Background Information

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.

Story

Act-1; Scene-1; Fukagawa

At the end of Edo period. Many people died every day because of the epidemic cholera spread, so a crematory is temporarily built in the reclaimed land, Fukagawa. A merchant Kashiwaya Kinbei’s funeral is performed there. 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 didn’t come home two night, and after he came home he drank sake and died. So a widow Oseki doesn’t feel sad about her husband’s death. When an elderly geisha Okoma and a male geisha Chosaku arrived there from Yoshiwara, Oseki ignored them completely.

After everyone left from the crematory, a personnel Takichi started preparing to cremate. Then a coffin fell, and Kinbei appeared from it. He hasn’t died. Both of Kinbei and Takichi were surprised, and after Kinbei understood his situation, he decided to live again as another person. Kinbei promised to give hush money to Takichi in order to keep his resuscitation secretly.  And they both went to a house of Kinbei’s lover together.

Act-1; Scene-2; Osome's house

A male geisha Chokichi visited to his sister Osome’s house. Chokichi is worried about Osome, because her lover Kinbei has died. Kinbei won’t be able to give money to Osome any more, so Chokichi advises her to take money from a widow as her right. However, Osome doesn't feel sad about her lover's death. Osome didn’t think that she could get money from Kinbei’s widow, and it was no problem for her, because she has kept Kinbei’s safe in her closet. Of course Osome won’t get it back to his widow, but it became her possession. Moreover, Osome has another lover Sayama Sangoro. Thus, Osome won’t need to meet Sangoro secretly anymore. Osome is glad of Kinbei's death very much.  Then, Osome took some money from Kinbei’s safe and gave it to Chosaku. Chosaku is very glad that he doesn’t need to worry about his sister Osome. Chosaku left from Osome’s house.

Kinbei and Takichi arrived to Osome’s house, and Kinbei said Takichi to wait him outside, and he came into there secretly. When Osome saw a mirror, there was Kinbei’s face in it. Osome was surprised because she thought it was his ghost, and she fainted. Kinbei was confused, and he went to take water for Osome right away. Then, Sangoro arrived there, and found that Osome fainted. When Sangoro picked Osome up, her consciousness returned. Osome said that she saw Kinbei’s ghost, but Sangoro didn’t believed it. Sangoro said that it was a raccoon dog which just tricked Osome. Of course Osome didn’t want to believe that Kinbei’s ghost was there, so she accepted that a raccoon dog tricked her. And Osome and Sangoro came into the next room to make love.

Kinbei watched that entire scene, and he was surprised terribly. Kinbei took up his safe from Osome’s closet, and he gave some money to Takichi who waited him outside. And … Kinbei has no idea where he goes.

Act-2; Scene-1; At theater restaurant

Two years after. Kinbei changed his name to Koshuya Chobei, and began the trade of raw silk in Kanagawa, and succeeded in trade. Kinbei was invited by the trade friends to the theatergoing today. An elder geisha Okoma, and a male geisha Chosaku are in the theater restaurant, and they talk about an audience who is similar to Kinbei. Then, Kinbei came into the restaurant with his friends, and met Okoma and chosaku.

As for Chosaku and Okoma, Kinbei died already, so Chobei was another man who was similar to Kinbei. As for Kinbei, Chosaku was the man who was an elder brother of Osome who betrayed him, and he even thought that Chosaku was an accomplice of Osome. They talk together, but their talking was confused. Kinbei said that Chosaku was a raccoon dog, because he was double-faced to trick people. Chosaku was surprised and confused, and said that if Chosaku was a raccoon dog, Chobei must be a big raccoon dog. Then, Kinbei decided to stop watching the play’s second half, and to go to the neighborhood of Kashiwaya that was Kinbei’s home until two years ago. And Chosaku goes with him.

Act-2; Scene-2; Temple grounds near Kinbei's former house

In the precincts of the temple in the neighborhood of the Kashiwaya, the persons are searching for the raccoon dog which escaped from the show tent. Sayama Sangoro was sulky in the precinct of the same temple, and the completely haggard Osome arrived there. Sangoro frequented the dressing room of the actress who shows tricks with water in the show tent, and Osome was annoyed to hear of that rumor. Osome thought that if Sangoro wanted to be sulky, it would be better that he was sulky at home. After Kinbei died, Osome wasn’t happy enough. Her safe was stolen, and she found that Sangoro was good-for-nothing., nevertheless Osome loves Sangoro. And Osome and Sangoro left from the temple together.

Kinbei and Chosaku arrived to the temple, and also Osome returned there. Chosaku said Osome to see the man Chobei who was similar to Kinbei. Osome saw Chobei in real Kinbei, and said that that man wasn’t Kinbei. And Osome goes away. Kinbei was surprised a little, because he felt nothing when he saw Osome, his former lover. Kinbei asked Chosaku to go to Kashiwaya, and to take Oseki there. Chosaku accepted it unwillingly, although he thought that Oseki wouldn’t come anywhere with him, and he left there.

Oshima who is a maid of Kashiwaya and Kinbei’s son Umekichi appear on the temple. Just as it saw Kinbei, Umekichi shouted, ‘Dad!!!’, and tried to run to Kinbei. Although Oshima stopped this confusedly, Umekichi was sure that the man he saw was Kinbei, his father. However, Oshima took Umekichi to Kashiwaya forcibly. Kinbei accepted that situation with severe countenance. Even if there was a raccoon dog which could deceive any human being, it would be impossible to trick a child's purity. The child has perceived the grown-up lie of Kinbei.

Chosaku has returned. Although Chosaku met Oseki, she didn’t come there together. Oseki said that she didn’t intend to meet any person who had the similar face to Kinbei, and she kicked Chosaku out. Kinbei thought that it was likely matter. The raccoon dog which escaped from the show tent was caught. Kinbei thought that it may be the time to return to himself, and he started walking calmly toward the Kashiwaya, his home.

The curtain closed. (2004,12,4)