The drama "Soga Moyô Tateshi no Goshozome" was premiered in October 1887 at the Ichimuraza [casting].

The drama "Soga Moyô Tateshi no Goshozome" was originally made up of 6 acts, divided into 12 scenes. The current version, which is made up of 3 acts (7 scenes), is divided into two different stories which are loosely related: "Hototogisu Goroshi" (the Murder of Hototogisu) and "Gosho no Gorozô". The former is occasionnally revived as part of a tôshi kyôgen production of "Soga Moyô Tateshi no Goshozome". The latter story is extremely popular and frequently staged.

Hototogisu Goroshi
The Murder of Hototogisu

Act I, Scene 1: falling in love on the banks of Natori River

The riverbank of Natori River in Ôshû, Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate, and Aomori prefectures now, is very dangerous recently. Bad palanquin bearers rob travelers there. One night, a woman pilgrim passes there, and palanquin bearers find her. They tried to force her to get on a palanquin to get fee, but she refused. So they change their mind, and attack her. Then Lord Asama Tomoenojô and his company come there, and help her. Palanquin bearers run away. Tomoenojô is a lord of Mutsu, Aomori prefecture now, and he came there to hunt. Tomoenojô asks her name, but she doesn't have name. Her step-mother hated her, and threw away her from home, and she came there on the way to her relative as a pilgrim. Tomoenojô recommends her to come with him to his mansion. She accepts it. Tomoenojô says that he hunted a beautiful bird, Hototogisu, a little cuckoo.

Act I, Scene 2: In front of the gate to Chôfukuji Temple

A Buddhist memorial service is being performed at the Chôfukuji Temple for Tomoenojô's mother who died three years ago. Although Tomoenojô himself is Edo now, his wife Nadeshiko and her mother Yuri-no-kata came to the Chôfukuji Temple at Mutsu.

Suzaki Kakuya was a retainer of Tomoenojô, and Satsuki was a lady-in-waiting of the Tomoenojô's mansion. Kakuya and Satsuki fell in love. Hoshikawa Doemon who was a retainer of Tomoenojô also loved Satsuki, and he accused their love to the authority. It was so-called an office secret love affair, but it was forbidden strictly at that time. They both could have put to capital punishment, but Tomoenojô's mother helped them. They were just expelled from Mutsu finally.

Kakuya and Satsuki came near the Chôfukuji Temple secretly, but moneylender Kinbei found them. Kakuya has borrowed money from Kinbei. Kinbei demands to repay the money, but Kakuya doesn't have any money. So Kakuya gives his swords to Kinbei instead of the money. Satsuki was surprised very much, because the Japanese sword was thought as soul of bushi, samurai. Kakuya says that he isn't a bushi anymore, so that he doesn't need any sword, and that he will live with Satsuki as a civilian after this. Satsuki is very glad to hear it. And they depart to Edo to start their new life. Then Hoshikage Doemon follows them secretly. He has still loved Satsuki.

Dongen who is doctor of the Asama family comes there in order to receive money from Sashima Yakuro who serves to Yuri-no-kata. Yuri-no-kata ordered Dongen to make poison. She gave it to Hototogisu, and Hototogisu is sick now as the result. Yuri-no-kata comes through the gate of the Chôfukuji Temple. And she orders Yakuro to pay the money to Dongen. Dongen is very glad, and he tries to sell an antidote to Yuri-no-kata, but she refuses it. When Dongemn is going to leave there, Yuri-no-kata slashes his back with Yakuro's sword, and kills him. Yuri-no-kata says that Dongen will never say anything after this, and that Hototogisu also will die soon.

Act I, Scene 3: Murder in the household of Lord Asama

Hototogisu has lived in a detached room of the Tomoenojô's mansion as his lover. But he has a wife, Nadeshiko already, and Yuri-no-kata who is mother of Nadeshiko hates Hototogisu very much. Hototogisu took a medicine that was given by Yuri-no-kata, and she has been sick in bed after that. Her beautiful face has even an ugly spot now.

When Hototogisu is praying to Buddha in her room, Dongen's ghost appears there. Dongen's ghost says about a plot of Yuri-no-kata to kill Hototogisu with poison. He brought a letter that Yuri-no-kata ordered him to make poison, and an antidote. After that Dongen's ghost has vanished suddenly. Hototogisu was surprised very much, but she takes an antidote. Then she became fine, and her ugly spot has vanished like the ghost. Hototogisu regained her beauty.

Two lady-in-waitings who serve to Nadeshiko come to the detached room of Hototogisu secretly. They attack Hototogisu, and there Yuri-no-kata comes. Hototogisu has almost died already, but Yuri-no-kata doesn't kill her easily. Yuri-no-kata kicks, and hits, and slashes Hototogisu bizarrely. Finally Yuri-no-kata killed Hototogisu, but it was a very beautiful scene. Yuri-no-kata orders a lady-in-waiting to sink Hototogisu's dead body into a pond in the garden. Yuri-no-kata says that it was wrong that Hototogisu was born beautiful.

Gosho no Gorozô
Gorozô of Gosho

Act II, Scene 1: Nakanocho in Gojozaka pleasure quarters

Suzaki Kakuya is now called Gorozô as a stylish guy at Gojozaka, famous pleasure quarters. And his wife Satsuki is now a courtesan. One day, Gorozô meets Hoshikage Doemon there, and they both are accompanied by many henchmen. Doemon knows that Satsuki is a courtesan now, and says that he will buy her as a guest of the geisha house in the near future. Gorozô recalled that Doemon hated him, and still loves Satsuki. Although they had almost started fighting, a wife of the proprietor of Kabutoya geisha house stopped them. But they keep deep hatred inside.

Act II, Scene 2: Inner room of Kabutoya geisha house

Recently, Lord Asama Tomoenojô goes to Kabutoya geisha house every night to meet a courtesan Ôshû. At the beginning, Tomoenojô knew nothing about Ôshû, but later he knew Ôshû was a elder sister of Hototogisu. Tomoenojô loves Ôshû very much, but it is a scandal. And he made a massive debt. Gorozô knew it, and he tried to make the money to repay the debt of his ex-lord. But he couldn't. So Gorozô asked his wife Satsuki to make the money. Satsuki reads a letter from Gorozô, and she knows that the period of the debt is tonight.

Satsuki has no idea how to make the money. Although she is a courtesan, it doesn't mean always a prostitute. She doesn't have a special patron, because she has a husband, Gorozô. Then Doemon visits to Satsuki, and says that he would lend the money to her if she accepted to sell herself to him. If Satsuki couldn't make the money, Gorozô couldn't show loyalty for his ex-lord. Doemon says that Gorozô might die. At the begining, Satsuki refused it, but she accepted it finally. Satsuki didn't want Gorozô to die.

Doemon says Satsuki to write a letter that she divorces Gorozô. Satsuki thinks that it goes too far, but Doemon demands to her to write a divorce letter again and again. Satsuki accepts it unwillingly. Doemon is very glad, and orders a waitress to bring sake to drink with his henchmen. Gorozô comes there then. Satsuki gives him a divorce letter and the money that she borrowed from Doemonm. Gorozô is very surprised, and throws to her the money angrily. Gorozô is going to attack Doemon, but Ôshû comes there to stop him. Gorozô is still furious, but he can't defy his ex-lord Tomoenojô's lover. Gorozô left there unwillingly as the result.

Doemon is in a good mood. And he says Satsuki to go to Hanagataya together in order to settle her debt. Satsuki is cornered. Satsuki refuses it, because she became sick suddenly. Doemon demands to Satsuki to go together. If he went to Hanagataya alone, people would think she doesn't accept him. Ôshû says that she will go with Doemon instead of Satsuki. Ôshû and Satsuki exchange their outer garments each other, and Ôshû borrows a paper lantern from Satsuki. And Doemon accepts to go out with Ôshû at last. After everyone went out, Satsuki thought that she would like to ask Ôshû to give the money to Gorozô.

Act II, Scene 3: Pleasure quarters at wee hours

Gorozô came back secretly, and hid himself to edge of a street. And he waited. Then Doemon and Ôshû wearing Satsuki's outer garment come there, and a man of Kabutoya carries a paper lantern. Gorozô made a misunderstanding, he thought Ôshû must be Satsuki. Gorozô attacks them, but Doemon disappears with magic. Ôshû couldn't run away, and was killed. Gorozô cuts Ôshû's head, and carries it to home.

Act III, Scene 1: Gorozô commits harakiri in his home

Next morning, two henchmen come to Gorozô's home. Although Gorozô is sleeping, they make him wake up. They hands a letter from Ôshû to Gorozô. And they says that Ôshû was killed last night. Gorozô is surprised, and asks if the victim was not Satsuki. The two henchmen notice a blood stain on the floor, and Gorozô spills tea on it. They recalled there was a witness who saw Gorozô near the crime scene last night. And they suspected that Gorozô could have been a murderer. They leave from Gorozô's home right away. Gorozô noticed that his crime would be cleared soon.

After Gorozô locked the front door, he takes out a head from a closet, and finds that it is Ôshû. Gorozô is very surprised and recalls that the two henchmen brought a letter from Ôshû. That letter was written by Satsuki. Satsuki obeyed Doemon unwillingly in order to borrow the money, and she intended to die. Gorozô understood her mind, and thinks that there would be no choice except committing suicide. Then Satsuki comes there. She has run away from s geisha house. She knockes the front door, and shouts to open it. But Gorozô defies her, and cuts his abdomen. Satsuki sticks her chest with a razor, and breaks the front door.

Gorozô and Satsuki are surprised that they both are going to die. However, Satsuki is worried about her divorce letter. Gorozô rips it, and says that Satsuki is still his wife also after they die. Gorozô plays a shakuhachi and Satsuki plays an oriental fiddle for Ôshû. And they die finally.

This summary was written by Sekidobashi Sakura (June 2002) and Shôriya Aragorô (December 2006)

The actors Ichimura Kakitsu IV (bottom/left) and Ichikawa Kodanji IV (top/right) playing the roles of Yuri-no-Kata and Hototogisu in the drama "Soga Moyô Tateshi no Goshozome", which was staged in february 1864 at the Ichimuraza (print made by Toyohara Kunichika)

Onoe Kikugorô V portraying Gorozô, with Nakamura Shikan IV in the role of Hoshikage Doemon (small portrait), in a print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1893