Background Information
It isn't wrong to say that "Kanadehon Chushingura" is the best of Kabuki dramas.
This drama was written based to the real incident in 1701. Asano Takuminokami who was a lord of Ako tried to slash to Kira Kouzukenosuke in the Edo Castle. Kouzukenosuke didn't die then, but Takuminokami had to do the ritual suicide, hara-kiri. If a lord had drawn a sword even a little bit in the Edo Castle, regardless of his motive, he must have been ordered to do the ritual suicide.
His retainers became lord-less retainers. Some of them made a raid on the mansion of Kouzukenosuke to kill him for the revenge of their lord. It was called "Uchiiri" and they have been known as "the forty seven loyal retainers".
In the drama "Chushingura", all of characters have different names. Tokugawa shogunate government forbade to perform any real incident. Thus Kabuki drama writers had to change their characters names. So Takuminokami is Enya Hangan, Kouzukenosuke is Kono Morono in the drama.
This part, act-9, is one scene of the 11-act "Kanadehon Chushingura".
Story
Oboshi Yuranosuke, who was a chief retainer of Enya Hangan before, is living in seeming semi-retirement at Yamashina. But actually, he is leader of the vendetta conspiracy. He is pretending to be leading a life of debauchery at the Gion geisha quarters in nearby Kyoto. The vendetta plan is being carried secretly.
Two unexpected visitors, Tonase and Konami, arrive to Yamashina residence of Yuranosuke. Konami is a daughter of Kakogawa Honzo, who is a chief retainer of Lord Momonoi, and she is a fiancee of Rikiya who is a son of Yuranosuke. Tonase is her step-mother. Tonase has taken Komani there in order to make her get married with Rikiya.
Yuranosuke's wife, Oishi doesn't welcome them. She recommends them to go to see the sight of Kyoto, because both of her husband and son are out. It means to kick them out.
Tonase is surprised very much and gets angry with Oishi, but she asks Oishi to make Konami get married with Rikiya.
Oishi says there is no balance in their marriage. Tonase thinks Oishi said it became difficult that Rikiya gets married with Konami, because Yuranosuke has lost his job. So she says economical problem is not a big deal. But Oishi said about another balance.
Kakogawa Honzo stopped Enya Hangan slashing to Kono Morono at that incident. At the result, Enya Hangan had to die and Kono Morono wasn't killed.
Just before the incident happened, Honzo bribed to Kono Morono but Yuranosuke didn't. Then Morono got antipathy for Enya Hangan. Oishi thinks it was the cause of the incident.
Konami is a daughter of Honzo who is a cowardly guy. Oishi says Konami isn't a suitable bride to her son Rikiya. There is no balance. Oishi gets out from the room, and two women are left with their sadness.
Tonase recommends Konami to get married with another man, because she is beautiful enough. She says if Konami wanted to get married, every younger richer man would want her, except Rikiya. But Konami has been disappointed seriously.
Konami asks Tonase to kill her unless she becomes a bride of Rikiya. Tonase feels responsible for Konami's marriage more than she needs, because she is Konami's step-mother. Tonase decides to kill herself as soon as she kill Konami.
When Tonase is trying to kill Konami with the sword that is the house treasure of Kakogawa, the plaintive melody of a bamboo shaku-hachi flute sounds outside. The player is an itinerant priest, and it means he wants to get some money or foods.
Then Oishi's voice is heard ordering a halt. Tonase thinks Oishi stopped the priest playing shaku-hachi, and she tries to kill Konami again. Oishi herself comes to the room, and she says she has changed her mind. Tonase has managed to save Konami's life.
Oishi says she will permit Konami's marriage with Rikiya on one condition. The condition is the severed head of Honzo presented in lieu of a dowry. Tonase and Konami are disappointed, because it means that the marriage cannot be considered so long as Honzo lives.
Then the priest comes into the room suddenly. He is Honzo who disguised himself into a priest.
Just after Tonase and Konami departed, Honzo resigned his job and came to Gion, Kyoto to observe Yuranosuke secretly. He watched Yuranosuke who was leading a life of debauchery at the Gion geisha quarters.
He says Yuranosuke has lost his pride as Bushi, because he doesn't intend to do the vendetta of his former lord.. Oishi gets angry with Honzo, and grabs a spear to attack him. But she isn't strong enough to fight against him.
As soon as Honzo kicks Oishi, Rikiya run into the room and stabs Honzo with Oishi's spear. Yuranosuke comes into the room. They both have been staying at home, hearing all the situation.
Yuranosuke gives medical treatment to Honzo, and asks if he has been satisfied. Yuranosuke has known Honzo wanted Rikiya to kill him.
Honzo begins talking about his mind. When Honzo watched Yuranosuke at the Gion geisha quarters, he realized Yuranosuke was pretending that he spent a debauchery life to carry on the vendetta plan secretly.
Honzo has felt that he is responsible for the death of Enya Hangan, because he stopped Enya Hangan slashing. He thought he should die, and he thought he would rather be killed by Rikiya than others.
Honzo has another thing to help them. It is a secret map of the interior of Kono Morono's mansion. It will help them in order to facilitate their breaking into the mansion and seeking out the enemy.
Honzo presents the map as a dowry of his daughter, Konami. Oishi refused Konami as a bride of Rikiya, because she didn't want Konami to be a widow. Honzo also knew it.
Yuranosuke got the map, and there is no need to wait. Yuranosuke wears the priestly robe that Honzo had been wearing to use it as a disguise. The time has come, and Yuranosuke has departed. Rikiya goes to join the vendetta group, after he spends his bridal night with Konami.
This act-9 finishes at this scene, but the vendetta group are all killed, after they attack to the mansion.
The End
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