The drama "Soga Moyô Tateshi no Goshozome" was premiered in October 1887 at the Ichimuraza [casting]. The role of Gosho no Gorozô was added to the Kakôshû collection of dramas set by the star Ichimura Uzaemon XV.

The drama "Soga Moyô Tateshi no Goshozome" was originally made up of 6 acts, divided into 12 scenes. The current version, which is made up of 3 acts (7 scenes), is divided into two different stories which are loosely related: "Hototogisu Goroshi" (the Murder of Hototogisu) and "Gosho no Gorozô". The former is occasionnally revived as part of a tôshi kyôgen production of "Soga Moyô Tateshi no Goshozome". The latter story is extremely popular and frequently staged. Usually, only the second act of "Gosho no Gorozô" is staged when it is not a tôshi kyôgen production. The third act is only occasionnally revived as part of a tôshi kyôgen production.

Act II, Scene 1: Gojôzaka Nakanochô
On Nakanochô, the main street of the of the Gojôzaka Pleasure Quarter ^[1]

Several years have passed. Suzaki Kakuya is now known as Gorozô, and has become an otokodate. Owing to their financial difficulties, Tsuji has agreed to sell herself into prostitution (miuri), and has become a keisei known by the name of Satsuki. Hoshikage Doemon, who is now a rônin, and who is also in Edo, has become a fencing instructor.

It is Spring in Gojôzaka, and Gorozô and Doemon, both accompanied by their followers, meet for the first time in years. Their respective henchmen ^[2], however, have recently had a brawl, in which Doemon's gang came off the worst. This only increases Doemon's resentment of Gorozô, and his desire for revenge. Their gangs are anxious to be at each other's throats again, and have to be repeatedly restrained by their masters. Doemon infuriates Gorozô by spitefully threatening to buy Satsuki's services - every night! Gorozô points out this is not possible for, as a married courtesan, Satsuki can refuse any potential clients she chooses. Doemon will have to make do with the maid! Doemon remarks that he might buy out Satsuki's contract (miuke), and then she will belong to him. Gorozô retaliates that since she is married already, even this could never make her truly his own. Tempers flare, and the two are about to draw their swords when Kabutoya Yogorô ^[3], the proprietor of the Kabutoya ageya, interposes and prevents them from fighting in front of his establishment, ultimately enforcing a fragile truce.

Act II, Scene 2: Gojôzaka Kabutoya Okuzashiki
An Inner Room at the Kabutoya in the Gojôzaka Pleasure Quarter

Tomoenojô has bankrupted himself through his nightly visits to the keisei Ôshû. Despite having been dismissed from his service, Gorozô is still loyal to his former master, and has pledged to pay his debt of 200 ryô to the Hanagataya ageya. The debt is due this very night, but Gorozô has not managed to raise the money to pay it off.

The scene opens with Satsuki reading a letter from her husband in which he begs her to help him find the sum, for if he cannot repay it, the disgrace to both himself and to the Asama House will be such that he will have to commit suicide in atonement. Satsuki is at a loss as to what to do. As a married courtesan, she has no regular admirer from whom she could borrow the money. Doemon, there in yet another attempt to buy her favours, has been eavesdropping, and enters, magnanimously offering to lend her the sum. Satsuki is initially overjoyed, but soon discovers there is a catch. In order to have the money, she must write a letter of divorce to Gorozô. Satsuki is devastated, for she still loves Gorozô, and has always loathed Doemon. However, accepting is a way of repaying her debt of gratitude to the Asama House, and of saving her beloved husband's life. She has little choice but to agree to Doemon's demands, and puts a brave face on it by pretending that she no longer loves Gorozô, since his financial state has forced her into prostitution, and he even finds it necessary to keep on extending her contract (enkiriba).

Doemon's henchmen burst in to congratulate their master, and a party is soon in full swing. When Satsuki has written the letter of divorce, Doemon wants one of his lackeys to deliver it to Gorozô. Understandably, none of them is keen to do the job. However, at this moment, Gorozô enters - pursued by Yosuke, from the Hanagataya house, demanding repayment of the debt. This falls out better than Doemon could have devised, and the unfortunate Satsuki is forced to break off with Gorozô in a heart-rending scene in front of the assembled company, and with no opportunity to reveal to her husband the truth of the situation. Gorozô - wounded, maddened and publicly shamed - resolutely refuses to accept the money - much to the anguish of Yosuke. He denounces Satsuki, and makes to strike her with his shakuhachi when Ôshû rushes in and interposes herself. She has presumably heard what has been going on, and feels partly responsible for the situation. She tries to calm down the incensed Gorozô, and since she is Tomoenojô's beloved, Gorozô, out of respect for her and her lord, goes no further, but leaves, bitterly swearing vengeance.

Doemon, who wishes to show off his prize to the world, commands Satsuki to accompany him to the Hanagataya. Satsuki, disgusted by him as well as shattered, feigns illness, but Ôshû once again steps in, and volunteers to take Satsuki's place. If she wears Satsuki's outer robe, and has her crested lantern carried before her, in the dark everyone will assume that it is Satsuki herself who is accompanying him. Doemon reluctantly agrees, though commanding that Satsuki follows as soon as possible. Before she leaves, Ôshû is slipped a letter by Satsuki, who asks her to deliver it to Gorozô to explain recent events. Satsuki is left alone, a broken woman, still clutching the packet of money which has cost her so dear.

Act II, Scene 3: Kuruwa Uchi Yofuke
Dead of Night inside the Pleasure Quarter

In the dark in front of the Hanagataya lattices, Gorozô lies in wait, and when Doemon, Ôshû and their retinue appear, he attacks. Some of the party flee, and he easily drives off those who don't, until he and Ôshû are left alone. Taking her to be Satsuki, he repeatedly stabs her, in another scene of "beautiful cruelty", until she dies at his feet.

There is more than one ending to this scene. When the Gosho no Gorozô section of the play is performed alone, it is usual for Gorozô to bend over Ôshû's body and realise his terrible mistake. Having killed his lord's beloved, he vows to take his own life - but to kill Doemon first. Doemon reappears, and the two fight, the curtain being drawn in the middle of this, although it is conventionally assumed that Doemon is killed (and just occasionally this is actually shown to happen).

However, when a fuller version of the play is performed, with a further Act to follow, Gorozô, after killing Ôshû, cuts off her head (still without realising her true identity), and then proceeds to fight Doemon. However, in the middle of their fight, Doemon uses his magical powers to vanish. The curtain is drawn on a bewildered Gorozô, and then Doemon reappears on the suppon lift. The moon comes out from behind the clouds, and Doemon gazes at it and laughs coldly, before casually exiting along the hanamichi.

Act III, Scene 1: Gorozô Uchi Harakiri
Self-disembowelment at Gorozô's home

Next morning, Gorozô is awoken by two visitors, who give him a letter from Ôshû, and tell him that she was murdered the previous night. Gorozô says he thought that Satsuki was the victim. The visitors grow suspicious. They see a blood stain on the floor (upon which Gorozô hastily spills tea), and recall that a witness saw Gorozô near the scene of the crime last night. They leave rapidly.

Gorozô, realising that he will soon be arrested for murder, locks the door and takes out the severed head of his victim, only to find that it is indeed that of Ôshû. He then reads the letter his visitors have brought. It is, of course, the one that Satsuki asked Ôshû to deliver to Gorozô, and it explains the whole unhappy situation, and expresses Satsuki's intention to die. Then Satsuki herself arrives - she has run away, and somehow escaped from Gojôzaka. She knocks frantically at the door, whilst inside Gorozô commits seppuku to atone for his actions. Satsuki stabs her breast, and, injured as she is, manages to break open the door.

The couple are taken aback that they are both about to die. It makes Satsuki worry about her letter of divorce, but Gorozô, regarding it as now being null and void, tears it up so that they may be reunited in the afterlife as man and wife. As they die, the couple play a duet on shakuhachi and kokyû, for Ôshû's departed soul.

Summary written by Sekidobashi Sakura (June 2002), edited by Shôriya Aragorô (December 2006) and revised by Marion Hudson (January 2010) & Shôriya Aragorô (July 2020)

[1] The Gojôzaka Pleasure Quarter was in Kyôto, not Edo, but the famous Nakanochô was the heart of the Yoshiwara Pleasure Quarter in Edo.

[2] Hoshikage Doemon's henchmen were Kanizuka Soheita, Samezu Goheiji, Anô Takuroku and Aranami Kirokuta. Gosho no Gorozô's henchmen were Kajiwara Heibei, Shingai Arazô, Ninomiya Tarôji and Hatakeyama Jirôzô (or Chichibu Jûsuke).

[3] Either Kabutoya Yogorô, a male role, or the Kabutoya nyôbô, a female role. The name of the nyôbô is related to the actor guild. For example, it was Kabutoya Omatsu when the role was performed by Kataoka Hidetarô II (yagô Matsushimaya) in June 2003 at the Kabukiza. It was Kabutoya Okoma when the role when the role was performed by Nakamura Utaemon V (yagô Narikomaya) in December 1915 at the Kabukiza.

The actors Seki Sanjûrô III, Bandô Mitsugorô VI and Ichikawa Kodanji IV playing the roles of Hoshikage Doemon, Ôshû and Gosho no Gorozô in the drama "Soga Moyô Tateshi no Goshozome", which was staged in the 2nd lunar month of 1864 at the Ichimuraza (print made by Toyohara Kunichika)

Prints & Illustrations