Background Information

'Ban-shu Sara Yashiki' was first performed in 1741, that was written by Tamenaga Taroubei and Asada. It is one of the variations of the dish-counting ghost stories. Its basic story is that a lady-in-waiting is killed by her master because of breaking a treasure dish. It could have based to a real incident, but nobody knows which incident means it particularly now. However, in the Edo period, people knew that incident very well, and it had been performed on Kabuki with many variations. 'Ban-shu Sara Yashiki' is a long drama, but only one scene was performed this time.

Cast

Story

Scene; Inner Room of Asayama Tetsuzan's Residence

Asayama Tetsuzan is a chief retainer of the lord of the Himeji Castle in Ban-shu (Hyogo prefecture), Hosokawa Katsumoto. Katsumoto is seriously ill and dying now. Most main loyal retainers of him committed suicide one after another already. Katsumoto have a heir, Tomonosuke, and retainers are readying to make him a new lord. They intend to give the teasure set of 10 pieces of dish as a gift to the Tokugawa shogunate government in order to get permission of Tomomori's inheriting. Asayama Tesuzan has plotted to takeover of the Himeji Catsle for long years, and he thinks that this is a big chance. Tomonosuke has a loyal retainer, Funase Sanpei Taketsune who has a fiancee, Okiku who is working as a lady-in-waiting. Tesuzan intends to make Okiku help to kill Tomonosuke.

Iwabuchi Chuta who is a retainer of Tesuzan is surprised to see the big rock moving in the inner garden of Tetsuzan's residence. Tetsuzan appears on the scene, and calls the name, 'Arisuke'. Arisuke who is a spy of Tetsuzan comes out from a hall under the big rock. Arisuke made a tunnel from the Tetsuzan's garden to the Himeji Castke, and caught every information. Arisuke hands a dish to Tetsuzan this time. It is one of the dishes of the treasure set of 10 pieces of dish. Tetsuzan says that Tomonosuke will be cornered with the lost one dish. And he intends to make Okiku kill Tomonosuke. If Okiku refused to kill Tomonosuke, Tetsuzan would kill Okiku as a punishment of breaking that dish. After that, Tetsuzan throws a small knife to kill Arisuke, because he doesn't need Arisuke anymore. Arisuke has died. Tetsuzan hands the dish to Iwabuchi, and Iwabuchi goes away.

Okiku brings a box including the treasure set of 10 pieces of dish to Tetsuzan's inner room. Tetsuzan intends to check them by himself. However, he has the other desire to Okiku. Tetsuzan says that he has loved her since the first glance, and that she must have known it. Tetsuzan wants Okiku to be his lover. He tries to hold Okiku. Of course Okiku refuses Tetsuzan's wish, because she has a fiance, Funase Sanpei Taketsune. Suddenly, Tetsuzan looks to lose his interest in her, and makes Okiku free. And Tetsuzan says to Okiku to count dishes right away.

Okiku opens the box, and starts counting dishes. But there are 9 dishes only. Okiku is surprised very much. Tetsuzan looks very delighted, and asks Okiku where the dish is. Of course Okiku has no idea. Tetsuzan says if Okiku became his lover then he would allow her mistake. However, Okiku doesn't accept his suggestion. Tetsuzan calls Iwabuchi to torture her, and Iwabuzhi starts hitting her with a wooden sword. Okiku can't say anything, because she doesn't know where the 10th dish is.

Tetsuzan orders Iwabuchi to hang Okiku up the well. Iwabuchi continues hitting Okiku, and Tetsuzan is very delighted seeing Okiku's agony. And Tetsuzan himself hits Okiku. Okiku realizes that she must be killed, and that it isn't only her problem. Okiku says that Tetsuzan plots to interfere of Tomonosuke's inheriting. Tetsuzan says that if Okiku helped to kill Tomonosuke, Tetsuzan wouldn't kill her. Okiku refuses again. Tetsuzan orders Iwabuchi to sink Okiku in the water of the well. And he orders Iwabuchi to pull her up from the water again, because killing her easily isn't interesting. Okiku is soaked, and her hair is disheveled. Tetsuzan is very delighted seeing her eroticism. Finally, Tetsuzan slashes Okiku with his sword, and falls her down into the well.

After that, Tetsuzan makes Iwabuchi wipe his sword slowly. Someone's voice sounds at the time. It is counting dishes. Iwabuchi thinks that it is a ghost of Okiku. Suddenly, Okiku appears on the well. Testzan doesn't care of it, but sees her ghost hatefully. This drama continues, but this scene has finished then. (2002,8,10)