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　　　Sogamoyou Tateshi-no Goshozome

Background Information

This play was written by Kawatake Mokuami, and was first performed in 1864. Mokuami made novels into this play. There is no special background to write here.

Story

Act-1

Scene-1; Falling in love on the banks of Natori River

Cast

The riverbank of Natori River in Oushu, Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate, and Aomori prefectures now, is very dangerous recently. Bad palanquin bearers rob travelers there. One night, a woman pilgrim passes there, and palanquin bearers find her. They tried to force her to get on a palanquin to get fee, but she refused. So they change their mind, and attack her. Then Lord Asama Tomoenojo and his company come there, and help her. Palanquin bearers run away. Tomoenojo is a lord of Mutsu, Aomori prefecture now, and he came there to hunt. Tomoenojo asks her name, but she doesn't have name. Her step-mother hated her, and threw away her from home, and she came there on the way to her relative as a pilgrim. Tomoenojo recommends her to come with him to his mansion. She accepts it. Tomoenojo says that he hunted a beautiful bird, Hototogisu, a little cuckoo.

Scene-2; In front of the gate to Chofukuji Temple

Cast

A Buddhist memorial service is being performed at the Chofukuji Temple for Tomoenojo's mother who died three years ago. Although Tomoenojo himself is Edo now, his wife Nadeshiko and her mother Yuri-no-kata came to the Chofukuji Temple at Mutsu.

Suzaki Kakuya was a retainer of Tomoenojo, and Satsuki was a lady-in-waiting of the Tomoemojo's mansion. Kakuya and Satsuki fell in love. Hoshikawa Doemon who was a retainer of Tomoenojo also loved Satsuki, and he accused their love to the authority. It was so-called an office secret love affair, but it was forbidden strictly at that time. They both could have put to capital punishment, but Tomoenojo's mother helped them. They were just expelled from Mutsu finally.

Kakuya and Satsuki came near the Chofukuji Temple secretly, but moneylender Kinbei found them. Kakuya has borrowed money from Kinbei. Kinbei demands to repay the money, but Kakuya doesn't have any money. So Kakuya gives his swords to Kinbei instead of the money. Satsuki was surprised very much, because the Japanese sword was thought as soul of bushi, samurai. Kakuya says that he isn't a bushi anymore, so that he doesn't need any sword, and that he will live with Satsuki as a civilian after this. Satsuki is very glad to hear it. And they depart to Edo to start their new life. Then Hoshikage Doemon follows them secretly. He has still loved Satsuki.

Dongen who is doctor of the Asama family comes there in order to receive money from Sashima Yakuro who serves to Yuri-no-kata. Yuri-no-kata ordered Dongen to make poison. She gave it to Hototogisu, and Hototogisu is sick now as the result. Yuri-no-kata comes through the gate of the Chofukuji Temple. And she orders Yakuro to pay the money to Dongen. Dongen is very glad, and he tries to sell an antidote to Yuri-no-kata, but she refuses it. When Dongemn is going to leave there, Yuri-no-kata slashes his back with Yakuro's sword, and kills him. Yuri-no-kata says that Dongen will never say anything after this, and that Hototogisu also will die soon.

Scene-3; Murder in the household of Lord Asama

Cast

Hototogisu has lived in a detached room of the Tomoenojo's mansion as his lover. But he has a wife, Nadeshiko already, and Yuri-no-kata who is mother of Nadeshiko hates Hototogisu very much. Hototogisu took a medicine that was given by Yuri-no-kata, and she has been sick in bed after that. Her beautiful face has even an ugly spot now.

When Hototogisu is praying to Buddha in her room, Dongen's ghost appears there. Dongen's ghost says about a plot of Yuri-no-kata to kill Hototogisu with poison. He brought a letter that Yuri-no-kata ordered him to make poison, and an antidote. After that Dongen's ghost has vanished suddenly. Hototogisu was surprised very much, but she takes an antidote. Then she became fine, and her ugly spot has vanished like the ghost. Hototogisu regained her beauty.

Two lady-in-waitings who serve to Nadeshiko come to the detached room of Hototogisu secretly. They attack Hototogisu, and there Yuri-no-kata comes. Hototogisu has almost died already, but Yuri-no-kata doesn't kill her easily. Yuri-no-kata kicks, and hits, and slashes Hototogisu bizarrely. Finally Yuri-no-kata killed Hototogisu, but it was a very beautiful scene. Yuri-no-kata orders a lady-in-waiting to sink Hototogisu's dead body into a pond in the garden. Yuri-no-kata says that it was wrong that Hototogisu was born beautiful.

Act-2

Scene-1; Nakanocho in Gojozaka pleasure quarters

Cast

Suzaki Kakuya is now called Gorozo as a stylish guy at Gojozaka, famous pleasure quarters. And his wife Satsuki is now a courtesan. One day, Gorozo meets Hoshikage Doemon there, and they both are accompanied by many henchmen. Doemon knows that Satsuki is a courtesan now, and says that he will buy her as a guest of the geisha house in the near future. Gorozo recalled that Doemon hated him, and still loves Satsuki. Although they had almost started fighting, a wife of the proprietor of Kabutoya geisha house stopped them. But they keep deep hatred inside.

Scene-2; Inner room of Kabutoya geisha house

Cast

Recently, Lord Asama Tomoenojo goes to Kabutoya geisha house every night to meet a courtesan Oushu. At the beginning, Tomoenojo knew nothing about Oushu, but later he knew Oushu was a elder sister of Hototogisu. Tomoenojo loves Oushu very much, but it is a scandal. And he made a massive debt. Gorozo knew it, and he tried to make the money to repay the debt of his ex-lord. But he couldn't. So Gorozo asked his wife Satsuki to make the money. Satsuki reads a letter from Gorozo, and she knows that the period of the debt is tonight.

Satsuki has no idea how to make the money. Although she is a courtesan, it doesn't mean always a prostitute. She doesn't have a special patron, because she has a husband, Gorozo. Then Doemon visits to Satsuki, and says that he would lend the money to her if she accepted to sell herself to him. If Satsuki couldn't make the money, Gorozo couldn't show loyalty for his ex-lord. Doemon says that Gorozo might die. At the begining, Satsuki refused it, but she accepted it finally. Satsuki didn't want Gorozo to die.

Doemon says Satsuki to write a letter that she divorces Gorozo. Satsuki thinks that it goes too far, but Doemon demands to her to write a divorce letter again and again. Satsuki accepts it unwillingly. Doemon is very glad, and orders a waitress to bring sake to drink with his henchmen. Gorozo comes there then. Satsuki gives him a divorce letter and the money that she borrowed from Doemonm. Gorozo is very surprised, and throws to her the money angrily. Gorozo is going to attack Doemon, but Oushu comes there to stop him. Gorozo is still furious, but he can't defy his ex-lord Tomoenojo's lover. Gorozo left there unwillingly as the result.

Doemon is in a good mood. And he says Satsuki to go to Hanagataya together in order to settle her debt. Satsuki is cornered. Satsuki refuses it, because she became sick suddenly. Doemon demands to Satsuki to go together. If he went to Hanagataya alone, people would think she doesn't accept him. Oushu says that she will go with Doemon instead of Satsuki. Oushu and Satsuki exchange their outer garments each other, and Oushu borrows a paper lantern from Satsuki. And Doemon accepts to go out with Oushu at last. After everyone went out, Satsuki thought that she would like to ask Oushu to give the money to Gorozo.

Scene-3; Pleasure quarters at wee hours

Cast

Gorozo came back secretly, and hid himself to edge of a street. And he waited. Then Doemon and Oushu wearing Satsuki's outer garment come there, and a man of Kabutoya carries a paper lantern. Gorozo made a misunderstanding, he thought Oushu must be Satsuki. Gorozo attacks them, but Doemon disappears with magic. Oushu couldn't run away, and was killed. Gorozo cuts Oushu's head, and carries it to home.

Act-3

Scene; Gorozo commits harakiri in his home

Cast

Next morning, two henchmen come to Gorozo's home. Although Gorozo is sleeping, they make him wake up. They hands a letter from Oushu to Gorozo. And they says that Oushu was killed last night. Gorozo is surprised, and asks if the victim was not Satsuki. The two henchmen notice a blood stain on the floor, and Gorozo spills tea on it. They recalled there was a witness who saw Gorozo near the crime scene last night. And they suspected that Gorozo could have been a murderer. They leave from Gorozo's home right away. Gorozo noticed that his crime would be cleared soon.

After Gorozo locked the front door, he takes out a head from a closet, and finds that it is Oushu. Gorozo is very surprised and recalls that the two henchmen brought a letter from Oushu. That letter was written by Satsuki. Satsuki obeyed Doemon unwillingly in order to borrow the money, and she intended to die. Gorozo understood her mind, and thinks that there would be no choice except committing suicide. Then Satsuki comes there. She has run away from s geisha house. She knockes the front door, and shouts to open it. But Gorozo defies her, and cuts his abdomen. Satsuki sticks her chest with a razor, and breaks the front door.

Gorozo and Satsuki are surprised that they both are going to die. However, Satsuki is worried about her divorce letter. Gorozo rips it, and says that Satsuki is still his wife also after they die. Gorozo plays a shakuhachi and Satsuki plays an oriental fiddle for Oushu. And they die finally. (2003,6,7)