HONCHŌ NIJŪSHIKŌ
Jishukō

['The Ten Types of Incense' from 'Japan's Twenty-Four Paragons of Filial Piety']

CAST :

Princess Yaegaki, Kenshin’s daughter

Nakamura Senjaku

Nureginu, a lady-in-waiting

Nakamura Kazutarō

Minosaku, a gardener, in reality, Takeda Katsuyori

Nakamura Toranosuke

Shirasuka Rokurō

Ichikawa Danko

Hara Kobunji

Kataoka Ainosuke

Nagao Kenshin

Nakamura Ganjirō

STORY :

Nagao Kenshin, one of Japan's most powerful feudal warlords, has borrowed a family treasure from his rival, Takeda Shingen. However, he has failed to return this treasure, which has caused a rift between the families. Kenshin's daughter, Princess Yaegaki, is mourning the death of her fiancé Katsuyori, Shingen's son, who supposedly killed himself after taking responsibility for the Shogun's assassination. However, she notices a close resemblance between her fiancé's portrait and the new gardener. The gardener is in fact Katsuyori, who has entered the household in disguise to regain possession of the stolen family treasure. Unfortunately, Kenshin has also seen through the disguise and plans to kill Katsuyori, and Princess Yaegaki decides she must take the treasure to save him. The role of Princess Yaegaki is one of the three "red princess" roles which epitomize the art of the 'onnagata' female role specialist. Such characters must combine delicate refinement with passion and an unshakable strength of will for the sake of the man she loves.

Koi Bikyaku Yamato Ōrai
FŪIN KIRI

['Breaking the Seal' from 'The Love Messenger to Yamato']

CAST :

Kameya Chūbē

Nakamura Shidō

Tanbaya Hachiemon

Kataoka Ainosuke

Umegawa, a courtesan

Nakamura Kazutarō

Tsuchiya Jiemon

Ichikawa Chūsha

Oen, proprietress of the Izutsuya

Nakamura Senjaku

STORY :

The main character Chūbē is performed in the 'wagoto' acting style. 'Wagoto' is representative of plays from the Kamigata area (Kyoto/Osaka). Often partnering courtesans, such characters are handsome male leads with gentle natures who also exhibit a slightly comical side. In the pleasure quarters, the most important possessions were money and reputation. In danger of losing his lover, the courtesan Umegawa, the money courier Chūbē breaks the seals on a package of money entrusted to him after being taunted by a rival, even though the use of such money is punishable by death.

KŌSUKE MOCHI

['Kōsuke's Rice Cakes']

CAST :

Daikokuya Kōsuke

Nakamura Ganjirō

Osode, Kōsuke's younger sister

Nakamura Toranosuke

Okimi, Kōsuke's wife

Ichikawa Seiko

Gozaemon, Kōsuke's uncle

Nakamura Jūjirō

Oryū, proprietress of the Mitsuōgiya

Ichikawa Emisaburō

Heibē, accountant of the Mitsuōgiya

Nakamura Kikaku

Ikazuchi Gorokichi, a sumō wrestler

Ichikawa Chūsha

STORY :

This comedy is based on a classic of Kansai-style Rakugo comic storytelling. The play focuses on Kōsuke, the proprietor of a rice cake shop. After he wastes his money on a famous sumō wrestler named Ikazuchi, he is forced to sell his sister into prostitution to make back the sum. But when he encounters Ikazuchi again, he gives him the money that he made with such difficulty once more. Despite Kōsuke begging him for it, Ikazuchi refuses to return the money...

YOSHITSUNE SENBON ZAKURA

['Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees']

CAST :

<Ōuchi / Horikawa Gosho / Hei Soto>

Musashibō Benkei

Nakamura Shidō

Kyōnokimi, Yoshitsune's wife

Ichikawa Danko

Shizuka Gozen, Yoshitsune's lover

Ichikawa Emiya

Tosabō Shōzon

Sawamura Kiyoshirō II, changing his name from Sawamura Kuniya

Fujiwara no Tomokata, Commander of the Left

Nakamura Kikaku

Chichibu no Shōji Shigetada

Ichikawa Chūsha

Genkurō Hōgan Yoshitsune

Nakamura Senjaku

<Michiyuki Hatsune no Tabi>

Satō Tadanobu, in reality, the fox Genkurō

Kataoka Ainosuke

Shizuka Gozen

Nakamura Kazutarō

Hayami no Tōda

Nakamura Ganjirō

<Kawatsura Hōgen Yakata>

Satō Tadanobu / Satō Tadanobu, in reality, the fox Genkurō

Kataoka Ainosuke

Shizuka Gozen

Nakamura Kazutarō

Suruga no Jirō

Nakamura Toranosuke

Kamei no Rokurō

Ichikawa Danko

Kawatsura Hōgen

Nakamura Jūjirō

Asuka, Hōgen's wife

Kamimura Kichiya

Genkurō Hōgan Yoshitsune

Nakamura Senjaku

<Okuniwa>

Yokawa no Kakuhan, in reality, Noto no kami Noritsune

Nakamura Ganjirō

Satō Tadanobu

Kataoka Ainosuke

Musashibō Benkei

Nakamura Shidō

Shizuka Gozen

Nakamura Kazutarō

Suruga no Jirō

Nakamura Toranosuke

Kamei no Rokurō

Ichikawa Danko

Kawatsura Hōgen

Nakamura Jūjirō

Asuka, Hōgen's wife

Kamimura Kichiya

Chichibu no Shōji Shigetada

Ichikawa Chūsha

Genkurō Hōgan Yoshitsune

Nakamura Senjaku

STORY :

[Act 1: Ōuchi / Horikawa Gosho / Hei Soto]
Yoshitsune has subjugated the rival Heike clan, but his elder half-brother Yoritomo, leader of Genji forces, suspects him of rebellion. Tomokata hands him a precious shoulder drum, implying that he should attack Yoritomo. He receives the drum but does not strike it, so as not to turn against Yoritomo. As Yoritomo's envoy, Shigetada asks him why he took Kyōnokimi, a daughter of a Heike warrior, as his wife. Overhearing this, she commits suicide to prove his innocence. Yoshitsune flees from the capital with only a few warriors. Benkei, who has been fighting against Yoritomo's troops, also follows him.

[Act 2: Michiyuki Hatsune no Tabi]
Hearing the rumor that Yoshitsune is taking refuge on Mt. Yoshino, Shizuka and Tadanobu travel to Mt. Yoshino where the cherry trees are in full bloom. Whenever Shizuka loses sight of Tadanobu and strikes the shoulder drum which she received as a keepsake from Yoshitsune, Tadanobu mysteriously appears. To comfort Shizuka, they place Yoshitsune's armor and shoulder drum on a tree stump to represent Yoshitsune's presence. Then, recollecting Tadanobu’s brother who was shot dead with an arrow by Noritsune in the war between the Genji and Heike clans, they both shed tears. Finally, they set out for Kawatsura Hōgen's mansion where Yoshitsune is being sheltered, hoping to be reunited with him.

[The Final Act: Kawatsura Hōgen Yakata / Okuniwa]
The genuine Tadanobu visits Yoshitsune at Kawatsura Hōgen's mansion. Then Shizuka and another Tadanobu arrive. This second Tadanobu is actually a fox which took on human form to be close to the precious drum which is made from the skins of his fox parents. Touched by this, Yoshitsune gives him the drum. Overjoyed, with his supernatural powers the fox defeats a group of evil priests who come to capture Yoshitsune, after which he goes back to his den in the wild. Benkei finds out that the true identity of Yokawa no Kakuhan, who commands the evil priests, is the Heike commander Noritsune. Tadanobu tries to avenge his brother’s death, but Yoshitsune stops him, telling him to guard Emperor Antoku.