The New Tale of Usuyuki

Background Information

This play is based to a novel 'Usuyuki Monogatari/The Tale of Usuyuki' that was published in the 17th century. Bunkodo, Miyoshi Shoraku, and the other two playwrights wrote it as a puppet play in 1741. Its kabuki version was first performed at the same year. And it was shown in Edo (Tokyo) in 1746.

Story

Act-1; At Shin Kiyomizu Temple

Cast

Sonobe Saemon and Rai Kuniyuki, the famed swordsmith, come to Shin Kiyomizu Temple as the Shogun's envoy to dedicate a sword that was made by Kuniyuki for Shogun. They meet the abbot, and hand the sword to him. After the abbot and Kuniyuki have gone, Saemon enjoys the cherry blossoms with his lackey Tsumahei. And Saemon meets Usuyuki-hime there.

Usuyuki-hime who is a daughter of Saisaki Iganokami comes to Shin Kiyomizu Temple to see the cherry blossoms, and she is accompanied by a group of ladies-in-waiting. Usuyuki-hime heard that Saemon would come there, and she loved Saemon secretly. So she thought that she would like to see him, and that is a real reason she came there.

Tsumahei who is a lackey of Saemon and Magaki who is a chief of the ladies-in-waiting of Iganokami were married secretly. They both help Saemon to fall in love with Usuyuki-hime. Although Saemon refuses Usuyuki-hime at the beginning, he accepts her letter finally. Usuyuki-hime wrote that she would like Saemon to come to her house secretly at the night of 23rd this month. They promise that secret meeting, and have gone there individually.

After the abbot carried the sword box to the altar, Dankuro who had been hiding in the shadow comes there, and he takes the sword box off the altar. Dankuro puts certain marks on it, which constitute a curse with a file, and returns the sword to the box. Then Kuniyuki comes there. Kuniyuki knows Dankuro, because Dankuro is a son of Masamune who is also the famed swordsmith. Kuniyuki asks Dankuro what he is doing. Dankuro tries to lie about his doing, but he attacks Kuniyuki. A dagger hits Kuniyuki then. And Kuniyuki has died.

Akizuki Daizen appears on the scene. Dankuro hands a dagger to Daizen. He was the man who threw a dagger that killed Kuniyuki. Akizuki Daizen is a man of power. There were two candidates to make a sword for Shogun. One of them was Kuniyuki who was recommended by Sonobe Hyoe, who was father of Saemon, and the other was Dankuro who was recommended by Daizen, and Kuniyuki was adopted. Daizen loves Usuyuki-hime, but she loves Saemon who is a son of Sonobe Hyoe. Daizen has held a grudge against the Sonobe family, and he ordered Dankuro to put a curse mark on the sword that Kuniyuki made. Daizen hears that Dankuro has finished his job well, and orders to take the dead body away. After that, Daizen finds a letter there, and it was written by Usuyuki-hime. He is very glad, and he will use it in his way.

Act-2; Mansion of Saisaki Iganokami

Cast

At that night, Saemon comes to the mansion of Saisaki Iganokami in order to meet to Usuyuki-hime secretly. When the young lovers meet each other, Matsugae who is mother of Usuyuki-hime finds them. Matsugae says Saemon to go home tonight. She says that if they love each other, she would make them marry in the near future. Saemon accepts it, and is going home. Then the coming of an envoy of the Shogunate office is announced.

Katsuragi Minbu, Akizuki Daizen, Sonobe Hyoe, and Saisaki Iganokami appear on the scene. Minbu brings the sword box there. Hyoe and Iganokami are surprised to see Saemon there. Every concerned person is gathered there. Minbu says that a mark that constituted a curse was found on the sword. And he says that Saemon is the most suspicious person of it.

Everyone, especially Saemon is surprised very much. Saemon opens the sword box, and searches of it. There has been a curse mark on it really. Saemon has no idea why a curse mark there is. Saemon asks Minbu to hear Kuniyuki's testimony, because Kuniyuki went to the temple with him. However, everyone knows that Kuniyuki is missing now.

Akizuki Daizen says that Kuniyuki's testimony isn't necessary, because he has a secret letter. He shows a letter that was written by Usuyuki-hime to Saemon. Daizen says that the letter is evidence that Saemon and Usuyuki-hime have plotted against the Shogunate government. And that was proved, because Saemon is there. Saemon is cornered, and he tried to commit suicide, hara-kiri. Minbu stops it, and says Saemon to defend himself again after Kuniyuki appears.

Then the dead body of Kuniyuki is carried there. Saemon is disappointed completely. Minbu does an inspection of the dead body himself, and find a scar of the dead body's throat. That scar seems to be made with a dagger that was thrown by an expert. Minbu remembered who could make that scar, but he says nothing then.

Iganokami and Hyoe ask to make them investigate their children. Iganokami will investigate Saemon, and Hyoe will investigate Usuyuki-hime. Minbu accepts it, and Hyoe takes Usuyuki-hime to his mansion.

Act-3; Mansion of Sonobe Hyoe

Cast

Usuyuki-hime has stayed in Sonobe's mansion now. Everyone is kind to Usuyuki-hime, but she is sad because she can't meet Saemon. Hyoe guesses that Daizen plots an evil matter against the Shogunate government, but Hyoe has no method to accuse him. If Usuyuki-hime was arrested, he thinks that she must be killed. Hyoe recommends Usuyuki-hime to go to a safe place. Usuyuki-hime refuses it, because she would like to be with Saemon anywhere. However, she accepts it finally. Hyoe asks Tsumahei who is a lackey of Saemon to take Usuyuki-hime to the safer place. And Usuyuki-hime departs accompanied with Tsumahei and his wife Magaki.

After that, a messenger of Iganokami comes to the mansion of Sonobe. That messenger brings a sword box. He says that Saemon confessed his crime, so Iganokami killed Saemon with that sword. Iganokami hopes that Hyoe kill Usuyuki-hime with the same sword. The messenger says that Iganokami will come there bringing Saemon's severed head later. Although Hyoe is surprised, he finds something when he sees that sword. Hyoe says his wife Umenokata to welcome Iganokami gracefully. And he has gone to his room bringing the sword box to wait Iganokami.

Iganokami arrives to the mansion of Sonobe bringing a head casket. When Hyoe's wife Umenokata had known her son Saemon's death, she had almost done suicide. So she can say nothing to Iganokami. Suddenly Saemon appears on the scene. Umenokata is surprised, but Iganokami says that it is a ghost. As soon as Iganokami says to go away, Saemon disappears. Umenokata falls into disorder.

Hyoe comes there bringing a head casket and a sword box. He says that he killed Usuyuki-hime just now. And two fathers open the head caskets at the same time. There is nothing in the head casket except a letter. It was written to kill them instead of their children. Umenokata has no idea what it means. Hyoe opens his kimono, and shows his abdomen that is covered with bloodstain bandages. He has done ritual suicide already, but the bandages make him live longer. That is one of the methods in order to ask something to the Shogunate office at that time.

Iganokami also committed ritual suicide. When Hyoe saw the sword, he found a secret message of Iganokami. There was bloodstain on the tip of the sword, and there was no bloodstain on the middle of it. It showed that the sword had been used to commit ritual suicide, not beheading. And it meant that Iganokami had made Saemon escape, and committed suicide already. Matsugae who is a wife of Iganokami comes there secretly, and they all laugh to wish their children's safe. (2002,11,2)