HAKONE REIGEN CHIKAI NO ADAUCHI

[ The Miracle at Hakone ]

CAST :

Iinuma Katsugorō

Nakamura Kankurō

Takiguchi Kōzuke/
Fudesuke, a footman of the Iinuma clan

Kataoka Ainosuke ※

Hatsuhana, Katsugorō's wife

Nakamura Shichinosuke

Sawarabi, Hatsuhana's mother

Kataoka Hidetarō

※The cast has been changed.

STORY :

This is an act of a 'jidaimono 'history play' set in the 16th century.
After losing his elder brother in a surprise attack, Iinuma Katsugorō marries Tsukumo Shinzaemon's daughter, Hatsuhana. While in pursuit of his brother's foe, Takiguchi Kōzuke, Katsugorō becomes crippled by a disease. Hatsuhana must pull him along in a cart all the way to Hakone where their enemy now resides. Kōzuke is in love with Hatsuhana, but she does not return his affections. Kōzuke abducts her, but she manages to escape, and goes to Shiraito Waterfall. There, standing under the freezing cascade, she prays to the deity of Hakone Shrine for Katsugorō's recovery. Miraculously, his legs are cured. However, just at that moment, his footman Fudesuke comes carrying Hatsuhana's head and says that she was killed by Kōzuke! The woman who returned earlier was, in fact, Hatsuhana's spirit. Now that he has recovered from the disease, Katsugorō makes up his mind to find Kōzuke and to avenge the deaths of his brother and his wife.

SHICHIFUKUJIN

[ The Seven Gods of Good Fortune ]

CAST :

Ebisu (God of Fishing and Commerce)

Nakamura Matagorō

Benzaiten (Goddess of Music and Wealth)

Nakamura Senjaku

Jurōjin (God of Longevity)

Bandō Yajūrō

Fukurokuju (God of Welfare and Longevity)

Ichikawa Monnosuke

Hotei (A pot-bellied God of Good Luck)

Ichikawa Komazō

Bishamon (Vaisravana)

Nakamura Shikan

Daikokuten (Mahakana, God of Wealth)

Nakamura Ganjirō

STORY :

This is a dance suitable for the New Year.
The Seven Gods of Good Fortune, namely Ebisu, Benzaiten, Jurōjin, Fukurokuju, Hotei, Bishamon and Daikokuten, are said to bring fortune and luck to people. They appear on a treasure ship and dance celebrating the New Year.

KURUMABIKI - From SUGAWARA DENJU TENARAI KAGAMI

[ The Fight Over the Carriage - From Sugawara's Secrets of Calligraphy ]

CAST :

Matsuōmaru

Ichikawa Somegorō, taking the new name Matsumoto Kōshirō X

Umeōmaru

Nakamura Kankurō

Sakuramaru

Nakamura Shichinosuke

Fujiwara no Shihei

Bandō Yajūrō

STORY :

This energetic play is a showcase for the bombastic 'aragoto' style of acting. Umeōmaru and his brother, Sakuramaru, try to get revenge on Fujiwara no Shihei who falsely accused Umeōmaru's lord, Kan Shōjō, of treason. However, they are confronted by their other brother, Matsuōmaru who is one of Shihei's retainers. The two try to attack Shihei's carriage but are stopped by Matsuōmaru and Shihei's powerful glare.

TERAKOYA - From SUGAWARA DENJU TENARAI KAGAMI

[ The Village School - From Sugawara's Secrets of Calligraphy ]

CAST :

Matsuōmaru

Matsumoto Kōshirō, taking the new name Matsumoto Hakuō II

Takebe Genzō

Nakamura Baigyoku

Chiyo, Matsuōmaru's wife

Nakamura Kaishun

Tonami, Genzō's wife

Nakamura Jakuemon

Yotarō the dribbler

Ichikawa Ennosuke

Gosaku, a farmer

Nakamura Tōzō

Shundō Genba

Ichikawa Sadanji

Sono'o no mae

Sakata Tōjūrō

STORY :

Takebe Genzō was Kan Shōjō's most gifted disciple. As this scene begins, Kan Shōjō has been exiled and his family are in grave danger. Genzō and his wife Tonami now run a small school in the country and are sheltering Kan Shōjō's son and heir, Kan Shūsai, whom they are trying to pass off as their own son. However, word has gotten out that Kan Shōjō's son is at the school and Genzō has been ordered to behead him. Moreover, the retainer Matsuōmaru who knows Kan Shūsai's face is to come to inspect the head. Genzō's only hope is to kill one of the other students as a substitute, but all of the students are farmer's children who could never pass for the son of a court aristocrat. However, a new student named Kotarō arrived that day who has a more refined bearing, and Genzō takes the terrible decision to kill him in place of his lord's son. Matsuōmaru inspects the head and, surprisingly, confirms it to be that of Kan Shūsai. Later, Kotarō's mother Chiyo returns to pick up her son. Genzō tries to kill her as well, but she already knows Kotarō was killed in place of Kan Shūsai. As it turns out, Matsuōmaru had sent his own son to be sacrificed, owing to his family's long loyalty to Kan Shōjō. He had to face the most terrible situation for a father, inspecting the head of his own son and lying that it was the genuine head of Kan Shūsai. Finally, Matsuōmaru reveals his true feelings to Genzō, and he and Chiyo mourn for their dead son.

SUMŌBA - From FUTATSU CHŌCHŌ KURUWA NIKKI

[ The Sumō Match - From Two Butterflies in the Pleasure Quarters ]

CAST :

Nuregami Chōgorō

Nakamura Shikan

Yamazakiya Yogorō/
Hanaregoma Chōkichi

Kataoka Ainosuke ※

Fujiya Azuma

Nakamura Shichinosuke

※The cast has been changed.

STORY :

This is a 'sewamono' play portraying in a realistic way the lives of ordinary people in the Edo period (1603-1868).
The words in the title 'Futatsu Chōchō' mean 'two butterflies', and this reflects the fact that the names of the two sumō wrestlers who play important roles in the play both begin with ""chō"": Chōkichi and Chōgorō.
Nuregami Chōgorō throws a match in the hopes that the younger wrestler Hanaregoma Chōkichi will persuade his patron Gōzaemon to give up the beautiful courtesan, Azuma. This is because Yogorō, Chōgorō's patron, and Azuma love each other, and Yogorō wants to redeem her from her contract. However, Chōkichi loses his temper at the fact that Chōgorō purposely lost the fight and the two begin quarreling, performing a series of magnificent mie poses as they compete in a test of pride.

SHŪMEI HIRŌ KŌJŌ

[ Stage Announcement Commemorating the Name Succession ]

CAST :

Matsumoto Kōshirō, taking the new name Matsumoto Hakuō II
Ichikawa Somegorō, taking the new name Matsumoto Kōshirō X
Matsumoto Kintarō, taking the new name Ichikawa Somegorō VIII
Together with other top-ranking actors

STORY :

This month Matsumoto Kōshirō succeeds to the name Matsumoto Hakuō II, his son Ichikawa Somegorō succeeds to the name of Matsumoto Kōshirō X and his grandson Matsumoto Kintarō succeeds to the name of Ichikawa Somegorō VIII and this is the stage announcement of their succession.

KANJINCHŌ

[ The Subscription Scroll ]

CAST :

Musashibō Benkei

Ichikawa Somegorō, taking the new name Matsumoto Kōshirō X

Minamoto no Yoshitsune

Matsumoto Kintarō, taking the new name Ichikawa Somegorō VIII

Kamei Rokurō

Nakamura Ganjirō

Kataoka Hachirō

Nakamura Shikan

Suruga Jirō

Kataoka Ainosuke

Hitachibō Kaison

Nakamura Karoku

Togashi Saemon

Nakamura Kichiemon

STORY :

This is the most famous play in the original 'Jūhachiban' ('The Eighteen Favorite Plays of the Danjūrō Acting Family') and probably the most popular kabuki play today. It includes dance, comedy and the heart-warming pathos of a band of heroes during their last days.
Disguised as a group of traveling priests, the fugitive general Yoshitsune and his small band of retainers are stopped at a road barrier. They escape only through the quick thinking of the head retainer, a warrior priest named Benkei, who improvises the text of an elaborate imperial decree with an empty scroll. Togashi, the barrier guard, allows them to pass, but one of his soldiers points out that one of the group resembles Yoshitsune. Benkei angrily strikes Yoshitsune with his staff to make Togashi believe their claim. Togashi, however, is convinced that they are the fugitives, but sympathizing with Benkei's loyalty and suffering, tells them to proceed on their way.
After passing the barrier, Benkei apologizes for having struck Yoshitsune. Then, Togashi brings saké in apology and Benkei accepts it.
After performing a dance at Togashi's request, Benkei follows his master away from the barrier.

AIOI JISHI

[ The Intimate Lions ]

CAST :

A Princess

Nakamura Senjaku

A Princess

Kataoka Takatarō

STORY :

'Shishi' (mythical lion-like beasts) are usually thought of as vigorous masculine creatures, but when 'shishi' dances were first adapted to kabuki from the classical Nō theatre, they were danced by 'onnagata' actors who specialized in female roles. This dance is one of the earliest in the genre and stars two 'onnagata' female role specialists. The actors express both the 'shishi' courage and grace in the dance.

MITSU NINGYŌ

[ The Three Dolls ]

CAST :

A courtesan

Nakamaura Jakuemon

A handsome youth

Nakamura Ganjirō

A samurai footman

Nakamura Matagorō

STORY :

This is a dance with an antique atmosphere accompanied by the Tokiwazu Narrative Ensemble.
Taken out from their boxes, the three dolls of a courtesan, a suave samurai and his light-footed servant begin to move, each possessed by the characters' souls. They portray in dance a night in the pleasure quarters accompanied by the gay tones of the 3-stringed shamisen.