.

Scene : Near the Akiba Gongen Shrine in Mukojima Manor

Sakichi ambushes Narikawa to kill, and Narikawa accepts the challenge. When Narikawa is going to slash the back of Sakichi, someone shouts to stop him. Then both of Sakichi and Narikawa fight face to face. Sakichi has killed Narikawa.

Sakichi thanks the man who shouted to stop Narikawa. That man was Sagamiya Masagoro who is an employment broker. They both feel friendship.

Act-4

Scene : Sakichi's home near Ryogoku Bridge

One year has passed, after Sakichi got back the territory of Nihei from Narikawa. Masagoro comes with Oshin who is Unokichi's mother to Sakichi's home.

Oshin couldn't get any child except Unokichi, so she asks Sakichi to return him to her. Of course Sakichi refuses it. Masagoro recommends Sakichi to return Unokichi to Oshin, because Unokichi had better grow up at Maruso that is wealthy very much.

Sakichi thinks about it deeply, and reaches the result. Unokichi needs an economical aid more than others, because he is blind. He thinks that living at Maruso would be good for Unokichi's future.

Sakichi makes his mind to return Unokichi to Oshin. Oshin thanks him very much, and crying and crying. Then he says to Tatsugoro to take Unokichi to Maruso with Oshin soon, because he wouldn't be patient enough to sleep with Unokichi tonight.

Sakichi says that he will go on a travel tomorrow. He will leave from everything.

Scene : River bank near Chomei Temple at Mukojima

After Sakichi comes out of town, he looks at cherry blossoms, and looks for the wayside tea house where Masagoro will be waiting for him. Sakichi is surprised very much, because there is Oyae in the tea house.

Oyae says that it is her apology to see him, because she couldn't estimate him before. She is a geisha girl now. Sakichi says that he doesn't mind about her, and he asks her sometimes to give light to her father Nihei's memorial tablet.

Then Masagoro comes with Tatsugoro holding Unokichi there. Each of Masagoro and Sakichi have a farewell drink.

Masagoro holds Sakichi's reputation, but he can't stop Sakichi. Sakichi says that he won't have any boss except Nihei. Sakichi asks Masagoro to keep Nihei's territory until someone who is strong enough appears on. Then Sakichi has departed.

The End