The drama "Zôho Chûshingura" was staged for the first time in the 3rd lunar month of 1872 in Ôsaka in kodomo shibai at the Inari Shibai. According to Nojima Jusaburô's "Kabuki Jôruri Gedai Yomikata Jiten", the author was Hama Hikosuke (the future Katsu Genzô III).

"Honzô Shimoyashiki" is made up of 1 act. Regarding the storyline, this act is set between the 3rd act and the 9th act of "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

The young and hot-tempered daimyô Momonoi Wakasanosuke Yasuchika is about to visit the Momonoi shimoyashiki at Asakusa in Edo, where his karô Kakogawa Honzô is kept. The ostensible purpose of his sudden visit is to execute Honzô, who secretly bribed the arrogant Governor of Kamakura, Kô no Moronô, in Wakasanosuke's name but without his knowledge. As a result of Honzô's behind-the-scene maneuver, Honzô saved the life of his lord. Moronô became so humble to Wakasanosuke that Wakasanosuke could not carry out his intended attack on Moronô, for which he would certainly have been punished with death. Wakasanosuke has learned of the bribing and considered it to be an unforgivable stain on his name. Moreover, the well-intentioned bribing, which has saved Momonoi Wakasanosuke, indirectly led to the attack of Moronô by the daimyô En'ya Hangan. He was later condemned to commit seppuku and all his faithful retainers became rônin.

When the curtain is drawn, Kakogawa Honzô and Wakasanosuke's sister Michitose, who is temporarily staying at the shimoyashiki, are discussing. Michitose was engaged to Hangan's younger brother. As a result of the scandal involving En'ya Hangan, their relationship was abruptly broken off. Michitose is very sad and Honzô does his best to comfort her. Inami Banzaemon, a personal attendant to Wakasanosuke, comes to the shimoyashiki with his men and tells them to prepare a boat to carry Michitose. Then, he stealthily puts poison into Honzô's sake pot in order to murder Wakasanosuke and make it free for him to abduct Michitose. Unnoticed by Banzaemon, however, his sinister act is observed by Honzô. At this moment a servant enters to announce that Wakasanosuke is coming to execute Honzô. By Wakasanosuke's order Banzaemon binds Honzô with a rope and takes him into the garden. Wakasanosuke appears and, taking a sword from Banzaemon, kills Banzaemon instead of Honzô and cuts the rope binding Honzô. As Honzô pours the contents of the sake pot on a potted plant, the plant immediately withers, showing the effect of the poison contained in it.

Wakasanosuke thanks Honzô for saving his life again and, releasing him from his service, gives him a shakuhachi, a komusô surplice and a plan of Moronô's mansion as his parting gifts. The idea is to make Honzô disguise himself as a komusô and go to the house of Ôboshi Yuranosuke to deliver to him the plan of Moronô's mansion. Yuranosuke is the leader of the group of loyalists trying to avenge the death of En'ya Hangan who was executed for attacking Moronô in the Shogunate palace.

The actors Ichikawa Chûsha VII and Ichimura Uzaemon XV playing the roles of Kakogawa Honzô and Momonoi Wakasanosuke in the drama "Zôho Chûshingura", which was staged in October 1926 at the Kabukiza