The play "Kanadehon Chûshingura" was originally written for the puppet theater (Bunraku) and staged for the first time in the 8th lunar month of 1748 in Ôsaka at the Takemotoza. It was adapted for Kabuki the same year and staged for the first time in the 12th lunar month of 1748 in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai [casting]. The "Yodanme" act (4th act) was performed with the actors Ichinokawa Hikoshirô II, Arashi Sanjûrô II, Anegawa Shinshirô I, Kataoka Nizaemon IV and Tamiya Jûzaburô II in the roles of Hen'ya Hangan, Ôboshi Yuranosuke, Ishidô Umanojô, Ono Kudayû and Yakushiji Jirozaemon.

The "Yodanme" act, the fourth act of "Kanadehon Chûshingura", is made up of 3 scenes commonly called "Hana Kenjô" (literally 'Flower Offering'), "Hangan Seppuku" (literally 'Hangan's Ritual Suicide') and "Shiro Akewatashi" (literally 'Vacating the Castle'). Scene 2 and 3 are always performed for a tôshi kyôgen production of this drama and are never staged independently. Scene 1 is still in the repertoire but it is rarely-staged nowadays.

Act IV, Scene 1: Hana Kenjô
Flower Offering

Act IV, Scene 2: Hangan Seppuku
Hangan's Ritual Suicide

Act IV, Scene 3: Shiro Akewatashi
Handing Over the Castle

The actors Onoe Tamizô II (left side of the wall), Kataoka Ichizô II (right side; top; 1st from left), Arashi Tokusaburô IV (right side; top; 2nd from left), Asao Okuyama IV (right side; top; 3rd from left), Arashi Hinasuke VI (right side; top; 2nd from right), Nakamura Jakuemon I (right side; top; 1st from right), Jitsukawa Gakujûrô II (right side; bottom; 1st from left) and Bandô Hikosaburô V (right side; bottom; 1st from right) playing the roles of Ôboshi Yuranosuke, Hara Gôemon, Ôboshi Rikiya, Ono no Kudayû, Ishidô Umanojô, Yakushiji Jirozaemon, Ôboshi Yuranosuke and En'ya Hangan in the fourth act of the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura" (mitate-e made by Nakai Yoshitaki in 1865)