The Nô drama "Shôjô" was adapted to Kabuki for the first time in the 9th lunar month of 1820 at the Nakamuraza. It was one of the 7 roles of the hengemono "Setsugekka Nagori no Bundai". All the roles were performed by Bandô Mitsugorô III. The section with the shôjô was entitled "Shôjô Yuki no Yoizame". Takeshiba Kinsaku I's Nagauta-based dance-drama "Kotobuki Ninin Shôjô" was premiered in July 1874 at the Kawarasakiza [more details]. A Gidayû-based version of "Shôjô" was staged for the first time in January 1946 at the Ôsaka Kabukiza [more details]. Usually, there is only one shôjô in the Gidayû-based "Shôjô" and there are two shôjô in the Nagauta-based "Shôjô".

Once upon a time in China, in the village of Yôzu at the foot of Mount Kanekin, lived a sake peddler named Kôfû who was known for his filial piety. One day he was told in a dream that if he would come to a certain lake that evening he would be rewarded for his goodness. When he came to the site as directed he was joined by the pair of shôjô who lived in the waters of the lake. The shôjô drank their fill from his sakatsubo, but the peddler did not protest or grudge them their drink in any way. But to his surprise, no matter how much the shôjô drank, his sakatsubo seemed to remain always full. The shôjô then told him that was his reward for his filial piety. After that, no matter how much sake was taken out of the sakatsubo, it always refilled itself so that Kôfû became a wealthy man.

The actors Nakamura Tokizô III and Bandô Mitsugorô VII performing in the dance "Shôjô"