The play "Kiichi Hôgen Sanryaku no Maki" is a jidaimono history play on a grand scale and the story of three brothers with loyalties to the Genji Clan in a world ruled by the Heike clan. It was originally written for the puppet theater (Bunraku) and staged for the first time in the 9th lunar month of 1731 in Ôsaka at the Takemotoza. It was adapted for Kabuki at the end of the same year and produced for the first time in the 12th lunar month of 1731 at the Kado no Shibai. The zamoto was Arashi Kokuseki (unknown casting). It was produced by Arashi Koroku I in the first quarter of 1732 in Kyôto with the actors Mihogi Gizaemon I and Ichiyama Sukegorô I playing the roles of Yoshioka Kiichi Hôgen and Ichijô Ôkura Naganari. Arashi Kokuseki produced the play one more time in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai in the 3rd and 4th lunar months of 1732 [casting]. It was performed for the first time in Edo, at the Moritaza, in the 1st lunar month of 1757 [casting].

The play "Kiichi Hôgen Sanryaku no Maki" was originally in 5 acts. Two main parts have survived, "Kikubatake" ("The Chrysanthemum Garden" in English), which is the main scene of the 3rd act, and "Ichijô Ôkura Monogatari", which is the core of the 4th act. The final act, "Gojô no Hashi" is still part of the current repertoire but is rarely staged:

Act II, scene 3: Banshû Shoshazan
Mount Shosha in the Banshû province

Iwachiyo, young son of Hiromori, Lord of Banshû Province, comes to the Seishôin Temple, accompanied by Ichihara Danpei, a servant, to study under Shôkei Ajari, the chief priest.

After Shôkei and Iwachiyo have exchanged cup of sake, an earthen cup is passed around among the pages in attendance to acquaint Iwachiyo with them. When the cup comes to one of the pages named Oniwaka, he says that it is too small for him. He drinks directly from the cask and throws the cup at the floor to break it to pieces.

In the subsequent lesson for reading, Oniwaka blunders and is laughed at by Iwachiyo. Oniwaka gets angry and beats him up. An ired Danpei tries to at-tack Oniwaka but is persuaded by Shôkei to pardon him.

Asuka, Oniwaka's former wet nurse, visits the temple together with Oniwaka's elder sister Okyô's and her husband Yoshioka Kijirô. Asuka tells Oniwaka that his mother was pregnant with him for seven years and that he was taken out of her body when she was killed by Iwachiyo's father Hiromori.

Oniwaka wishes to kill Iwachiyo in reprisal but is dissuaded by Kijirô and Asuka, who say that Oniwaka's true enemy is not Iwachiyo but Kiyomori, head of the Heike Clan.

When Oniwaka is taking a nap Iwachiyo and Danpei approach him, wishing to smear his face with ink. Oniwaka awakes in time and, furious with rage, throws a desk and a book case into the garden. When Danpei protests to Oniwaka, Asuka accuses him of unnecessary meddling in children's quarrel. Danpei gets angry and kicks her so hard that she faints. Oniwaka retaliates by throwing him against the stone wall of a well to kill him instantly. Oniwaka then smears Iwachiyo's face with ink and drives him out of the temple. Oniwaka then shaves his head to become a priest- soldier and changes his name to Benkei.

Act III, scene 1: Rokuhara Kiyomori Yakata
At Kiyomori's Mansion

Kiyomori, head of the Heike Clan, which has defeated the Genji Clan, calls Hiromori, one of his leading retainers, to his mansion and asks him where Benkei is and why Kiichi Hôgen, a former Genji warrior now serving Kiyomori, has not yet presented his book of strategy to Kiyomori in spite of his persistent demand. In reply Hiromori says that Kiichi's daughter Minazuru will soon bring the book in place of Kiichi, who is ill, and that Kasahara Tankai, Kiichi's leading disciple, knows much about not only Benkei but also Kiichi's younger brothers Kijirô and Kisanta.

Called by Kiyomori to his mansion, Tankai soon arrives and tells Kiyomori that if he marries Minazuru, he will become the heir to Kiichi, who has no son. When Minazuru arrives Tankai woos her but is sternly rejected.

Tankai then challenges her to a martial art contest, telling her she must marry him if she is defeated. Fighting with a sword against Minazuru who wields a halberd, Tankai is defeated and flees melter skelter.

When asked by Kiyomori to present the book of strategy, Minazuru takes out a letter of admonition to Kiyomori written by his son Shigemori. As Minazuru reads it aloud Kiyomori gets very angry and goes away after telling Hiromori to make Tankai visit Kiichi and find out where Benkei, Kijirô and Kisanta are.

Act III, scene 2: Imadegawa Kiichi Hôgen Yakata Kikubatake
The Chrysanthemum Garden at Kiichi Hôgen's Mansion in Imadegawa
--> A dedicated summary: "Kikubatake"

Act III, scene 3: Imadegawa Kiichi Hôgen Yakata Okuniwa
The Inner Garden at Kiichi Hôgen's Mansion in Imadegawa
--> A dedicated summary: "Kikubatake"

Ushiwakamaru tells Princess Minazuru that she has nothing to fear and charges Kisanta to take her and her father to a place of safety. The girl directs his attention to the open door of the house. There on the threshold of the inner room her father waits to place in the hands of his true lord the precious book of tactics.

Act IV, scene 1: Higaki Jaya
The Higaki Tea-House

After the death of the Genji general Yoshitomo, the despotic Heike ruler Kiyomori had forced Tokiwa Gozen, Yoshitomo's widow, to become his mistress in return for his sparing the lives of her three small sons. Eventually tiring of her, he had passed her on to a retainer, Lord Ichijô Ôkura Naganari, who appears to be an imbecile. The truth, however, is that the lord is secretly sympathetic to the Genji cause and is merely playing the role of the fool in order to stay clear of involvement in Kiyomori's despotism. Consequently he had accepted Tokiwa Gozen not from lust but to save her from further humiliation by ensuring her position as his legal wife. Loyal Genji retainers including Kijirô and his wife Okyô, however, suspect that Tokiwa Gozen may be a wanton woman who has betrayed the Genji cause, and plot to spy out the situation.

For this purpose Kijirô and Okyô have made arrangements for Okyô to be taken into the lord's service if possible, and are waiting outside the gate for the lord and his retinue to come by as scheduled. It is known that the lord loves to entertain himself with little skits and plays and for this purpose hires anyone with a little talent to put on spontaneous performances for him. Thus Okyô is to present herself as one such performer so as to be hired by him and then seek an opportunity to approach Tokiwa Gozen.

When Ichijô Ôkura comes by, Kijirô slips away so as not to be noticed while Okyô quickly approaches the lord. Naruse, the wife of Ôkura's chief retainer Kageyu, with whom previous contact had been made, introduces Okyô to the lord as a woman exceedingly talented in farce. Ôkura engages Okyô on the spot, speaking nonsense all the while in a droll manner that suggests a moronic mind. Okyô per- forms a dance and the lord enjoys it so much he tries to imitate her while sitting on the bench, and losing his balance, falls to the ground.

In high good humor he proceeds on his way with Okyô now added to the retinue. Kijirô is still standing by the side watching the group, and the lord notices him just as Kijirô hastily hides his face under his sedge hat. For just a moment the lord's moronic mask disappears as he alertly regards the suspicious stranger. But immediately he returns to his role as the innocently smirking imbecile lord.

Act IV, scene 2: Kusemai
The Old Dance
--> A dedicated summary: "Kusemai"

Act IV, scene 3: Ôkura Yakata Okuden
In the inner pavilion of the Ôkura's palace
--> A dedicated summary: "Ichijô Ôkura Monogatari"

Aiming for the revival of the Genji clan, Yoshioka Kijirô and his wife, Okyô, sneak into the mansion of Lord Ichijô to find out Tokiwa Gozen’s true intentions. Kijirô blames Tokiwa Gozen for behaving as if she forgot all about the Genji. Tokiwa Gozen, however, was secretly praying for the overthrow of the Heike clan, while pretending to be enjoying herself by playing yôkyû (a kind of archery). Kageyu dashes out to tell Kiyomori about Tokiwa Gozen’s true mindset. Just then, someone slashes at Kageyu with a sword. It is Lord Ichijô, who stands dignified with a long sword in hand, an appearance that is far from his usual. In a long monogatari, he confesses that he is on the Genji side. Then, he resumes his masquerade playing with the Kageyu's severed head. Tokiwa Gozen's immorality and Lord Ichijô's idiocy are a guise, the only way to survive in a world ruled by the enemy.

Act V, scene 1: Gojô no Hashi
The Gojô Bridge

Ushiwakamaru appears nightly on the Gojô Bridge in Kyôto to fulfill his pledge to kill 1,000 persons in a prayer for the repose of his late father's soul. One night Benkei, who has been training himself in martial art on Mt. Hiei, appears to attack him with a halberd.

Ushiwakamaru is, however, so skilled in swords- manship that Benkei proves no match for him. Benkei lays down his weapon and asks Ushiwakamaru to make him his retainer.

Source for the "Banshû Shoshazan", "Kiyomori Yakata", "Gojô no Hashi": Hironaga Shûzaburô

Source for the "Kikubatake" and "Ôkura Yakata Okuden": the Earphone Guide website

Source for "Higaki Jaya": Kabukiza April 2000 program

Source for "Okuniwa": Aubrey and Giovanna Halford in "The Kabuki Handbook"

This page would have not been built without the help of my friend Marion Hudson! Thank you very much Marion!

The actors Nakamura Utaemon IV and Onoe Kikugorô III playing the roles of Benkei and Ushiwakamaru in the "Gojô no Hashi" scene of the drama "Kiichi Hôgen Sanryaku no Maki", which was staged in the 9th lunar month of 1838 at the Nakamuraza (print made by Utagawa Kuniyoshi)

The "Kikubatake" scene in the 9th lunar month of 1849 at the Ichimuraza (Edo)

The "Ichijô Ôkura Monogatari" scene in June 1882 at the Ichimuraza (Tôkyô)

The "Gojô no Hashi" scene in the 3rd lunar month of 1828 at the Naka no Shibai (Ôsaka)

Prints & Illustrations