A spectacular fight scene with Yawata no Saburô and Ômi no Kotôta on giant stone stairways was included for the first time in the new year sogamono drama "Ume Yanagi Sakigake Soga", which was staged in the 1st lunar month of 1806 at the Ichimuraza. The roles of Yawata no Saburô and Ômi no Kotôta were played by Suketakaya Takasuke II and Matsumoto Kôshirô V. Takeshiba Kisui recycled it in his new year drama "Kichirei Soga", which was staged in January 1900 at the Meijiza. The roles of Yawata no Saburô and Ômi no Kotôta were played by Ichikawa Kodanji V and Ichikawa Sadanji I. The title "Kichirei Kotobuki Soga" was used for the first time in January 1902 at the Tôkyôza [more details].

The current version of "Kichirei Kotobuki Soga" is made up of two acts (3 scenes).

Ôiso Kuruwa Maizuruya
At the Maizuruya in the Pleasure Quarter of Ôiso

The scene is set at Maizuruya ageya in the pleasure quarters (kuruwa) of Ôiso-juku. Tsurugizawa Danjô Saemon is a retainer at the service of Kudô Saemon Suketsune, a senior official of the Kamakura Shogunate. He is plotting to take over the head of the Kudô clan and has stolen an important map of the hunting fields (kariba) near Mt. Fuji, which Suketsune needs to organize an important New Year hunting expedition for the Shôgun. Another of Danjô's preoccupations is the beautiful keisei Ôiso no Tora ^[1], who works at the Maizuruya. Danjô comes calling again in the hopes of meeting her, intimidating the owners of the ageya by telling them that he serves a powerful government official.

Tension is broken when a letter arrives from Ômi Kotôta Shigeie, with whom Danjô is conspiring. As he is reading the letter by a lantern, Mankô, who is the proprietress of the ageya, steals glances at it from the second-floor window, and the yakko Hachinai, a retainer of the rival lord Yawata Saburô Yukiuji, reads it from under the engawa as the scroll dangles to the ground. The letter reveals that Saburô has learned of the plot, and Danjô hands his servant a reply to be taken to Kotôta. Miyazono, a new shinzô at the Maizuruya, and Hachinai discuss the contents of the letter. Miyazono is in reality Kudô Suketsune's daughter and has come to spy on Danjô, who is suspected of being the stealer of the map of the hunting fields. If she can't find back the map, her father will be forced to take his own life and the villains will take over the clan.

Kawazu Saburô Sukeyasu, who was Soga Gorô Tokimune's father, was killed by Kudô Suketsune when Gorô was just an infant. He has been plotting to avenge the death of his father for years. To do this with honor requires that he acquire a famous sword named Tomokirimaru. He learns of a merchant who is selling the sword, but is devastated to learn that it costs 300 ryô, an astronomical amount of money. Gorô’s costume bears a motif of butterflies and the role is performed in the bombastic aragoto style of acting.

Meanwhile, Danjô is worried that he might lose the map of the hunting fields if he carries it around with him and decides to hide it in the garden of the ageya.

Soga Jûrô Sukenari, Gorô's elder brother, has been spending much time at Maizuruya recently after learning that Danjô, a retainer of Suketsune, is a frequent customer, and he has gained the confidence of the keisei Ôiso no Tora, whom Danjô is infatuated with. Jûrô’s costume bears a motif of flying plover birds and the role is performed in the soft wagoto style of acting. Gorô believes, though, that his elder brother has all but forgotten their common pledge to avenge their father's death and is squandering his time and money in the licensed pleasure quarters. Gorô is repelled by his brother's attitude and challenges him to a duel. Tora jumps in between them and calms Gorô by explaining Jûrô's real motives and admonishing Gorô for jeopardizing the opportunity to carry out the vendetta together. The brothers reaffirm their resolve but wonder how they can possibly secure 300 ryô to purchase the Tomokirimaru sword. A voice is heard from the second floor offering them the money they need. It is Mankô, who is actually the mother of the Soga brothers. She tells Tora to dig a hole at a precise spot in the garden, from which the stolen map of the hunting fields is discovered.

Miyazono, carrying 300 ryô on a tray, and the merchant of the Tomokirimaru sword emerge from the back of the ageya. She asks that the map be sold to her for 300 ryô as it is vital to her father and his clan. Jûrô and Gorô are shocked to learn that the enemy's daughter is working at the ageya and threaten her life. Their mother calms them, reminding them that their enemy is Kudô Suketsune, not his daughter. If Suketsune should lose control of the clan because of a conspiracy, moreover, the brothers will be unable to carry out their vendetta. They all agree to sell the map to Miyazono and use the money to purchase the Tomokirimaru sword.

Danjô, realizing that the map has been discovered, attacks Miyazono and the Soga. Gorô cuts him down after a short scuffle. The brothers are now free to go ahead with their revenge mission. As Gorô hurries off to Kamakura to confront Kudô Suketsune, he runs into his lover, the keisei Kewaizaka no Shôshô ^[2], who has been waiting for his return. They spend what will be their last night together, as Gorô knows he will be killed after taking revenge on Suketsune.

Tsurugaoka Hachimangû Ishidan
On the Stone Stairway of the Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

The scene is set at the stone stairway ^[3] (ishidan) leading up to the main hall of the Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine in Kamakura. The yakko Hayahei, who is at the service of Ômi Kotôta Shigeie, and the yakko Hachinai, who is at the service of Kotôta's rival lord Yawata Saburô Yukiuji, are grappling with each other for the possession of a letter carrying a secret message to Kotôta. Hachinai, who suspects the scheming nature of the letter, manages to steal it from Hayahei in the course of the struggle.

Eventually the rival lords Kotôta and Saburô themselves appear on the stone stairway, on their way back from paying their respects at the shrine. Kotôta carries on his tray a charm (omamori), while Saburô's tray holds the letter that had just been handed to him by his retainer Hachinai. Saburô claims he has deciphered the code in which the letter was written and knows it is addressed to Kotôta. Kotôta tries to grab the letter back to prevent Saburô from reading the message of the conspirators, and a fight ensues in which a bird picks it up and flies away. The scene ends with the spectacular scene-change (gandô-gaeshi) of the stone stairway rotating to reveal the next set.

Tsurugaoka Hachimangû Takadono
At the Tall Building ^[4] of the Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine

Mt. Fuji can be seen in the distance. Kudô Saemon Suketsune, the target of revenge by the Soga Brothers, has just been promoted to a senior government post and named head of the coming shogunal New Year hunting expedition. A bird brings the letter from the previous scene to him, detailing the plot to take over control of the Kudô clan. Now that the plot has been revealed to Suketsune, the yakko Hayahei jumps out to take the senior official's life but is easily wrestled to the ground.

The Soga brothers Jûrô and Gorô arrive to confront Suketsune along with Miyazono, Suketsune's daughter. Suketsune dismisses the challenge, saying that he has a thousand soldiers at this command who will guard him securely. Before Suketsune orders that the brothers be killed, Miyazono steps in, claiming that the two brothers' lives should be spared as they helped to retrieve the map of the hunting fields and thwart Danjô's plot. Suketsune throws them a gift: the tickets to the hunting expedition. Then, he challenges them to come and meet him there.

[1] Tora from the pleasure quarter of Ôiso-juku.

[2] Shôshô from the pleasure quarter of Kewaizaka.

[3] This scene has given the play its popular title of "Soga no Ishidan", the "Stone Stairway of the Soga Brothers".

[4] The "Tall Building" is the massive vermilion gate of the Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine, which is also called sanmon.

The actors Seki Sanjûrô II and Nakamura Utaemon III playing the roles of Yawata Saburô Yukiuji and Ômi Kotôta Shigeie in the new year sogamono drama "Na-ni Takaki Fuji-ga-Ne Soga", which was staged in the 1st lunar month of 1812 at the Nakamuraza (print made by Utagawa Toyokuni I)