Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Shisen Ryô Koban no Ume-no-Ha" was premiered in November 1885 at the Chitoseza [more details]. The first day of staging was the 22nd of November 1885. The last act was a short Kiyomoto-based dance entitled "Taiko no Oto Daimoku Odori".

The original drama was in 6 acts.

Act I, scene 1: Yotsuya Gomon Soto Horibata
By the Outer Moat at the Yotsuya Gate

Two penniless thieves notice the stall of a kanzakeya at Yotsuya Mitsuke, close to Edo Castle. Yashû no Tomizô, the owner of the stall, recognizes them as old cronies and gives them kanzake free of charge to revive them. When the two men have gone, the rônin Fujioka Tôjûrô alights from a litter (kago) and dismisses the kagokaki. Tomizô has been watching with interest and he recognizes Tôjûrô as the son of his former benefactor. The two men express surprise at this chance meeting. Tôjûrô claims that he is waiting to meet someone and asks Tomizô if he has seen a young man pass by. Tomizô realizes that Tôjûrô has some scheme and invites him to sit down and take him into his confidence.

It turns out that Tôjûrô is now bankrupt due to his involvement with a courtesan in a kuruwa in the nearby district of Shinjuku. The girl named Tatsumiya Otatsu however, has told him that the son of a certain sake merchant will be passing this way tonight carrying 100 ryô. Tôjûrô is intending to ambush the youth and kill him, if necessary, to steal the 100 ryô.

Tomizô advises Tôjûrô to abandon this plan as it involves a senseless murder. So long as there is no necessary killing involved, Tomizô offers to become Tôjûrô's partner in crime. As he does so, Tomizô reveals a tattoo on his right arm indicating that he too is of the criminal fraternity. Declaring that 100 ryô is too paltry a sum to be worth the trouble, Tomizô then reveals a plan he has to steal a much larger amount from the vaults of the Edo Castle. Tôjûrô is incredulous, but is persuaded by Tomizô that it is possible.

At that moment the cry of "Stop the thief" is heard and the wakadanna Itamiya Tokutarô, whom Tôjûrô intended to kill and rob, rushes on in pursuit of a man named Terashima no Chôtarô ^[2], who has stolen his money. There is a fight in the dark and Tokutarô gets his money back by chance.

Act I, scene 2: Ushigome Tera Monzen Fujioka Uchi
At Fujioka's Home in front of a Temple Gate in Ushigome

Having stolen the money, 4000 ryô, from Edo Castle, the two thieves return with their loot to Fujioka Tôjûrô's house in Ushigome and congratulate themselves on their success. Tôjûrô is eager to divide the money between them, but Tomizô recommends that, in order not to attract attention, they hide the money for a while and resume their normal way of life, one as a kanzakeya, the other as an impoverished rônin. Tomizô's reasoned approach to the matter raises Tôjûrô's suspicions.

Tôjûrô draws his sword to kill Tomizô. But Tomizô is able to reassure him of his good intentions and together they bury the money.

Act II, scene 1: Kami-Makichô Kashitsukejo
At the Money Lender Shop in Kami-Makichô

Fujioka Tôjûrô has become a money lender, with his shop established in the district of Kami-Makichô, and his business prospers until one day when he abruptly divorces his wife and announces that he is closing his business. Two of his employees discuss this new development before Tôjûrô, himself, appears. It transpires that he distrusts Tomizô who has recently visited him to inform him that their involvement in the robbery at Edo Castle is now known to the police and they may shortly be arrested. Tomizô has taken with him 300 ryô before leaving for the Kaga Province in the northwest. Fearing for his safety, Tôjûrô has therefore decided to close down his business and disappear.

Act III, scene 1: Nakasendô Kumagaya Dote
On an Embankment in Kumagaya on the Nakasendô Highway

Tomizô has managed to reach Kanazawa in the Kaga Province but he has been arrested there. He is in the process of being brought back to Edo imprisoned in a litter, which is about to stop on an embankment (dote) near Kumagaya-juku on the Nakasendô Highway. Peasants are discussing Tomizô's arrest when they notice his imminent arrival and leave the stage. The bakuto Ikiuma no Ganpachi then enters. He is a former acquaintance of Tomizô's and he has unsuccessfully tried to seduce a woman who eventually married Tomizô. Ganpachi still bears a big grudge against Tomizô. He asks permission of Hamada Sanai, the official in charge of the group, to speak to the bounded Tomizô. Sanai gives his assent but Ganpachi only insults the defenseless Tomizô before Sanai is obliged to intervene and to send Ganpachi away.

Tomizô's wife, Osayo, then arrives with their child, Otami, and her father the udonya Rokubê. Sanai grants them permission to speak to Tomizô, who, having already divorced Osayo, treats them as mere strangers. The compassionate Sanai persuades Tomizô to recognize them and an emotional scene follows. The scene ends with a sorrowful parting.

Act IV, scene 1: Denmachô Nishi Ôrô
The Western Prison in Denmachô Jailhouse

Tomizô is put into the Denmachô Jailhouse, in the western prison (Nishi Ôrô) where, because of the enormity of his crime, he quickly assumes a position of importance in the convicts' hierarchy on top of which rules the rônanushi Matsushima Okugorô ^[3]. It is his responsibility to interrogate new prisoners and to discover what talents and what skills they possess. Tomizô recognizes several people among the new arrivals, including Terashima no Chôtarô, who has attempted to steal 100 ryô from the wakadanna Itamiya Tokutarô in the first act of this drama, and also Ikiuma no Ganpachi on whom he takes his revenge for the insults he received at Kumagaya-juku.

Act IV, scene 2: Rôyashiki Iiwatashi
The Passing of the Sentences at the Prison

Yashû no Tomizô and Fujioka Tôjûrô are finally sentenced to death by the authorities. They express their gratitude to the prison governor for his mercy and for the fine clothes that he has given them so that they may die in a right way. The two are led away with the shouting of encouragement from the other inmates and the chanting of prayers.

Act V, scene 1: Rôya Ato Soshidô
At the Prayer Hall built on the Ruins of the Prison

Years have passed. The Denmachô Prison has been demolished and a temple has been built on the site for prayers for the souls of all the executed criminals. Today a group of kôin ^[4] gather to dance and chant.

[1] Samuel Leiter

[2] Literally Chôtarô from (the village) of Terashima. Terashima was the name of a village in Mukôjima, where the Edo star Onoe Kikugorô III retired. Terashima became also the official family name of Onoe Kikugorô V. Chôtarô was played for the first time by Onoe Kikunosuke II, whose real name was Terashima Hidesaku.

[3] Why Matsushima? Most likely because the first actor who performed the role of Matsushima Okugorô was Kataoka Gadô III, whose yagô was Matsushimaya.

[4] This section is performed with a Kiyomoto ensemble. In the original drama, the kôin belonged to the Chitose kôjû. A kôjû named Chitose because of the Chitoseza, the theater where the drama was premiered. If not Chitose, another possible reading for this kôjû could be Senzai, which phonetically sounds more buddhist than Chitose.

The actors Onoe Kikugorô VI and Nakamura Kichiemon I playing the roles of the mushuku Yashû no Tomizô and the rônin Fujioka Tôjûrô in the drama "Shisen Ryô Koban no Ume-no-Ha", which was staged in April 1928 at the Meijiza