将門（Masakado） | 歌舞伎演目案内

Princess Takiyasha uses sorcery in an attempt to take over the country on behalf of her rebel father Masakado.

Princess Takiyasha, emerging from the darkness, employs an eerie seductive power to try and win over the warrior Mitsukuni as an ally. How will the plan of the rebel princess come out at Masakado’s former base? A dance piece full of mysterious beauty.

Synopsis

by Abe Satomi

Beautiful woman in the palace ruins

The remains of an old palace in Soma, a town in present-day Fukushima Prefecture. Taira Masakado has been killed in an attempted coup, and his former residence, once a glorious palace, is now in ruins. A courtesan emerges mysteriously in the smoke of flickering candlelight. Bewitching and beautiful, she takes out a letter and declares that true love is painful even for a love-worn courtesan. She heads to the former palace.

Courtesan Kisaragi, actually Princess Takiyasha（Bando Tamasaburo）　April 2013　Kabukiza Theatre

Seduction of courtesan Kisaragi

A brave warrior named Mitsukuni is dozing at the former palace. He had come after hearing strange rumors about the palace. He was awakened by a courtesan. He starts to stab her, thinking it must be a monster. The woman stops him and tells him she is a courtesan named Kisaragi from Kyoto. Mitsukuni is suspicious, but she says she fell in love with him after spotting him earlier and has followed him here.

［from left］Courtesan Kisaragi, actually Princess Takiyasha（Bando Tamasaburo）、Oya Taro Mitsukuni（Onoe Shoroku）　April 2013　Kabukiza Theatre

Story of Masakado’s battle death

Mitsukuni pretends to relax. He talks about the former glory of the Soma Palace and the rebellion and death of the rebel Masakado. He says Masakado was shot in the head by an arrow, fell from his horse and died. When Kisaragi hears this, she cannot hold back her tears.

Oya Taro Mitsukuni（Onoe Shoroku）　April 2013　Kabukiza Theatre

Love affair in the pleasure quarters

Asked why she weeps, Kisaragi changes the subject and starts to talk about love affairs between courtesans and customers at the pleasure house. She starts to dance with a piece of paper. Mitsukuni joins the dance, playing the customer. Suddenly Kisaragi drops a banner. Mitsukuni picks it up, but Kisaragi grabs it back immediately. Here the show momentarily shifts from the main plot and features a dance scene with the couple, an interesting feature of Kabuki.

［from left］Courtesan Kisaragi, actually Princess Takiyasha（Bando Tamasaburo）、Oya Taro Mitsukuni（Onoe Shoroku）　April 2013　Kabukiza Theatre

Kisaragi’s true identity

Mitsukuni, observing the courtesan’s behavior, asks her whether she is Masakado’s daughter. She confesses that she is indeed Princess Takiyasha. She was hoping to lure Mitsukuni as an ally given his intelligence and proficiency at martial arts. Now that he has spotted her identity, however, she will have to kill him. The couple begin to fight. After a fierce battle, the old palace crumbles, and the princess appears on the roof atop a giant frog. She stares intensely at Mitsukuni as the play comes to a close.

【Left】［from left］Oya Taro Mitsukuni（Onoe Shoroku）、Courtesan Kisaragi, actually Princess Takiyasha（Bando Tamasaburo）　April 2013　Kabukiza Theatre
【Right】［from left］Oya Taro Mitsukuni（Onoe Shoroku）、Courtesan Kisaragi, actually Princess Takiyasha（Nakamura Tokizo）　December 2006　Kabukiza Theatre

Masakado （ ）