Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Kichisama Mairu Yukari no Otozure" was premiered in the 7th lunar month of 1869 ^[2] at the Nakamuraza [casting]. It was both a kakikae kyôgen and a naimaze kyôgen as it parodied the famous story of Yaoya Oshichi and mixed it with a kôdan, which was made by Kenkonbô Ryôsai and was entitled "Kobori Seidan", a story about family troubles (sôdô) in the Kobori samurai clan. It was revived in September 1918 at the Ichimuraza, produced by Tamura Nariyoshi with the two stars Onoe Kikugorô VI and Nakamura Kichiemon I in the roles of Kichisa and Benshû. This production made history as it totally changed the importance of the role of Benshû. Minor role in 1869, it became a major villain role in 1918 as most of the scenes related to the Kobori troubles were no more staged.

"Kichisama Mairu Yukari no Otozure" was originally in 5 acts, divided into 15 scenes. Most of the scenes related to the Kobori troubles have disappeared. The current version of "Kichisama Mairu Yukari no Otozure" is made up of 4 acts (9 scenes):

Introduction
(a short summary of the long-forgotten scenes before nowadays Act I)

The house of Kobori is one which has produced several generations of hatamoto faithful to the Shôgun. Kobori Yaheiji has been adopted into the Kobori family but he stands next in the succession, after Samonnosuke, the rightful son (chakushi) and heir of the clan. Yaheiji is a thoroughly bad person. Together with Yaheiji's mekake Omitsu and the treacherous Hatashiro Ryûzaemon, they are plotting to take control of the family. To this end, they have overpowered Samonnosuke and have imprisoned him in a stone-built storehouse, planning to starve him to death. However, Yoshida Chûzaemon, a faithful family retainer, and the koshimoto Osugi have rescued Samonnosuke and have hidden him in the Enjôji Temple in the nearby district of Komagome.

Act I, scene 1: Aoyama Kobori Yashiki
At the Kobori Mansion in Aoyama

The scene is set at the Kobori Mansion in Aoyama. A celebration in honour of Lord Kobori's recovery from illness has just taken place when it is announced that the son and heir, Samonnosuke, has disappeared without leaving any trace. A hairpin belonging to the koshimoto Osugi is found in a corridor. She is called and both Yaheiji and Ryûzaemon try to force a confession from her through torture but she stubbornly refuses to speak. She eventually takes her own life. There is general consternation as to what to do with her body, but Omitsu's brother the daraku bôzu Benshû, appears and announces that he will take care of it. He will receive fifty ryô if he is successful. He decides to ask Yukanba Kichisa (Kichisa from the yukanba) to dispose of the body by morning. Kichisa ^[3] is a young scoundrel who earns his living by removing valuables from corpses as they are prepared for encoffining. He is also the lover of Yaheiji's mekake Omitsu.

Act II, from scene 1 to scene 3: Ryônenji
At the Ryônenji Temple

Benshû and Kichisa arrive together at the temple. Benshû asks Kichisa to steal the wooden pass ticket which would allow them to cremate the body but foolishly blurts out that he has been promised fifty ryô. Kichisa demands half of the money in payment. It is half and half or nothing will be done. Benshû threatens to report to Yaheiji Kichisa's love affair with Omitsu, but Kichisa retorts that this would be more damaging for Benshû and his family rather than himself. After a good deal of tough negotiation, Benshû is forced to accept Kichisa's terms.

Kichisa then sneaks into the temple. He is in the act of stealing the pass and the shroud when a temple servant notices him and talks to him. With studied innocence, Kichisa slips him a few coins and escapes the temple.

Benshû, with the cheap coffin containing Osugi, is waiting impatiently for Kichisa. He is relieved when he appears with the necessary pass. Kichisa gives it to Benshû who is delighted. Covering the coffin with a white cloth, he is about to leave when Kichisa demands the promised amount of money. Benshû gives him ten ryô but Kichisa objects that it is not the sum he was promised. They argue and Kichisa ends up taking forty ryô.

Between Act II and Act III
(a short summary of the long-forgotten scenes between nowadays Act II and Act III)

The plot against the Kobori family has finally been discovered. Kobori Yaheiji and Hatashiro Ryûzaemon have received their due punishments. Kichisa and Benshû have been banished from Edo. Omitsu, who has lost touch with both Kichisa and Benshû, has disappeared into the underworld.

Act III, from scene 1 to scene 3: Hongô Yaoya
At the Greengrocer's Shop in Hongô

Kichisa is anxious to lay his hands on some money for the journey and, seeing that the door to a greengrocer's shop in Hongô is open, he slips in. Whilst hiding in the Enjôji Temple, Samonnosuke has met and fallen in love with Oshichi, the daughter of the yaoya Kyûshirô, the owner of the shop. Both Kyûshirô and Oshichi took refuge at the Enjôji Temple when the greengrocer shop burnt down during the Great Fire of Tenna. Presently a young samurai approaches, wearing a wicker travelling hat. He reveals himself to be Samonnosuke to the shop servants. They smuggle him through the garden to the back of the house where Oshichi is.

Samonnosuke, seated in the inner room of the house, is joined by his lover Oshichi. Because of the destruction of his shop during the Great Fire of Tenna, Kyûshirô was forced to borrow money from Kamaya Buhê, an ironmonger. Embarrassed at not yet being able to repay the loan, the only solution for Kyûshirô is to force his beautiful daughter to marry the old and ugly Buhê. She, however, is deeply in love with Samonnosuke and is anxious to elope with him. Samonnosuke has received considerable help from the chief priest of the Enjôji Temple who is none other than Kyûshirô's brother. Because of this connection, it is strictly impossible for him to run away with the girl. He refuses to elope and leaves the shop without her.

Meanwhile, Kyûshirô calls his daughter and for the first time tells her about the existence of her brother who disappeared long time ago when he was a young boy. He begs her to marry Buhê in order to help him repaying the loan. Oshichi feels sorry for her father and agrees, at the same time secretly planning to take her own life. She writes her will. Kichisa, however, has overheard their conversation and realizes that Kyûshirô is his father. Without revealing who he is, he stops his sister from killing herself. Confessing his initial intention to steal some money, he promises to bring them the 100 ryô which they do need by the following day. Oshichi thanks Kichisa for his intervention, addressing him naively as "Mr. Thief". Kichisa leaves the shop. Kyûshirô suddenly realises that this young thief must be his long lost son and hurries after him.

Act IV, from scene 1: Koishikawa Tennikô Mae
In front of the Tennin Incense Shop in Koishikawa

The yotaka Okan of Yushima, in reality Omitsu, meets Kamaya Buhê by chance outside the Tenninkô incense shop in Koishikawa and knocks him out in order to steal his purse. Kichisa, hidden in the darkness, watches from the shadows and then calls her. Okan is frightened, but her fear turns to joy when she realizes it is the voice of her lover. As they discuss and finally plan to leave Edo together, Kichisa's sleeve catches on a nail and he drops the sum of one hundred ryô which he has stolen from the Tenninkô incense shop. Benshû passes by and the three all start searching in the darkness for the money (danmari). At the end of the danmari, Benshû quickly picks up the money. Kichisa pursues him, followed by Okan. The alarm is given inside the Tenninkô incense shop and all the tedai rush out searching for the thief. They find the unfortunate Buhê and beat him up, thinking he must be the thief.

Act IV, scene 2: Suidôbashi Kawabata
At the Riverside near the Suidôbashi Bridge

Kichisa catches up with Benshû near the Suidôbashi Bridge. He demands the money back but Benshû refuses. Kichisa and Benshû fight desperately in the darkness. At the end of the scene, Kichisa kills the evil priest.

A very short summary of what happens afterwards

Kichisa succeeds in sending the 100 ryô to Kyûshirô. He and Okan are caught by the torite when they are about to escape from Edo.

[1] The title "Kichisa's Coming: A Lover's Letter" comes from Samuel Leiter's "Historical Dictionary of Japanese Traditional Theatre".

[2] "Kichisama Mairu Yukari no Otozure" was premiered the 15th day of the 7th lunar month of the 2nd year of the Meiji era, which was the 22nd of August 1869 in the western calendar.

[3] Kichisa is a diminutive of Kichisaburô.

The actor Onoe Kikugorô VI playing the role of Yukanba Kichisa in the drama "Kichisama Mairu Yukari no Otozure", which was staged in September 1925 at the Ichimuraza