Kawatake Shinshichi III's dance-drama "Yami no Ume Hyaku Monogatari" was premiered in January 1900 at the Kabukiza [more details]. It was staged with Tokiwazu, Nagauta, and Kiyomoto musical ensembles. The last scene, entitled "Himeji Jônai Tenshu", commonly called "Osakabe-hime", was added in 1902 by Onoe Kikugorô V in the Shinko Engeki Jûsshu collection of signature works associated with the Otowaya guild. "Yami no Ume Hyaku Monogatari" was staged 10 times between 1952 and 2022 and "Osakabe-hime" was included only once. High potential for a revival in the future to come? ^[3]

"Yami no Ume Hyaku Monogatari" is a dance-drama in 6 scenes.

[1] The title "A Colorful Tale to Pass the Night" comes from "Samuel Leiter's Kabukiwoogie blog.

[2] Others sakusha working for Kawatake Shinshichi III were Ôchi Koji, Enokido Kenji, Enomoto Torahiko, Segawa Jokô IV, Hayakawa Shichizô, Takeshiba Seikichi, Tanba Matsuzô and Hamama Sunasuke.

[3] Onoe Kikugorô VIII, who took this prestigious name in 2025, has expressed in interviews his desire to decipher the materials for the lost plays from the Shinko Engeki Jûsshu collection, to revive and recreate them.

The actors Onoe Eizaburô VI (left) and Onoe Kikugorô VI (right) playing the roles of Miyamoto Musashi and Princess Osakabe in the "Osakabe-hime" scene of the dance-drama "Yami no Ume Hyaku Monogatari", which was staged in January 1910 at the Ichimuraza