This play was written by Osaragi Jiron and it premiered in Shinbashi Enbujo in 1953. Although the play of Osaragi Jiro has many works with which a historical famous man appears, it shows that the man who got unexpectedly an opportunity to live as another person. It is a comedy, but also sad a little. And it has ironic humorous and a pessimistic atmosphere. Tanuki, a raccoon dog was thought to transform himself into a human to trick people in Japan long ago.

Kinbei who revived at the crematory decides to leave from his wife and son and to live another life. Although Kinbei was adopted as the husband for daughter of a large store, he played at Yoshiwara, a famous red light district with noninterference of his wife Oseki, and he even had a lover secretly.

Kinbei had felt a feeling of a blockade for long years, and he wanted to escape. However, the release did not necessarily mean freedom that he wished, because his lover Osome betrayed him. He intended to live with Osome together, but she had another lover also except Kinbei. Although Kinbei regained money that Osome kept, he lost everything. Kinbei had fallen into the situation that he must have lived alone unexpectedly.

If a person has to tell a lie every day, there would be no word to describe it except ‘lonely’. Kinbei even used a false name. First of all, probably, Kinbei had known that the things itself of having come to the theatergoing were the actions which should be avoided most. Even if it was invited by the trade friend, it must be an action to say to find himself to his old acquaintances there. Kinbei had felt just homesickness.

The desire of wanting people to recognize real oneself is human's most fundamental instinct, isn’t it? Although I want to keep a distance from the conclusion that a person is understood best by his family, it is general recognition. Human is said to be a social animal, and people feel relief by belonging to an organization. And a family is the most basic organization in the society. Long years have passed since people said family was getting smaller. Recently, it has become a problem that it is difficult to make even the core of family. Aging accelerates, the age of the first marriage is getting higher and the life style is diversified rapidly. People living alone are increasing in all generation, and it is the most serious problem to protect the safety of the old people living alone. There were many natural disasters in this year in Japan , and it gave terrible impression that the rates of the old people in victims were very high then. Probably, the time for two years was sufficient time for isolating Kinbei uneasily.

Although a peasant Martin Guerre disappeared from the village in the 16th century France , he had come back suddenly. He lived with his wife and children for a while, but it was clear that he was another person after that. That incident is well known at France as the unprecedented fake husband incident.

About Kinbei, he didn’t need to worry to be revealed as a fake husband, because he was a real Kinbei himself. However, if Oseki wasn’t pleased with Kinbei’s return, she could insist that Kinbei must be a charlatan. People recognized that Kinbei had died, so there would be nobody to say the contrary opinion against Oseki. Moreover, it could be possible that Oseki doesn’t believe him as Kinbei really. However, Kinei’s son Umekichi accepted him as father at the first sight. Thus, Oseki’s intention was the only element that decides Kinbei’s future after that.

The time of two years which Kinbei passed as another person was flowing on Oseki similarly. This play said nothing about matters of Oseki for two years . I would like to know how Oseki does against Kinbei’s return. (2004,12,4)