The play "Imoseyama Onna Teikin" was originally written for the puppet theater (Bunraku) and staged for the first time in the 1st lunar month of 1771 in Ôsaka at Takeda Shinmatsu's theater (ex-Takemotoza). It was quickly adapted for Kabuki and staged in Kyôto in the 3rd lunar month of 1771 at the Kitagawa no Shibai [casting]. It was a long run, produced from the 25th day of the 3rd lunar month to the 10th of the 5th lunar month of 1771. For this premiere, the roles of Soga no Iruka, Daihanji no Kiyosumi and Sadaka were played by Ichikawa Saizô, Nakayama Raisuke I and Arashi Hinasuke I.

"Hana Watashi", in English 'The Handing of Flowers', is the second scene (naka) of the third act of "Imoseyama Onna Teikin". This half-an-hour scene is still part of the current Kabuki repertoire and is occcasionally staged within a tôshi kyôgen production of "Imoseyama Onna Teikin".

Visiting the mansion of Sadaka, Dazai Shôni's widow and Hinadori's mother, Iruka calls Daihanji, Koganosuke's father, to the mansion. Sadaka and Daihanji, who are on bad terms, begin to quarrel when Iruka appears and tells them to reveal Uneme's whereabouts. Iruka, who wishes to marry Uneme, is skeptical about the report that she has drowned herself.

Iruka says that although Sadaka and Daihanji pretend to be antagonistic, they are in fact collaborating with each other to oppose Iruka in support of the Emperor. He demands that they prove their loyalty to him by making Hinadori and Koganosuke serve him as mistress and government official respectively. To show how disastrous their fate will be if they disobey him, Iruka hits a handrail with a cherry branch to crash its blossoms to pieces.

Text written by Hironaga Shûzaburô

The actors Mimasu Tokujirô I (top), ??? (center), Ichikawa Danzô IV (bottom/left) and Yamashita Kinsaku II (bottom/right) playing the roles of Soga no Iruka, Aramaki Yatôji, Daihanji no Kiyosumi and Sadaka in the "Hana Watashi" scene of "Imoseyama Onna Teikin", which was staged in the 4th lunar month of 1790 at the Kado no Shibai