This play ‘Tsuchigumo / Earth Spider’ that was written by Kawatake Mokuami was premiered in 1881 in Tokyo. The Kabuki plays that have their original Noh versions are called ‘Matsubame-mono’, and they are performed on the simple stage, a big pine tree is painted on the back wall like the Noh stage. Also ‘Tsuchigumo’ belongs to them. ‘Tsuchigumo’ is a very simple short drama that heroes fight against a demon, an evil spirit of Earth Spider.

Minamoto-no Raiko (or Yorimitsu, 948?-1021) was a commander of the Genji clan at Heian period. It is well known that he had the big four retainers, Watanabe-no Tsuna, Sakata-no Kintoki, Urabe-no Suetake and Usui Sadamitsu. In the legends, they fought against demons. At Heian period, nobles were leading the extravagant life at the capital city, Kyoto. But there were many poverty people outside the Court, moreover they were troubled by the robbers and bandits. Damon was the symbolic word which meant the robbers and bandits at that time. Raiko ordered his big four retainers to exterminate the robbers and bandits. They had done it, and became heroes, and they became a legend after that. ‘Tsuchigumo’ shows one of their legends on the stage.

It is difficult to find a hero recently, although people feel the society, crimes, terrorism, and wars uneasily. Even if the President Bush shouts that the right and justice are on his side, that doesn't mean that Superman comes. It just means the overwhelming military strength. Everyone knows that we should solve every problem one by one. That might mean that there is no space for a hero in the recent society. People don't expect that the revolution happens or that Superman appears on. And heroes have been forgotten.

As I mentioned before, some of Kabuki plays are from Noh. It started just after Meiji Restoration that happened in 1868. Bureaucrats of the new government thought that they needed Japanese artistic entertainment to show to the western people. Kabuki was an entertainment of course, but bushi / samurai watched it secretly because it was for the common people. Actually, Kabuki actors weren’t respected.

The other side, Noh actors were protected by the feudal lords as if they were officers who had special ability. Noh were played for the noble class and the warrior's class. Noh actors taught how to dance, because it was thought stylish that the feudal lords or warriors played Noh themselves. Sometimes they danced Noh just before going to the battlefield. It is well known that Oda Nobunaga danced Noh when he committed suicide at the Honnoji Incident.

After Meiji Restoration, Noh actors lost their patrons, because the new government abolished the class of bushi / samurai. But it was difficult to show Noh as an entertainment for the common people because Noh demanded high intelligence to understand. Bureaucrats thought that it would be a good idea to combine Noh and Kabuki. Many Kabuki versions of Noh plays were made at that time, and both of the western people and Japanese accepted new Kabuki as a traditional entertainment. And Kabuki actors became the great artists after that. It was a wonderful matter, but the common people were getting to leave from Kabuki gradually. Sometimes I feel sorry about it. Noh actors have kept distance from the common people until now, though. I think that Kabuki and Noh didn’t need such a political idea. I hope that both of Kabuki and Noh would become just an enjoyable entertainment for everyone.

Raiko’s big four retainers are well known as heroes in the legends until now, and also people think that Raiko is one of them. But it isn’t known well that Raiko himself was an able politician rather than a battle commander of the Genji clan. People have told about the legend for a long time, and that might be a reason that Raiko became a hero. It might have been because of his political ability, though. (2005,1,2)