The play "Honchô Nijûshikô" was originally written for the puppet theater (Bunraku) and staged for the first time in the 1st lunar month of 1766 in Ôsaka at the Takemotoza. It was adapted for Kabuki a few months later and was produced by both Nakamura Utaemon I and Mimasu Daigorô I in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai [casting].

"Shingen Yakata" ("Shingen's Mansion" in English) is the common nickname for the last scene of the 2nd act of "Honchô Nijûshikô". The regular title is "Takeda Shingen Yakata Seppuku" ("the seppuku in Takeda Shingen's Mansion") or "Takeda Shingen Yakata Katsuyori Seppuku" ("Katsuyori's seppuku in Takeda Shingen's Mansion"). This 1-hour long scene is occasionnally revived within a tôshi kyôgen production of "Honchô Nijûshikô".

In the garden of Shingen's mansion two servants (yakko), Kakusuke and Hakubei, talk about what they suspect to be a serious problem of their master's family. Nureginu, who has returned from her visit to the Suwa Myôjin Shrine, overhears their conversation and feels relieved to learn that they have no accurate knowledge of the trouble. She tells them to stop talking and go to the kitchen if they have finished sweeping the garden.

Nureginu reports to Shingen's wife, Lady Tokiwai, on the ribbon she has brought back from the Suwa Myôjin Shrine, saying that it augurs well for Katsuyori. Lady Tokiwai says that Itagaki Hyôbu has gone to look for a substitute for Katsuyori and is expected to come back at any moment.

Murakami Yoshikiyo comes as a messenger (jôshi) from the Shogunate government to demand the fulfillment of Shingen's promise to kill his son Katsuyori. In reply Lady Tokiwai falsely tells him that, because Katsuyori was born as a result of her prayer at the Suwa Myôjin Shrine, she has sent a messenger to the shrine to ask for its permission to kill him. She appeals to Yoshikiyo to wait until the messenger returns. Yoshikiyo picks a morning glory in the garden and, putting it in a vase, says to Lady Tokiwai that he will wait until the morning glory withers. Overhearing the conversation between Yoshikiyo and Lady Tokiwai, Katsuyori, who is blind, makes up his mind to kill himself. Nureginu, surprised, tries to dissuade him when Lady Tokiwai advises them to marry and flee as man and wife. Before they can do so, however, Yoshikiyo tells Katsuyori that he will put him to death as the morning glory has withered. Katsuyori disembowels himself and Yoshikiyo cuts off his head.

Hyôbu arrives with a palanquin carrying Minosaku, whom he plans to use as Katsuyori's substitute. As soon as the two palanquin bearers put the vehicle on the ground Hyôbu kills them with his sword. When told by Lady Tokiwai that he has come back too late, Hyôbu stamps with chagrin. After Yoshikiyo has left, carrying Katsuyori's severed head, Hyôbu tries to kill Minosaku but is fatally stabbed by Shingen. Shingen reveals that the blind Katsuyori was in fact Hyôbu's son, who closely resembled Katsuyori, and that Minosaku is in fact his own son Katsuyori. Soon after they were born 17 years before, Hyôbu secretly exchanged them, wishing to make his son Shingen's heir. Shingen soon discovered the exchange but has pretended ignorance, not telling the truth to anyone, even to his wife. He says that Hyôbu, by pretending to save the life of his master's son, actually tried to kill him and save the life of his own son. Nureginu tries to kill herself but is interrupted by the dying Hyôbu, who suggests to her to help recover Shingen's helmet named Hôsshô, which is now held by Kenshin. Minosaku, who is real Katsuyori, says he will continue his disguise as Minosaku to make the Shogunate government believe that Katsuyori was actually killed.

Source: Hironaga Shûzaburô

Top part of the picture: the actors Ichikawa Omezô I (top/left), Segawa Kikunojô III (bottom/left), Nakamura Denkurô IV (bottom/right), Osagawa Tsuneyo II (top/center) and Onoe Matsusuke I (top/right) playing the roles of the jôshi Murakami, the koshimoto Nureginu, Takeda Katsuyori, the okugata Tokiwai and Takeda Shingen in the "Shingen Yakata" scene of the drama "Honchô Nijûshikô", which was staged in the 5th lunar month of 1799 at the Ichimuraza

Bottom part of the picture: the actors Arashi Sanpachi I (left) and Nakamura Denkurô IV (right) playing the roles of Itagaki Hyôbu and Minosaku in the same drama